Polestar 4 vs Volvo XC60

What's the difference?

Polestar may be a Tesla rival but the Polestar 4 looks and feels much more premium than the Model Y. The brand has taken its time to get the cabin just right and the sustainable materials don’t feel cheap in any way. In fact, this car feels special.

I may not be a fan of some of the tech - the digital rear-view mirror, for example - but many people will be drawn to the car because of these features.

On the road, the Polestar 4 is a cracking EV, with excellent driving range and a fun factor that can’t be denied. That aftersales offer is just the cherry on the cake.

This is Polestar’s best chance yet of being accepted by the masses.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The Volvo XC60 Ultimate B5 Bright is a fine example of a family car that actually caters to families. There are plenty of practical features inside to help everyday living and it has a good amount of occupant and boot space for the class. I like how it handles on the road and its running costs are reasonable for a luxury SUV. It's not as flashy as its rivals but it's still stylish.

My husband and son spent a lot of time in the XC60 and they have enjoyed a high-level of comfort on our journeys together. We all love the built-in booster seats in the back row because of the independence they offer.

Polestar pitches itself as a design-led brand and so far that checks out. The Polestar 2 is a striking sedan, the 3 is a bold, boxy, big SUV and now the 4 is the latest sexy addition to the range.

As mentioned, it is technically a medium SUV but it has a distinct fastback look. Polestar calls it a coupe-SUV. Whatever it is, it looks smashing in the metal.

The sleek silhouette pairs nicely with the split LED headlights and low-set front end. While there is an elevated ride height, it manages to sit low enough to the ground to look sporty.

The most interesting angle of the Polestar 4 is the rear. This car does not have a rear windscreen. The tailgate is made up of aluminium panels instead of glass, but the massive panoramic roof stretches back to the top of the tailgate.

The squared-off rear sits up high and houses gorgeous tail-lights that span the width of the car. Even though the rear is controversial given the lack of window, it’s probably the Polestar’s best angle. It’s unique and striking.

The Polestar 4’s interior design is best described as stylish minimalism. It is much more interesting than Tesla’s appliance-like cabin design, and it’s clear a lot of thought has gone into the interior. There are virtually no buttons which helps the look, but that can impact practicality. 

The integrated air vents look stunning as does the flat-bottom steering wheel.

A mix of whites, and light and dark grey materials are broken up by pops of colour like gold seatbelts. 

Recycled material is found throughout including the floor mats, dash toppers and seat upholstery, some of which is inspired by the fashion and sportswear industries. But being Polestar, it’s with a sustainable twist.

The XC60 looks mature and graceful with its wide stance and well-proportioned body. The pronounced bonnet and stylish grille confirm its luxury SUV credentials.

The LED headlight design has been inspired by ‘Thor's Hammer’ (gotta love that Scandi heritage!) and the chrome accents around the windows accentuate the optioned darker tint.

Despite having a stately kerb-side presence, it’s not a boring looking car. The 20-inch dual-coloured alloy wheels and sleek body panelling help the XC60 appear almost sporty. Overall, its exterior design looks like it will age well.

The interior style of the XC60 can be summed up in two words - understated elegance.

The cabin isn't as flashy or wowing as some of its rivals and that might be because it lacks the visual impact of customisable ambient lighting, or because the chunkier dashboard looks more solid and dependable than sleek and fancy.

Regardless, the high-quality leather-accented upholstery and trim options elevate the space to earn the 'luxury' tag.

There is a plethora of soft-touchpoints throughout the car and visual highlights like chrome accents, an illuminated crystal shifter by Orrefors and a solid-feeling steering wheel.

Sliding into the driver’s seat, the first thing I notice is how high the centre console sits. This is clearly a Polestar thing because it’s similar to the 2. This adds to the sporty feel of the cabin, but I don’t know if it needs to be that high.

It does however liberate a massive amount of storage space under the console. You could fit a handbag, shoes or other items there, and Polestar offers accessories like bicycle-esque bottle holders. 

There’s more storage in the smallish central bin which also houses two USB-C ports, a half-hidden phone charging pad, and door bins that will fit a larger bottle, but only lying down.

The seats are comfortable and the cloth-like sustainable material in the Singe Motor grade looks great, but it can grip on to clothes a little. The perforated Zinc-coloured ‘animal welfare’ Nappa leather in the Dual Motor is stunning and probably what I would opt for. Which is rare given I am no leather fan. But whatever the material, there’s a decent amount of support on offer. 

If you opt for the Nappa upgrade ($7000) you get Harman Kardon speakers embedded in the front headrests. It’s an interesting addition but it sounds quite cool when you realise where the sound is coming from.

Aside from the ‘play’ dial on the console, there are very few visible buttons. Meaning every function is housed in the central 15.4-inch landscape digital display.

I recently spent some time in another new Geely Group product - the Volvo EX30 - which has a similar set-up.

Thankfully, the menu is easy to navigate and the main screen is split between nav (running Google Maps of course) and up to four other functions, including apps like Spotify, a quick link to often-used controls and whatever else you want to customise.

Aside from the visually appealing graphics and colours, the display is crisp and easy to get your head around. The air con is easy to access and you use the screen to change the direction of the vents, which oscillate on the passenger side. 

The ambient lighting which is solar system themed is pretty cool, too. You pick the colour by planet. And the ‘Hey Google’ command appears to work well.

However, functions like opening the glove box should still be a physical button. There is no reason it needs to be housed in the screen. Also, adjusting the exterior mirrors and steering wheel required a lesson from the Polestar team. You can do it via the screen, or by using the smart controls on the steering wheel that change depending on what function you need. 

Again, this is very clever tech, but is it that necessary? Just because Tesla does something, doesn’t mean every other EV brand on the planet needs to follow suit. 

Then we get to the digital interior rearview mirror. While the lack of a rear windscreen does not impact the look of the car negatively, it’s another element that feels like tech for tech’s sake. Is there really enough of a benefit to interior space to justify this radical change to the car?

The display is clear but when you look at it then the exterior mirrors, the object in the display seems closer than the mirrors. There’s also no washer for the camera, with Polestar suggesting the angle means it doesn’t need one. The question remains, what happens if it malfunctions? 

I realise you can’t see out the back of plenty of vehicles, like trucks and, often, delivery vans. It’s also something you have to navigate when you pack your car full of gear for holiday and can’t see past all the luggage. And I appreciate many more people will be drawn in by the tech of it all. But for me it remains the answer to a question no one asked.

Moving to the rear, the slightly bucketed seats are plush and supportive and there is acres of legroom thanks to the Polestar 4’s 4.8-metre wheelbase. It is a spacious cabin no doubt, but the placement of the battery pack under the floor means your knees sit up higher than they would in an ICE car. It’s a similar phenomenon in Tesla models. There’s also no toe room under the front seats. 

You can, however, recline the rear seats slightly, making for a more relaxed vibe back there. There are amenities like rear digital climate controls, more USB-C ports, chest and knee-level air vents, and a fold-down arm-rest with cupholders, but big bottles won’t fit in the doors.

The boot appears shallow but there is under-floor storage where you can house the charging cable as well as flatter items. All up you get up to 526 litres of cargo space (that includes 31L under-floor), increasing to 1536L with the 60/40 split rear seats folded, while a front cargo space swallows 15L.

Polestar only offers a tyre repair kit for the 4, so no temporary spare. 

Families will appreciate the XC60's cabin. Both rows of seating are roomy for the class and the front seats are supportive and comfortable with multiple adjustments available.

However, there is an electric toggle dial that controls the lumbar-, side-, and under-thigh supports as well as the massage function, but flipping between modes can be a bit confusing at first.

I enjoy having the practical two-position memory function on both front seats, as I’ve been travelling a lot with my husband and the heat/ventilation features on the front seats have been great during a recent run of strange weather.

The back seats are well-cushioned and the bench is wide with three adults being able to sit without too many grumbles. 

I have plenty of room for my 168cm height and my seven-year old is able to get in and out without any trouble thanks to the higher ground clearance.

Our absolute favourite feature is built-in child booster cushions in the outboard seats. They have two height positions to accommodate different heights/weights and it’s been wonderful for my son to have the autonomy of buckling himself in. But also just awesome for my husband and I because it’s one less thing to think about! 

Storage throughout the car is good for the class with the front enjoying a mid-sized middle console, large glove box, two cupholders and two large drink bottle holders. The extra-large storage bins in the front doors are also very handy. 

In the rear, you have two retractable cupholders in the fold-down armrest, two map pockets and two drink bottle holders in each door.

The other amenities are great with the individual climate control and four sets of directional air vents – ideally located on the back of the centre console and on the B-pillars. 

Charging options are solid with both rows enjoying two USB-C ports and the front also getting a 12-volt outlet and wireless charging pad. The boot has a 12-volt socket, too.

Onto the other technology, the 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system is responsive and relatively easy to get around once you spend some time with it. Along with the Google subscription, you also get wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster shows the navigation map and the head-up display incorporates directions, which is great.

The cluster itself isn’t customisable, though, and I like fiddling with things like that to personalise the driving experience.

Another practical feature is a secondary key fob which can be programmed to control the maximum speed the car can travel and the audio volume.

I'm sure this would be handy for parents of any P-platers out there who often borrow the family car.

The key fobs are easily distinguishable. too. The spare for our test vehicle is a bright orange colour, so there are no 'whoops, I grabbed the wrong key' arguments, either.

The boot space is a great size at 483L offering plenty of room for holiday luggage. The back seat has a 60/40 split and a ski-port to open up storage options.

The loading space is level and there is a temporary spare tyre underneath the floor. You can adjust the height of the car using the air suspension and I love a powered tailgate.

There are four variants for the XC60, split evenly between the B5 petrol engine and the T8 plug-in hybrid. Our test vehicle is the top-spec Ultimate grade coupled with the B5 petrol engine.

Without any packages, this combination will cost $80,990, before on road costs, which is a $1000 price hike for the 2024 model year.

The standard features list for the XC60 is robust and there are some great premium features, like the electric and heated front seats that feature electrically adjustable under-thigh support, lumbar support and side-bolster support.

The front seats also have a two-position memory function, which I find helpful whenever I share the driving with my husband as there is no hassle for me to get back to a comfy driving position after he drives! 

Other premium features include a heated steering wheel, pre-entry climate control (perfect for those super-hot days), premium leather-accented and high-quality trims to choose from.

The technology highlights include a complimentary four-year subscription for the built-in Google Assistant, Google Maps and Google Play Store which are accessed via the portrait-style 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system.

There is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and a very handy four-zone climate control system.

Other practical features include a handsfree powered tailgate, keyless entry, keyless start, coloured head-up display and a ticket holder on the windscreen, for those odd occasions where you have a physical ticket!

Now, here come the optional packs our model has been fitted with. There’s the 'Climate Pack' for $150 that adds headlight cleaners and a 'Lifestyle Pack' for an additional $13,800.

The latter sounds expensive but you get some lovely features in the pack, like a panoramic sunroof, improved Bowers & Wilkins sound system, Nappa leather upholstery, front seat ventilation, front seat massage function, air suspension and tinted rear windows.

Add on $2050 for the 'Thunder Grey' paintwork and it slides in at $96,990, before on-roads. and that places it towards the top-end of the market compared to its rivals, but the BMW X3 xDrive30i M Sport still just beats it with a $97,900 price tag.

The battery electric Polestar 4 comes with two powertrain options. 

As its name suggests, the Long Range Single Motor has one motor driving the rear wheels only, and it pumps out 200kW of power and 343Nm of torque. That’s enough to help propel the SUV from zero to 100km/h in 7.1 seconds, on the way to a 200km/h top speed. 

The Long Range Dual Motor has a second motor on the front axle for all-wheel-drive grip, and the power and torque is bumped to 400kW and 686Nm, respectively. You’ll get to 100km/h a lot quicker at 3.8 seconds, too.

Volvo is aiming to offer only fully-electric powertrains from 2026 and the new XC60 B5 petrol variants feature a mild-hybrid element designed to improve fuel economy, especially in stop-start traffic.

Our test vehicle has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol powertrain with a maximum power output of 183kW and 350Nm of torque. It’s an all-wheel drive and has a smooth eight-speed auto transmission.

The Polestar 4 uses a 400-volt, 100kWh lithium-ion battery.

The Long Range Single Motor has a healthy EV driving range of up to 620km on the WLTP standard, and energy consumption ranges from 17.8 to 18.1 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometres.

Range in the Dual Motor drops to a still very useful 590km and efficiency sits between 18.7 and 21.7kWh/100km.

We were in and out of different grades at the launch so didn’t capture real-world efficiency but we will when we do a full review soon.

AC charging is at a rate of 11kW, but if you opt for the $8000 Plus Pack that increases to an impressive 22kW which ensures a zero to 100 per cent home charge (32-amp) in just five and a half hours.

DC charging capacity is up to 200kW and Polestar says you should be able to get from 10 to 80 per cent full in about 30 minutes. 

These add up to solid figures for the price and segment. 

It comes with a type 2 and CCS2 charge port and a home charging cable.

The official combined cycle fuel figure is 7.6L/100km and my real-world usage averaged 8.1L/100km.

That’s pretty economical given that I cover a good mix of open road and urban driving and am not precious with the power.

Based on the combined cycle number and the large 71L fuel tank, expect a driving range of around 934km. To give you an idea of time between fills, I drove it for 14 days before having to fill up.

You can’t sneak in any blends or lower grade fuel though as Volvo recommends a minimum 95 RON premium unleaded be used.

Some EVs tend to blend into one another when it comes to the drive experience. Thankfully, that’s not the case with the Polestar 4, which is the fastest Polestar model to date.

I drove the Single Motor and Dual Motor with the Performance Pack back to back, and both hold appeal for different reasons. 

The Single Motor is the everyday Polestar 4 and it is the one I would choose. There is ample power and torque on offer and that 7.1-second 0-100km/h sprint time is nothing to be sniffed at.

Riding on the standard 20-inch aero wheels with a high sidewall, the Single Motor is composed with a comfortable ride quality. The drive from Adelaide via various winding and pockmarked roads to the Barossa Valley highlighted how well the Single Motor can handle these sorts of surfaces. It’s not as comfy as a Camry, but Polestar has ironed out most of the firmness.

Steering feels light but super sharp in the Single Motor and while there is a hint of body roll, it is still exceptionally capable on the twisty stuff. It also doesn’t feel anywhere near its 2230kg kerb weight.

The Dual Motor is a different beast, especially when paired with the Performance Pack. That pack adds, among other items, Brembo brake callipers and a ‘Polestar Engineered’ chassis tune.

It is brutally quick from a standing start. Like ‘pull your face back’ quick. Zero to 100km/h in 3.8sec to be precise. It’s a hoot, but it is much more than just a straight-line speed machine. 

The Dual Motor carves up corners, again with slight roll, but it has no business being this sharp given its dimensions and weight. We sprinted (safely) through bends better suited to a tiny performance hatch with ease. 

You can adjust the chassis to your preference. Suspension runs from 'Standard' to 'Nimble' and 'Firm', and steering is either Standard or Firm, the latter adding quite a bit of weight to the steering. Power delivery is either 'Range' or 'Performance'. Obviously, the latter is the most fun. 

Even in Standard suspension mode, the ride is much firmer than the Single Motor, which isn’t helped by the massive 22-inch wheels. It is, however, never unbearable. In fact, it’s more than fine on some of the average roads we encountered. 

The Polestar 4 is well insulated, ensuring a hushed cabin. 

The XC60 is a relaxing car to drive, it does what you expect it to do most of the time. It has enough power to handle open-road touring with ease and while the suspension is on the firmer side, the ride feels well-cushioned.

The only time it skips a beat for me is when you're easing off the accelerator, slowing down, but then need to pick up speed again.

Say, when you find a gap in traffic and begin to merge. There can be a short delay before acceleration happens and it feels somewhat clumsy. But these moments are few and far between.

The cabin is quiet, with minimal wind and road noise. Our family had no issues chatting. It only gets loud inside when heavy rain hits that big panoramic sunroof.

Adaptive steering makes the XC60 feels nimble and horribly tight city streets less daunting. It’s easy to manoeuvre in a small car park, as well.

The clear 360-degree camera system and sensitive front and rear parking sensors also help to make light work of a parking. 

Covering the Polestar 4 is a five-year, unlimited kilometre new-vehicle warranty, and an eight year, or 160,000km battery warranty. 

Complimentary roadside assist covers you for five years too.

The service schedule is every two years or 30,000km.

But the big news is that Polestar won’t charge you a cent for servicing for the first five years, or 100,000km of ownership, whichever comes first - it’s complementary.

This is an outstanding aftersales offer.

It’s not often common to associate a luxury brand with reasonable on-going costs but the Volvo XC60 is offered with very competitive pricing and terms.

The five-year/unlimited km warranty is normal for the class but you can pre-purchase a three-year/45,000km or a five-year/75,000km servicing plan.

The three-year plan is priced at $1750 (averaging $583 per service) and the five-year plan is priced at $3000 (or an average of $600 per service). Both plans are cheaper than a pay-as-you-go option and are inexpensive compared to some rivals.

Servicing intervals are good at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.