Polestar 4 News

In the years since the likes of GWM and MG established a beachhead for Chinese automotive brands in the local new car market a slew of others have followed. Economics 101 says increased competition in a mature market will quickly stimulate activity, generating big winners and significant losers. And the reality of 2025’s vehicle registration data, compiled by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI VFacts) and the Electric Vehicle Council (EVC), has graphically validated that economic theory. More than 30 of the 60 passenger car and light commercial brands monitored by VFacts and the EVC went backwards in terms of sales volume in 2025 compared to 2024. But the winners were BIG, the top two improvers experiencing spectacular growth; the overall champ almost sending the needle off the clock. Of course, some were coming off a relatively small sales base, with increasing supply and expanding model line-ups inflating percentage figures. So, for context, we’ll also note outright volume increases and only include brands that recorded full-year sales in 2024. Here are our top five countdowns for biggest new car sales winners and losers in 2025. 5) Rolls-Royce: Okay, it’s 13 extra cars for 2025 over 2024, but when each one of them retails for a minimum of $700K that’s some handy incremental profit margin. Obviously, for a select few it’s a case of ‘cost-of-living crisis be damned’, with no less than eight extra Cullinan SUVs and the same number of sedans finding a home last year.  4) Mini: A big year for Mini, including a major JCW-focused refresh across the range as well as a burst of sales for the pure-electric Aceman line-up. There were substantial boosts for the Cabrio (+100 per cent), Cooper (+45.2 per cent) and Countryman (+19 per cent).    3) Polestar: It was a case of swings and roundabouts for the Swedish EV specialist with the Polestar 2 liftback dropping sales while the larger 3 and 4 SUVs expanded total numbers by close to 40 per cent. Stand by for the performance-focused Polestar 5 GT’s impact when it arrives here mid-year. 2) BYD: Market appetite for BYD’s products grew in parallel with its model range, the Chinese giant’s Aussie line-up expanding from four to eight models. Newcomers like the Atto 1, Atto 2 and Sealion 7 grew its share of the pie dramatically, but the star of the show was the Shark 6 hybrid ute, racking up more than 18,000 sales for the year. 1) Chery: The sharply-priced Tiggo 4 Pro small SUV has proved a smash hit for Chery with sales building steadily over 2025, to the point where it’s nipping at the heels of the category-leading Hyundai Kona and MG ZS. Adding the large Tiggo 9 large SUV also delivered handy incremental sales. 5) Suzuki: Despite the addition of the Fronx small hybrid SUV mid-year (which captured a handy 1667 sales) the evergreen Japanese brand went backwards in 2025, with stocks of the discontinued Ignis dwindling, Swift sales decreasing and even the cult-favourite Jimny in decline.    4) Jaguar: Kind of a no-brainer given the brand very publicly pulled the pin on production of everything except the F-Pace SUV for 12 months in preparation for a new, more premium range ramping up through 2026 and 2027. The big surprise is sales of the E-Pace growing four per cent year-on-year despite the manufacturing halt. Must have been a few in stock.   3) Maserati: Sales volume dropping by close to a third is rarely a good thing but with the Maserati Levante SUV falling off the radar there weren’t enough Grecale SUV buyers ready to pick up the slack. The Granturismo and Grancabrio coupe and convertible GTs were also missing in action creating a low ebb for the iconic Italian.  2) Jeep: Speaking of iconic brands, Jeep has been fighting well-publicised head winds in its US home market thanks to a seemingly ill-advised move to a more premium positioning with prices to match. Despite a slight sales uptick for the Grand Cherokee as it leaves the local stage, serious falls for the Wrangler 4WD and Gladiator ute also took the wind out of Jeep’s sales here. 1) Lotus: Who would have thought a brand famous for simplifying and adding lightness in producing race-ready sports cars would be punished for heading down the pure-electric path with a heavy SUV (Eletre) and big four-door GT (Emeya). Even the internal-combustion mid-engine Emira (despite a stay of production execution) dropped by more than 50 per cent.   

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 wheels Active LED headlights Rain-sensing wipers ‘Bio-attributed’ fabric trim Eight-way electrically adjustable driver seat (with memory) Six-way electrically adjustable passenger seat Heated front seats Ambient interior lighting Dual-zone climate control Power tailgate 10.2-inch driver display 14.7-inch head up display 15.4-inch central multimedia display 8.9-inch digital rear-view mirror Eight-speaker audio (with digital radio) Wireless Apple CarPlay Plus 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 - $8000 Pro Pack: 21-inch ‘Pro’ alloy wheels, ‘Swedish Gold’ valve caps, striped seatbelts - $2500 Performance Pack: 22-inch ‘Performance’ wheels, ‘Polestar Engineered’ chassis tuning, Brembo brakes, ‘Swedish Gold’ accents (available on Dual motor with Plus pack) - $7200 Electric retractable towbar - $3310 Electrochromic glass roof - $2200 Body-coloured lower claddings - $1400 Privacy glass on rear side windows - $700 Nappa 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 Pack Snow (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 cameras Rear-view HD camera Two forward-facing HD cameras Four side-view HD cameras Understeer Control Logic Trailer Stability Assist Adaptive Cruise Control AEB (vehicle / cyclist / pedestrian detection) Advanced Collision Avoidance Forward Collision Warning Lane Keeping Aid Lane Departure Warning Oncoming Lane Mitigation Driver Alert Control Rear Collision Warning and Mitigation Cross Traffic Alert with brake support Road Sign Information Blind Spot Information with steer assist Exit assist Post-impact braking Tyre pressure monitoring Whiplash Injury Protection System (WIPS) Seven airbags ISOFIX 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.

Polestar is set to buck the trend of buttonless minimalist interior design with its next-generation models.

The Tesla Model Y has a monster month in September 2025.

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.

Australia’s independent crash testing authority, ANCAP, has just detailed its latest dump of safety ratings.

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.

Many so-called “all-new” models aren’t all that new. In fact, a sizeable chunk are reskinned versions of what came before, with fresh sheetmetal over the same general hard points.