![White Polestsr 4 in the field](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2025-Polestar-4-9-800x600.jpg)
Jonathan Gitlin
“If you’re going to make a car and use all that energy, it has to be a good car,” said Thomas Ingenrath, CEO of Polestar. Ingenrath is behind the company’s latest electric vehicle, an eye-catching, coupe-shaped midsize SUV called the Polestar 4. Ingenrath gets the point across from a sustainability standpoint, but it also makes good business sense: the Polestar 4 needs to be a good car to stand out as it enters one of the most competitive segments in the market.
In fact, Polestar uses less energy to build its latest EV than any other product in its class. The company cites a carbon footprint equivalent to 19.9 tonnes of CO2.2 From cradle to door. Like other automakers, Polestar is using a single-material approach to its interiors to make recycling easier. For example, choosing the same base plastic for all components of a particular trim piece.
Carpets are made from a variety of things, including recycled fishing nets and plastic bottles. The vinyl sheets use pine oil instead of materials extracted from the ground, and the crocheted upholstery fabric (also from recycled plastic bottles) is designed to leave no residue.
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The headlights, which have only been available on four models so far, are now a Polestar trademark.
Jonathan Gitlin
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Coupe-like appearance, SUV-like practicality.
Jonathan Gitlin
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No, your eyes are not deceiving you. There is no rear window.
Jonathan Gitlin
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The interior is inspired by sportswear.
Jonathan Gitlin
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The Polestar 4's rear seats outperform those of its competitors from Porsche, BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.
Jonathan Gitlin
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At night, LEDs illuminate the interior from behind the fabric trim panels. The colors can be switched depending on the theme set for the car. More on that later.
Jonathan Gitlin
The fastest Polestar ever
Not only is it the greenest Polestar yet, it’s also the most capable. We tested the long-range dual-motor version, which can send up to 536 hp (400 kW) and 506 lb-ft (686 Nm) to the wheels. If you opt for this version, you’ll see a range of 434 km (270 miles) on a 100 kWh battery pack. In suitable locations, such as highway toll booths, it’ll hit 60 mph in 3.7 seconds (100 km/h in 3.8 seconds).
At least in performance mode. Switching to range mode disengages the clutch from the front permanent magnet synchronous motor and remaps the throttle pedal for greater efficiency. A heat pump is also standard. The car is capable of DC fast charging at up to 200 kW, which can get the battery pack from 10 to 80 percent charge in 30 minutes. At home, with an 11 kW AC charger, it takes about 11 hours to complete the 0 to 100 percent SoC.
There’s also a long-range single-motor variant with exactly half the power and torque, but an EPA range of 300 miles (482 km). The rear-wheel-drive Polestar 4 offers more modest performance—60 mph in 6.9 seconds and 62 mph in 7.1 seconds—but it starts at $64,900, $10,000 less. New tariffs on Chinese EVs are the reason for the increase, but Polestar told Ars it will honor the original prices for customers who have already ordered. Production of the Polestar 4 for the U.S. market will begin next year in South Korea, meaning import duties will be much lower.
![](https://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2025-Polestar-4-13-980x735.jpg)
Jonathan Gitlin
Surprisingly good to drive
Here’s the thing: making an electric car go fast isn’t that hard. Electric motors produce most of their torque almost instantly, and unlike combustion motors, efficiency doesn’t really drop off below the performance range as you increase peak power. So even a three-ton monster can be thrown down the road fast enough to put many supercars to shame.
The Polestar 4 isn’t all that heavy – 5,192 pounds (2,355 kg) – so it’s ditched the air suspension in favor of conventional coil springs and dampers. These are passive on the Single Motor, but the Dual Motor gets active dampers as standard, and opting for the Performance Pack upgrades that with stiffer springs, anti-roll bars, and new damper tuning.
Our test car was so equipped, and the ride was noticeably firm, especially when sitting in the back seat. There was a bit of wind noise at speed, but the tires roared louder, perhaps thanks to the Performance Pack's 22-inch wheels.