Polestar 4

The Polestar 4 is difficult to figure out. It’s trying very hard to be bold and original, hence the windowless beetleback in place of a rear screen. It’s also trying very hard to be a lot of different things including an SUV, a coupé, an executive car, a sports car, a tech device… and probably some others that we’ve forgotten.

This could be genius. As if Picasso made a car, with all its disparate bits brought together into one brave yet cohesive thing. Or it could be more Frankenstein’s monster: lots of unrelated stuff, stitched together and brought to life so that it can shamble about in your nightmares.

Let’s start with the basics. Obviously, being a Polestar it’s electric only, and it’s based on the same Geely SEA platform that underpins the Volvo EX30 and Smart #1. Power comes from a 94kWh (usable capacity) lithium ion NMC battery, which you can choose to have powering dual motors, for 536bhp and 506lb ft, or a single motor delivering 268bhp and 253lb ft to the rear wheels.

Charging tops out at 200kW, which is good for a 10-80% charge in 30 minutes. Vehicle-to-load charging is also standard, while WLTP range is up to 385 miles for the single-motor car that we’re focusing on here.

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