2026 Polestar 4 Dual Motor Pilot Review

It's indeed rare to write up a review on a vehicle that is on its way out. Not because it's being continued. But because it's being forced out of the market by the U.S. government. Such is the case for my review vehicle this week - the innovative and alluring all-electric Polestar 4.   It - along with the entire Chinese Geely-owned Polestar lineup - will no longer be available in the U.S. beginning with the 2027 model year due to the Connected Vehicle Rule, which you can read more about here in Car Pro Show host Jerry Reynolds' excellent explainer.

I will tell you that Polestar's upcoming exit from the U.S. Market means big discounts on its 2026 models, so keep that in mind when you see the MSRP later and don't forget to check new offers here. 

The all-electric performance-focused sibling of Volvo, I welcomed Polestar's arrival from day one, and even spent some brief time with one when it first arrived stateside. Polestar's expertly executed performance, excellent engineering, modern design, innovative technology, stellar safety features and applaud-worthy sustainability are not to be disputed.  That it must leave the U.S. in such quick fashion is disappointing to say the least.

Exterior 

Part SUV and part sports-coupe, the Polestar 4 turns heads with its sporty fastback crossover style. But Polestar's designers had more than Swedish good looks in mind. Everything was designed to enhance aerodynamics.

To that end, a low, sleek front end features air curtains below the headlights. On the profile you find lush e-latch door handles, flush and frameless windows and stylish frameless heated auto-folding side mirrors (a personal design element favorite), and in back, rear aero blades.

But perhaps the biggest distinguishing aerodynamic feature - and one that will get people talking -  is the lack of a traditional rear view glass window. Polestar says without the rear glass its designers could bring the roofline down for the coupe-like shape which results in better airflow.  

My test vehicle rides on optional 21-inch forged alloy laser-etched Sport 4 V Spoke gloss black-finished wheels.

The front end sports Polestar's dual-blade light signature with Daytime Running Lights, adaptive LED headlight tech and active high beams. Other lighting features include a welcome/farewell lighting sequence, puddle lights and a light bar stretches across the rear - accentuating its sporty stance.

Performance

The specs say it all: 544 horsepower. 506 pound-feet of torque.  Yes, the all-electric Polestar 4 lives up to the Polestar performance badging thanks to its available dual motor, 400-V Lithium ion battery, all-wheel drive powertrain. Polestar cites a 0-60 time of 3.7 seconds. For comparison, the rear motor drive variant gives you 272 horsepower. This is a performance EV that lives up to its promises.

Interior

An upscale, tailored cabin projects a modern, eco-conscious tone with its high-quality sustainable textile materials, something I appreciate.

Sustainable textiles in the cabin include eco-friendly textiles on the dash and door panels as well as carpets made of ECONYL polymide, a recycled material made from pre- and post consumer waste.

The extremely well-designed and engineered seats are made of MicroTech upholstery, a 100% vegan material made of bio-attributed vinyl with recycled polyester carrier.  And yes they're super comfortable.  The 8-way power driver's seat is cushiony and the seat back are comfortably supportive. Both front seats are heated.

Above the flat-bottomed steering wheel you find a 10.2-inch tablet style digital driver gauge cluster with full-screen navigation. Graphics and text are large and easy to read.

The 2-way rearview mirror is where you get your view out the back in lieu of an actual glass window. The live-feed high-def camera delivers quite possibly the crispiest 480 X 320 pixel camera image I've ever seen.  That coupled with its wide view gives a really outstanding rear view and after a bit I didn't miss a rear glass window. 

A fantastic 15.4-inch TFT landscape multimedia screen with an anti-glare, anti-reflective, and anti-fingerprint coating is another focal point in the cabin. Its intuitive, responsive and user-friendly interface delivers outstanding graphics and navigation and features Google Built-In and wireless Apple CarPlay. You'll control virtually everything through the interface - including opening the glove box and adjusting the side mirrors. Climate controls live there, too, in somewhat a unique fashion. The only way to control the direction of the airflow is via touchscreen.  Speaking of which, Clean Zone air filtering keeps track of your cabin air quality. 

A standard 8-speaker sound system sounded great. Charging and connectivity features include 15W Wireless charging and four USB-Cs split between rows.  

The floating center console is elegant in its simplicity and minimalism - hosting only a large volume controller.  A sliding lid covers two cupholders and 2 USB-C's are hidden in the console bin.

Another key focus point of the interior is the gigantic panoramic glass roof overhead.  This isn't just any panoramic roof. It stretches back past the 2nd row!  This is a direct benefit of no rear glass window. An optional electrochromic glass roof would be a must for me - as it allows you to turn the glass from transparent to opaque.

A first class cabin experience continues in the impressively roomy 2nd row which features an outstanding lounge-like drop-down center armrest. It's frankly not something I expected to see. Electric reclining seats are available with the Plus Package. 

A roof-hinged, power-operated, soft-closing tailgate opens to vast cargo space with an underfloor storage area. There's more storage space in the frunk.

A few other special features to mention:

• No Push-Button Start: The Polestar 4 doesn't have a traditional push-button start.  There are several ways start the vehicle including a key card, key fob and your smartphone.  For example, when you sit down in the vehicle with the key fob, the car turns on, but to activate it and start driving you'll need to put your foot on the brake pad. There is also a digital card reader for the key card in the center console.

• Unlocking the Doors:  To unlock the doors, you use the key fob or key card and hold or tap it against the sensor on the driver-side B-pillar sensor spot. The car also recognizes the key fob technology and will unlock as you approach.
  
  

• Integrated Dash Cam: It takes great pics and video you can save.

• Home Safe Lights:  These keep the headlights on to improve illumination outside your house, and you can set the length of time in the multimedia system.

• Solar-System Themed Ambient Lighting:  It takes you through all the planets in the solar system and gives you planet stats, too, perfect for the budding astronomer in the family.

• Animal Mode:  This feature is designed to keep your pet safe if you have to step out of the vehicle. It keeps the climate steady, disables window controls and will display a message to passerby showing them the interior temp of the vehicle. Personally I am at odds with this feature as pets or children should never be left alone in the vehicle. Still, many people do it, and as a safeguard this system is well designed. However - and this is CRITICALLY important - the system will automatically shut off when the battery level reaches 20%.  

• Car Wash Mode:  You'll want to activate this before heading through a car wash. It will automatically closes the windows, disable the auto-wipers, folds side mirrors, and turn on air recirculation.

A subsidiary of Volvo, it goes to follow that Polestar excels in the safety department. 

Standard advanced driver assistance features include Pilot Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Advanced Collision Avoidance, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Aid, Oncoming Lane Mitigation, Intelligent Speed Assist, Blind Spot Information System, 360° camera with 3D view, Driver Alert Control, Cross Traffic Alert with Brake Support and Exit Assist.

The Pilot Pack adds Adaptive Cruise Control, Pilot Assist, and Lane change assist.

Even the audible alerts are actually tolerable - something I can't remember ever saying before.

Charging and Range

The rear motor Polestar 4 offers up to 310 miles of range. The more powerful Dual Motor drops it to 280.

While there isn't an integrated NACS charging port,  it's equipped with an easy-to-use NACS Adaptor, so plugging in at a Tesla station is a breeze using the Tesla app. The cost of my  charging session from 49%-80% at a 96 kW charging rate rang up to $17.04 on the Tesla app.

Polestar cites a 10-80% DC charging time of 30 minutes. Using the AC charging 11 kW onboard charger, it's 11 hours 0-100%.

Options

Just two options on my test model. Metallic paint ($1300) and 21-inch wheels ($1800) bringing the total to roughly $67K without any new incentives offered by Polestar as it sells its remaining 2026 models in the U.S. 

Note that a lot of extra goodies are available in the Plus Pack. They include massage seats, Hardon Karmon Premium Sound, electrochromic glass roof, 12-way power driver's seat, ventilated front seats with a leg extender cushion, 2nd row electric reclining seatbacks, heated steering wheel, PM2.5 Air quality filter, rear digital A/C Control power steering column, head-up display and more.  If it were me, with the heavy discounts Polestar is giving right now,  it just makes sense to go for the Plus Pack.

Verdict

It truly is a shame the Polestar 4 won't get more time stateside. It's a performance EV that gets it right - right down to its sustainable luxury. The only plus side of it leaving the market is that you can snag one for thousands less right now, and don't worry, Polestar will still provide vehicle support despite leaving the sales market.  At least unless things change.

• What I Liked Most:  Performance, looks, sustainability, technology, frameless side mirrors
• What I would change:  Electrochromo sunroof should be a standard feature.
• MSRP: Base Price: $62,900. Total MSRP: $67,400 with $1,400 destination charge.
• Fuel Economy:  90 MPGe city/ 80 MPGe Highway/85 MPGe combined.
• Official Color:  Snow Metallic ($1300).
• Weight: 5,192 pounds.
• Spare tire:  Tire Mobility Kit.
• Length-Width-Height:  190.5" long/84.2" wide w/mirrors extended/60.4" high.
• Fuel Tank Capacity:   N/A.
• Towing Capacity: Up to 3,500 pounds.
• 2026 Polestar 4 Dual Motor in a few words: An expertly engineered performance SUV with innovative style, technology and sustainability.
• Warranty: 4-year, 50,000-mile Limited Warranty Coverage; 12 Years Corrosion Protection; 8-Year, 120,000-miles High Voltage Battery Protection; 4-year, 50,000-mile Polestar Connect Roadside Assistance; 5-year SRS and Seatbelt Warranty.
• Final Assembly Location:  Busan, South Korea.
• Manufacturer's website:  Polestar