2025 Polestar 4's Missing Rear Glass Could Be a Pain in the Ass
The 2025 Polestar 4 debuts as a fastback electric SUV with no rear window.
The Polestar 4 offers 272-hp rear-drive and 544-hp all-wheel-drive models, with the former targeting over 300 miles of EPA-estimated range.
Polestar says the 4 will go sale in the U.S. later in 2024, with an expected base price of $60,000.
Polestar has a penchant for designing painfully pretty concept cars such as the 6 roadster and the sedan-like Precept (a.k.a. Polestar 5). Both beauties are planned for production, and the brand appears fully committed to bringing its conceptual styling to the masses—even if some aspects are undeniably unconventional. For proof, look no further than the all-electric 2025 Polestar 4 that was revealed today at the Shanghai auto show.
Kiss the Rear Glass Goodbye
The Polestar 4's styling is heavily inspired by the Precept concept, including a nonexistent rear window. Instead, there's a rear-facing, roof-mounted camera that feeds a digital rearview mirror. Every model also has an expansive glass roof that extends past the heads of people in the back. This creates what Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath calls "a new kind of immersive rear occupant experience." Our biggest question is what kind of experience does the massive blind spot create for the driver? For those who don't rely on their side mirrors, it could be a pain in the ass.
Don't get us wrong, we think the 4 looks handsome as heck, with its short overhangs and fastback roofline. Its split headlights and full-width taillights provide distinctive bookends, and dimensionally it's somewhere between the high-riding Polestar 2 hatchback and the Polestar 3 SUV. Measuring 190.5 inches long and 60.8 inches tall, the Polestar 4 exists in the evolving gray area between hatchbacks and SUVs. It's built on the Sustainable Experience Architecture developed by Geely, Polestar's parent company, and the platform will also underpin the Polestar 5.
New Performance Benchmark
The Polestar 4 is billed as the quickest model the brand has ever built. While that's not much to brag about—considering its limited benchmarks—the 544-hp dual-motor all-wheel-drive model is claimed to hit 62 mph in 3.8 seconds. That's slightly quicker than the 2023 Polestar 2 Performance we tested, which hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds.
The company doesn't mention acceleration claims for the 272-hp singe-motor rear-drive Polestar 4, but it does claim to be targeting over 300 miles of EPA-estimated range. Both configurations share a battery with 94 kWh of useable capacity. There's currently no word on charging times, but the peak charging rate is said to be up to 200 kilowatts using a DC fast-charger; a 22-kW onboard charger is also included. Thanks to bi-directional charging, the Polestar 4 can also be used to power other electronics. This vehicle-to-load capability is available on some other electric vehicles too, such as the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5.
Along with wheels sizes between 20 and 22 inches, the Polestar 4 is offered with a Performance package that includes the largest rollers as well as Brembo four-piston brakes and unique chassis tuning. The upgrade also brings gold-colored brake calipers, seat belts, and valve caps. Other options include the Plus Pro pack with color-coded exterior details, illuminated interior bits, and electrochromic glass so the standard panoramic roof's opacity can be changed.
Inside the Newest Polestar
Despite the polarizing decision to not have a rear window, the Polestar 4's interior looks properly luxurious. Spanning an enormous 84.2 inches wide, and with a 118.1-inch wheelbase, the cabin should be incredibly spacious too. Along with available heat, ventilation, and massage for the front-seat passengers, the rear seats have room to recline, and there's ambient interior lighting that's said to evoke the solar system.
The sophisticated dashboard features a horizontally oriented 15.4-inch touchscreen running Android Automotive OS with myriad Google-based apps. There's an optional 1400-watt, 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system too. The driver faces a 10.2-inch digital cluster below a head-up display. The latter includes an innovative setting that changes the text color from white to yellow to improve visibility in snowy conditions.
There's a host of standard driver assists, including a driver-monitoring system that Polestar points out "only relays data and does not record video"—lest anyone be worried about privacy. There's also an optional Pilot package that enables the electric SUV to change lanes by itself when commanded.
For those who care about the sustainability of their EV, Polestar provides supply-chain transparency and a full lifecycle assessment. The new 4 model heavily relies on recycled materials, from knit upholstery made from recycled polyester to floor carpets made from reclaimed fishing nets to door panels that are said to save plastic and weight. Nappa leather is also available, but it's said to come from welfare-secured animals.
Coming to America in 2024
The 2025 Polestar 4 will first go on sale in China, with production set to start this November at the Geely-owned plant in Hangzhou Bay, China. More information regarding the North American models will come sometime in 2024, with the 4 slated to reach U.S. driveways later that year. Polestar says pricing is expected to start at $60,000—roughly $25K less than the base price of the forthcoming 3 SUV.
When asked if Polestar 4s in all markets would come without a rear window, a company spokesperson confirmed they would. We think that's a bold move, but there's no looking back now.
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