POLESTAR 4

Can Polestar's sportified SUV-cum-coupé rival the class hegemony?

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It has taken us a while to run the road test rule over the Polestar 4, but here we finally are, with an electric car that seeks to combine the minimalistic tech-luxury appeal of an Apple product with the automotive practicality of Tesla's Model 3.

Owners might also reasonably expect a good level of satisfaction from the driving experience. Until the recent arrival of the Porsche Taycan-rivalling 5, the 4 was the quickest car in the Polestar stable, and its platform is related to the one slid underneath the Lotus Emeya. The rakish design, which to our eyes neatly disguises the fact that the 4 is, strictly speaking, an SUV-coupé crossover, is also suggestive of handling appeal that ought to get the attention of BMW i4 owners.

We will now discover whether the Polestar 4 makes good on its considerable promise as an agreeably priced but desirable and versatile electric option. Or could its ambitious conception as a part-executive, part-SUV, part-sporting, tech-heavy crossover leave it in something of a no-man's land?

DESIGN & ENGINEERING ★★★★☆

PROS Striking looks; good aero qualities; RWD option; big battery

CONS Slightly awkward silhouette

At 4.84m long and 1.53m tall, the 4 is comparably sized to not only the Porsche Macan Electric and the hotly anticipated BMW iX3 but also the Tesla Model Y.

However, see this Polestar in the metal and it is clear that it would sit quite comfortably alongside dedicated saloon alternatives such as the BMW i4 and Hyundai Ioniq 6, which have a similar footprint. The 4's coupé lines are strong, and that roofline is so low that it's actually only 2cm higher than that of the Mercedes-Benz EQE. In short, it is challenging to pigeonhole this car.