Polestar 4 News

Australians have been obsessed with SUVs for over a decade, but there are signs the infatuation is coming to an end and you can put it down to electric cars.

Polestar Australia has confirmed pricing and specification for an upgraded 2026 model year version of its mid-size pure-electric Polestar 4 SUV.Headline news is no change to the manufacturer’s list price despite a key design tweak for both models in the local range with the cost of selected options also reduced.In a win for greater ease of use and reduced driver distraction, touch-sensitive steering wheel controls have been replaced by more conventional buttons, while the option pack structure has been massaged with pricing for the Bridge of Weir leather trim and electrochromic glass roof options reduced.At the same time an illuminated front Polestar logo, high-level interior illumination and net pockets in the boot have been moved to the 'Plus Pack' (see below).As the name implies, the entry-level Polestar 4 Long Range Single motor is powered by a single (rear-mounted) permanent magnet electric motor sending 200kW/343Nm to the rear wheels while the Long Range Dual motor pushes 400kW/686Nm to all four wheels. Claimed 0-100km/h acceleration times are 7.1 and 3.8 seconds, respectively.With energy consumption between 7.8-18.4kWh/100km, WLTP range for the single-motor is 620km. That drops to a still impressive 590km in the high-performance dual-motor version which consumes 19.0-21.7kWh/100km. The Polestar 4 is capable of charging its 100kW lithium-ion battery at up to 200kW DC, taking on a 10-80 per cent fill in 30 minutes. Braked trailer towing capacity is 1500kg for the single motor version and 2000kg for the dual motor.20-inch alloy wheelsActive LED headlightsRain-sensing wipers‘Bio-attributed’ fabric trimEight-way electrically adjustable driver seat (with memory)Six-way electrically adjustable passenger seatHeated front seatsAmbient interior lightingDual-zone climate controlPower tailgate10.2-inch driver display14.7-inch head up display15.4-inch central multimedia display8.9-inch digital rear-view mirrorEight-speaker audio (with digital radio)Wireless Apple CarPlayPlus Pack: Harman Kardon 1320W premium sound system, head-up display, zinc deco, ‘Star knit’ illuminated deco, illuminated front Polestar logo, pixel LED headlights with ‘Adaptive High Beam’, hands-free power tailgate, auto-dimming exterior mirrors, rear control screen, 12-way powered sport seats with mechanical cushion extension easy entry/exit driver’s seat, power reclining rear seats, heated steering wheel and rear seats, tri-zone climate control, PM2.5 air filtration, 22kW AC charging - $8000Pro Pack: 21-inch ‘Pro’ alloy wheels, ‘Swedish Gold’ valve caps, striped seatbelts - $2500Performance Pack: 22-inch ‘Performance’ wheels, ‘Polestar Engineered’ chassis tuning, Brembo brakes, ‘Swedish Gold’ accents (available on Dual motor with Plus pack) - $7200Electric retractable towbar - $3310Electrochromic glass roof - $2200Body-coloured lower claddings - $1400Privacy glass on rear side windows - $700Nappa upgrade: Bridge of Weir leather, ventilated front seats (with massage), Harman Kardon headrest speakers in front seats, rear comfort headrests, brushed textile headlining - $6100 (Zinc) / $5700 (Charcoal) - requires Plus PackSnow (white)Magnesium (cool grey)Electron (silver)Storm (dark grey)Space (black)The Polestar 4 scored a maximum five-star ANCAP score from assessment in 2024. It’s Adult Occupant Protection score is 92 per cent, Child Occupant Protection score is 87 per cent, Vulnerable Road User protection score is 81 per cent and its Safety Assist Score is 79 per cent.Four short range camerasRear-view HD cameraTwo forward-facing HD camerasFour side-view HD camerasUndersteer Control LogicTrailer Stability AssistAdaptive Cruise ControlAEB (vehicle / cyclist / pedestrian detection)Advanced Collision AvoidanceForward Collision WarningLane Keeping AidLane Departure WarningOncoming Lane MitigationDriver Alert ControlRear Collision Warning and MitigationCross Traffic Alert with brake supportRoad Sign InformationBlind Spot Information with steer assistExit assistPost-impact brakingTyre pressure monitoringWhiplash Injury Protection System (WIPS)Seven airbagsISOFIX mountings (rear seats)The Polestar 4 is covered by a five-year, unlimited km warranty (with roadside assistance included). The traction battery is covered for eight years, 160,000km and there’s also a 12-year corrosion warranty. Onboard diagnostics will notify the driver if and when service is necessary, although Polestar says “Generally (the) Polestar 4 doesn't need to be serviced for up to two years or 30,000km”.The Polestar 4 is 4840mm long, 2067mm wide (mirrors folded) and 1534mm tall with a 2999mm wheelbase. Boot volume is 526 litres with the rear seat upright, expanding to 1536L with it folded down. There’s also a 15L ‘frunk’ in the nose.

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Polestar’s most important model yet is slowly taking shape.The Polestar 7 will be a compact SUV that’s all but certain to become the brand’s top-selling model.Up to now the Chinese-owned Swedish carmaker has not revealed too many details about the all-important EV, but a few things have come to light in a recent interview at the IAA Mobility show in Munich.According to Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller, the Polestar 7 will launch in early 2028.The Polestar 5 launch has just kicked off with the four-door grand tourer’s reveal in Munich. But, aside from the occasional model year update of models like the Polestar 3 and 4, the next major model will be the 7, more than two years from now.Chief Design Officer Philipp Römers wouldn’t go as far as confirming it, but did not reject the idea of a concept version of the 7 ahead of the production model’s debut.“I'm dreaming. And of course, as a design driven brand, you need, from time to time, some concept cars,” he said.“I can't confirm it today, but we are on it. I mean I'm dreaming of it, definitely.”The Polestar 7 is expected to introduce the next iteration of Polestar’s design language and it will be the first major project under Römers’ stewardship since taking the reins of Polestar design earlier this year after 20 years with Audi.Asked if it will take a more traditional SUV shape compared with the fastback-crossover style of the Polestar 4, Römers said: “Polestar 7 will be smaller and I mean, we said it already, a compact SUV. Also quite functional, you know, and that means, of course, some things. But we will make sure that it still has USP, that it looks Polestar-ish and sticks out, you know, (from) all of the masses.”Römers said the design language would include familiar Polestar elements, but with a more modern twist.“I'm pretty sure you would see it's a Polestar, but in the same time, it's different. It's the next step. It's even more modern, you know? I mean, we are talking about a car which comes out in (20) 28 you know. So you have to evolve. You can't just stick to the current status.”When we see the Polestar 7, or a concept version of it, is unclear. But it is expected to do battle with the likes of other Geely models like the Volvo EX30 and Zeekr X, as well as the BMW iX1 and 2, Audi Q4 e-tron, XPeng G6 and more.

Polestar has been on a sales rebound in 2025 after a disappointing result in 2024, but its most affordable upcoming compact SUV model is still years away.

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Despite a less-than-ideal 30 per cent sales decline last year, Sino-Swedish electric car brand Polestar isn't burying its head in the sand, according to Scott Maynard, Managing Director of the brand’s local operations.Even as sister brands under the Geely umbrella, such as Zeekr, Volvo and Lotus, backflip on electric-only plans for more plug-in hybrids in response to softening EV demand, Polestar is staying true to its electric-only pledge.In fact, Maynard believes there are much bigger and better things to come in 2025 and beyond as Polestar grows its retail footprint and expands its offerings in Australia’s electric SUV market.“It wasn’t unexpected , in truth. With the incoming product of Polestar 3 and 4, we knew that there were a lot of customers holding off on a Polestar purchase,” he said.The brand has been carried by the Polestar 2 for three years since arriving in Australia, a mid-size electric sedan rivalling everything from the BMW i4 to the Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal.Then, at the back end of last year, Polestar added an additional member, the Polestar 4, a coupe-like SUV closer in style to the Tesla Model Y – Australia’s top-selling EV.It clocked some 120 sales in December last year, far exceeding anything else in the brand’s catalogue, a feat which has Maynard anticipating strong returns in 2025.“We see huge potential, particularly in Polestar 4,” he said.Maynard stopped short of giving sales numbers projections for the brand in 2025 (last year Polestar sold 1713 cars), suggesting it was anyone’s guess with high interest rates and a challenging economic outlook.“I’m not putting a number on it yet because I’m really keen to see how the first half of the year plays out,” said Maynard.“Of course, we have to have internal planning numbers for budgets and that sort of thing, but I actually think the potential of those cars sits higher than we’re currently shooting.”It's an underlying confidence that is certainly matched by the head office in Gothenburg, Sweden, which recently announced a five-step plan to get back to profitability in 2025.Part of that plan involves growing the brand's global retail footprint by 75 per cent by 2026, increasing sales of carbon credits, expanding to new markets such as France and launching Polestar Energy – Polestar's charging network app.They're moves that couldn't be made without the support of the brand's Chinese parent company, Geely Group, which also owns Zeekr, Smart, Volvo and Lotus, though all are operated independently in Australia.Despite so many brands in Australia under Geely's ownership, Maynard is steadfast that Polestar is a unique brand competing in its own lane."We partner with Geely for investment, but we differentiate ourselves as a European brand with our heart and soul in Sweden."The brand is clearly drawing all of its design and inspiration from the design team based out of Sweden, and so we've got a pretty easy job to differentiate ourselves as a true, proper, luxury European brand."Another major part of Polestar's plan is introducing the Polestar 7, a compact electric SUV with a lower price point.“Polestar 7 is going to appeal to an Australian buyer, perhaps even more so than it does to Europe and some other markets,” said Maynard.“It is very much a key car for us and will provide us with a really lovely entry point to the brand, so to have an SUV style entry point to the Polestar brand that is 100 per cent Polestar, I think will be a really important addition to the model range.”Given the Polestar 5 GT — the brand’s first EV on its bespoke architecture — and the Polestar 6 roadster are expected to precede it, the Polestar 7 may not be in showrooms until closer to 2027.It's a long time to wait for a brand which hasn’t seen the quick sales success of upstart Chinese and American rivals, but one thing is for certain, Polestar is here for the long haul.

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Another year of new-model launches is behind us, and 2024 has been another doozy.While this past year is notable for the number of models that were scheduled for launch but still haven’t arrived, there were some big names making big waves.Throughout the year I have driven some cars that truly surprised me, and others that were real let-downs. But for this article I am solely focusing on the good ones, because why would I want to end the year on a negative note?For clarity, our various CarsGuide ‘top cars’ articles are focused on vehicles that brought each individual journalist the most joy this year. That doesn’t necessarily mean the model launched in the past 12 months — we might have only had the chance to drive them in that period.Following last year’s list, my 2024 best of is a mix of some possibly obvious choices, and some that are perhaps a bit more left of field.Let’s not waste any more time. Here are the cars I loved most in 2024, in alphabetical order.In September, I drove the updated 2025 Audi e-tron GT on home turf in Germany, not far from Frankfurt and stopping off for the night in Heilbronn, where the vehicle is produced.I hadn’t driven the pre-facelift model but heard good things, notably from my colleague Tom White. I have driven a number of grades of the mechanically related Porsche Taycan, and while I have great affection for that car, I fell deeply in love with the Audi.Where the Porsche is a more focussed sports car, the Audi is more of a grand tourer. It still has breathtaking performance, but it offers a level of comfort that surprises.Beyond its phenomenal on-road performance, the e-tron GT is superbly designed and has a striking and inviting interior.I’ll leave you with the second-last line from my Audi e-tron GT review to summarise;“The e-tron GT is one of the most deeply impressive cars I have ever driven.”Including a new Mustang on a best-of list? I know, groundbreaking, right?But this car had to be on my list.The new-gen Ford Mustang is based on old underpinnings but honestly, I don’t care. I’m just thrilled that Ford can still build this car in the age of electrification.I spent a week with a Mustang GT Convertible, which is only offered in auto guise. I am still yet to drive a manual Mustang, but, again, I don’t care. The 10-speed auto is a brilliant match for the delicious 345kW/550Nm 5.0-litre V8.I am not really a V8 guy these days, and I am not a fan of obnoxiously loud engines, but man it was fun to scare the neighbours with an overzealous rev or two.The interior is much better than the previous Mustang and while it’s not perfect (what is with the pretend old-school handbrake?) I loved every second I had with this car.I drove the Jeep Avenger EV in Italy a few months back and, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting much given some of Jeep’s current crop of models leave me cold.But it turns out there is something so charming about Jeep’s first electric vehicle that it was one of the first cars to make it onto my list this year.The exterior design is simple yet edgy, and while it has a distinct Jeep flavour it’s very modern. The thoughtful Jeepisms like the plastic bootlip to avoid scratching the paint when loading a bike in the back, or setback headlights to mitigate against damage in a collision just add to the charm of the little SUV.It’s no sports car but it is brisk, comfortable and — importantly — engaging to drive. I couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel again.There’s a reason the Jeep Avenger won European Car of the Year. It’s an adorable, capable and functional city EV. Before you put a deposit down on one of the many affordable small EVs hitting the market, go check out the Avenger. It’s the coolest Jeep I’ve ever driven.The Polestar 4 is the EV brand’s first medium SUV and it follows the larger and pricier Polestar 3 SUV to market. But there are big differences between the two models.This is a Tesla Model Y rival, but it is much more premium than Tesla can manage. It’s also a lot more interesting.A striking exterior design lures you in before you realise something’s missing — a rear windscreen. Instead, it has a camera with vision displayed on a digital screen where the interior rear-view mirror goes.Despite this feature being tech for tech’s sake, the Polestar 4 is seriously impressive.It has excellent real-world driving range, a serious focus on sustainability, a spacious and gorgeously designed interior, and the exact same standard features list in both the Single Motor and Dual Motor grades. The only caveat there is that there are a lot of options and option packs that can push the price out.But if you’re tech savvy, value good design and a genuine focus on sustainability, the Polestar 4 is hard to beat.As someone who grew up obsessing over cars and has been in automotive media for more than 12 years, I did not see this coming.But I am here to tell you, dear reader, the new ninth-generation Toyota Camry is that good!It’s easy to dismiss the Camry as the Uber driver’s car of choice, or the sort of vehicle your grandpa drives, but after a week behind the wheel of the SL grade I am convinced it’s one of the best cars released this year.The hybrid powertrain (there’s no petrol-only grades anymore) is smoother than before, it’s still incredibly efficient and it has the best ride quality of any car I have driven this year. In even more surprising news, it’s actually pretty fun to drive on twisty roads as well.Of course the cabin is spacious and there’s plenty of room for cargo too.This is truly all the family car most people will need. Forget the dreary reputation of Camrys past. Because this big sedan has got its mojo back.Hyundai Santa Fe - Well isn’t this a bold new look? While it might be too bold for some, the new-gen Santa Fe improves on what was already an excellent family SUV and takes its place at the top of the segment.Lexus LBX - The latest Lexus model is also the smallest, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less premium. The LBX looks sharp, has hot hatch vibes and was one of my clear favourites this year. Bring on the spicy Morizo RR version!Mini Countryman - In its third generation, the Mini Countryman finally grows up into a family friendly small SUV. In a win for value for money, the entry-level petrol grades are just as compelling as the higher-end EV variants.Peugeot 408 - A cousin to the Citroen C5 X (RIP Citroen), the 408 is plug-in hybrid only and one of the most striking cars to launch this year. It ain’t cheap but it’s a joy to drive and it offers buyers a sleek European alternative to all of the generic small SUVs.Renault Megane E-Tech - I have only just driven this spunky French EV but I am already in love. Stunning exterior design, a surprisingly spacious interior and keener pricing combine with a joyful drive experience. Renault is on the march, finally!