Polestar 4 SUV review: a cheaper, roomier take on the electric rival to BMW
Autocar's road test finds the boxier Polestar 4 SUV undercuts its Coupé sibling on price, adds practicality and gets a retuned chassis.
According to Autocar, the Polestar 4 SUV has been tested against the sleeker 4 Coupé it shares its underpinnings with, and the reviewer found the two cars differ in more than their rear ends. The SUV has a boxier tail that makes the electric model more practical, and Polestar has also adjusted the chassis setup and upgraded the in-car technology. Autocar reports that the SUV is priced below the Coupé, which is the more popular of the two in the current lineup.
Pricing starts at £54,750 and rises to £60,750 in Dual Motor form, according to the review. Autocar positions the SUV directly against the new BMW iX3 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC Electric, asking whether it can outperform the BMW in particular. The publication also notes a Performance Pack option priced at £68,250 and an efficient entry-level model in the range.
Autocar's piece also places the Volvo EX60 and the Alpine A390 in the comparison, suggesting that the Polestar's rivals now extend well beyond a single premium German badge. The review frames the Polestar 4 SUV as a serious contender in a crowded field of midsize electric crossovers, rather than a niche alternative.
Background
Polestar began as a performance-focused offshoot of Volvo and has since grown into a standalone electric brand, backed by the Chinese automaker Geely. Its early models leaned on sporty styling and driving dynamics, and the 4 was designed to bring that character to a more family-friendly body. The brand has used a coupe-style profile to stand out, which tends to trade some rear headroom and cargo space for visual appeal.
The SUV version of a car like this typically addresses that trade-off. A higher roofline and more upright rear window generally give passengers more space and make the boot easier to load, which matters to buyers who use a car for school runs, weekend trips and carrying bulky items. The approach is common across the industry, where manufacturers often offer a sleek coupe and a more practical crossover sharing the same platform.
The midsize electric SUV segment has grown quickly, with premium makers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz adding battery-powered crossovers alongside their combustion models. Buyers in this price bracket compare range, charging speed, interior technology, driving feel and running costs, and they often weigh brand reputation and resale expectations too. Polestar competes against established luxury names while trying to convince shoppers that a newer marque can match them on quality and tech.
Why it matters
The review highlights a question that many EV shoppers now face: whether a cheaper, more practical variant of a model can make more sense than the more striking version. If the SUV delivers more usable space at a lower starting price than the Coupé, it could reshape which version of the 4 drivers choose. That matters for Polestar, which needs volume to strengthen its position against larger rivals.
The comparison with the BMW iX3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC Electric also signals how competitive the segment has become. A brand with a shorter history has to prove that its engineering, software and interior can stand up to models from carmakers with decades of experience in luxury and mass production. Autocar's framing suggests that the Polestar's chances depend on how it balances dynamics, comfort and price.
For buyers, the mix of trim levels and optional performance upgrades adds another layer. A wide price spread within a single model line can make a car appealing to more people, but it also makes side-by-side comparisons harder. Readers will need to look closely at what each step up actually includes before deciding which version offers the best value.
What to watch
The key questions are how the SUV performs over longer periods and whether its price advantage holds once options and incentives are factored in. Shoppers will want to see how the revised chassis behaves in everyday driving, not just on test roads, and how the upgraded interior technology performs in daily use.
Watch also for how the Polestar 4 SUV sells against the Coupé. If buyers move toward the roomier body in large numbers, that could influence future decisions about which body styles Polestar prioritizes. Comparisons with rivals from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo and Alpine will likely continue as more independent tests appear.
Viewpoints
Commentary from our columns: three angles on this story.
The Accountant price, value and running costs
On paper, the most interesting number in this story is not the one at the top of the price list. It is the fact that the SUV sits below its coupe sibling, which is rare in a range where the sleeker body usually commands a premium. A buyer who wants more usable space and a lower entry cost gets both, and that should force a sharper look at the total cost of ownership rather than the headline figure alone.
The jump to the Dual Motor version is where the arithmetic gets interesting. A step of several thousand pounds may be justified for extra traction and performance, but only if the buyer will actually use it. Insurance, tyre wear, depreciation and charging costs all shift with trim, and the cheapest version may not always be the cheapest to own over five years. Before signing anything, run the numbers on each trim against your real mileage and your home charging setup.
The Engineer how the hardware works
Polestar's decision to retune the chassis for the SUV is more significant than a simple styling change suggests. A taller, boxier body changes the centre of gravity and the way weight transfers through corners, so the engineers have to recalibrate suspension, steering and stability systems to keep the car feeling composed. Autocar's testing points to a deliberate effort to make the crossover feel controlled rather than soft.
The interior technology upgrades matter too, because modern EVs increasingly rely on software to manage everything from regenerative braking to climate control. The real test is whether the system responds quickly and stays stable over months of updates. Hardware can be impressive on a press launch, but the engineering promise only holds if the software keeps working reliably long after the showroom visit.
The Commuter the everyday buyer's view
For someone who needs a car for school runs, supermarket trips and the occasional long drive, the appeal of a roomier electric SUV is easy to understand. A higher roofline and more practical rear space make loading a pushchair, a bike or a week's shopping far less of a chore than in a sleek coupe. For many households, that everyday usefulness counts for more than the look of the car.
The real question is how the daily routine feels over time. Can you reach a charger easily where you park, does the cabin stay comfortable on a cold morning, and is the interior technology simple enough to use while you are juggling bags and children? A car can have impressive specifications, but the everyday buyer will judge it on whether it quietly makes ordinary life easier.