Polestar 4 SUV turns the brand’s best idea into something more useful

Polestar has taken one of its more convincing recent ideas and made it easier to justify in everyday life. The Polestar 4 SUV turns the existing formula into an electric SUV with more space and utility, while still trying to feel like a proper luxury SUV rather than a tall electric car with fashionable lighting. That sounds like the obvious move for an EV maker in 2026, but it matters because the original Polestar 4 already had a distinctive character worth preserving. The bigger question is whether this new model broadens Polestar’s appeal or simply gives buyers another closely related option to ponder.

Why the Polestar 4 SUV makes more sense

The basic approach is refreshingly straightforward: retain the appealing parts of the Polestar 4 coupé, then make the rear of the car more useful. The SUV gains a straighter roofline, a more upright tailgate, full-length roof rails and, most significantly, a conventional rear window.

That rear window reverses one of the original model’s most discussed design decisions, replacing the camera-based rear-view arrangement with something more familiar. It is a sensible concession, particularly for a family-minded electric SUV, and it does not appear to have made the design look apologetic or ordinary.

Polestar says the revised roofline adds 2.5cm of second-row headroom, while a larger panoramic glass roof stretches almost to the tailgate. Those changes should make the cabin feel more accommodating for rear-seat passengers, which is precisely the sort of practical improvement a luxury SUV needs to offer if it expects buyers to look beyond its badge and silhouette.

Storage is another clear gain, with Polestar quoting 1,680 litres of total capacity across the front and rear compartments. Up to 1,665 litres of luggage space is available with the rear seats folded, pushing this model further into genuine family-car territory rather than relying on ride height and oversized wheels to establish its credentials.

I liked the earlier Polestar 4 because it felt different without straining to advertise its difference. The dual-blade lighting, clean proportions and generally restrained design gave it more identity than many rivals, and the more upright rear of this electric car seems to preserve that character rather than dilute it.

Mechanically, the Polestar 4 SUV remains familiar, using a 100kWh battery with rear-motor and dual-motor drivetrain choices. The rear-motor model produces 200kW and 343Nm, while the dual-motor version raises those figures to 400kW and 686Nm.

Polestar says it has tuned the chassis to balance long-distance comfort with the steering precision and engagement it considers part of the brand’s identity. That is an important claim, because this luxury SUV needs to feel more purposeful than a larger-bodied version of an existing product if it is to earn its place in an increasingly busy Polestar range.

Range figures are strong, but the line-up needs clarity

The rear-motor electric SUV has a claimed WLTP range of up to 630km, while the dual-motor version is quoted at up to 600km. Both are strong numbers for a vehicle of this size, and the dual-motor car’s claimed 0-100km/h time of 3.9 seconds means performance is unlikely to be the limiting factor.

Charging peaks at 200kW DC, while 22kW AC charging will be available in selected markets. Vehicle-to-Load capability can provide up to 3.3kW to external devices, and Polestar is also adding a Camping mode and Google Gemini integration.

Those features make more sense in a practical, lifestyle-oriented electric car than they would if they existed merely as another line on an equipment list. Camping mode in particular suits a car with more usable luggage space and roof rails, although the real appeal will still depend on how well these systems work in everyday use.

Australian pricing starts at $73,900 for the rear-motor model and $81,750 for the dual-motor version, with the Performance pack available from $95,450 before on-road costs and other charges. That places the Polestar 4 SUV firmly in premium territory, where buyers will reasonably expect its additional practicality to be matched by a clear reason to choose it over the Polestar 4 coupé or Polestar 3.

That is the strategic complication Polestar now has to manage. The brand has the Polestar 3, the Polestar 4 coupé, this new electric SUV and a smaller Polestar 7 SUV planned for later, which offers choice but also risks making the showroom feel repetitive.

More models are not automatically better when the distinctions come down largely to rooflines, rear visibility and luggage capacity. A luxury SUV range needs clear roles, otherwise customers may struggle to see why one model exists beyond filling a gap that another model has already mostly occupied.

In isolation, this looks like one of the easiest Polestars to understand. The Polestar 4 SUV keeps the original’s clean design, improves its everyday usefulness and delivers credible range and performance, making it a more persuasive electric car even if Polestar still has work to do in explaining where it sits within the wider range.