Al Suttie spends a week with the Polestar 4 SUV-coupé to see if it can hold a candle to the Porsche Macan Electric.

Polestar 4 400kW Long Range Dual Motor Plus

List price (BiK): £66,935 (2%)    CO2: 0g/km    Economy: 366 miles    Test efficiency: 312 miles

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Monday

Controversial cars are few and far between outside of motorshow concepts, but the Polestar 4 is one that has stirred up plenty of debate. Why? Well, because it has no rear window. Plenty of van drivers will be wondering what all the fuss is about – just use the side mirrors and the digital rear-view mirror provided. It’s a fair point and one that we’ll come to in good time.

Tuesday

The 4 sits in between Polestar’s 2 and 3 models in size, the number referencing this being the fourth model to be launched by the EV firm. It’s a fair old size and almost as long as the seven-seat Mazda CX-80 I drove last week. The upshot for the five-seat Polestar is acres of room in the front and, notably, the rear. This is further enhanced by not having a rear window, so the roofline doesn’t have to account for this.

Wednesday

The more time you spend in the Polestar 4, the more you realise just how fabulously well made this car is. Even by parent company Volvo’s exacting standards, Polestar has knocked it out of the park with the 4. It easily bears comparison with the very best luxury SUVs and saloons that are its broad base of rivals. It’s also superbly quiet and refined on the move, as you’d expect of a high-end EV.

Thursday

Polestar has orientated the 15.4-inch infotainment screen in landscape in the 4, where other models have it in portrait position. It doesn’t make any difference to the presentation of the info, but it can make it more of a reach when you need an onscreen icon on the left of the display. The graphics and reactions of the system are excellent, but it irks me that things such as the door mirrors and steering column adjust have to be worked through the screen.

Friday

This Dual Motor Polestar 4 is rapid, as it should be with 536hp and 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds. It’s not the acceleration off the mark, though, that gives it a sense of pace but the way it overtakes with such ease. The 4 feels assured and planted on the road whereas some faster EVs can become flighty on uneven roads. It’s also sure-footed in corners and feels similar to a Volvo in R-Design spec for the way it covers ground with just enough compliance for comfort.

Saturday

Right, it’s time to talk about that rear-view mirror. I’m just not a fan. The resolution is good and the image is clear, but I just find there is a moment’s delay as my eyes adjust from the road ahead to the image on the mirror. I don’t get this with a proper mirror and rear window set-up. Polestar says it’s carried out research into this and most drivers get used to it, but I’m still not convinced by this design choice.

Sunday

On some windy Scottish roads, the Polestar 4 is that rare thing – an EV you can drive for the pleasure of it. The performance of the Dual Motor model helps here, as does a good battery range, and the steering has reasonable feel, too. Given the Polestar 4’s price, it gives the Porsche Macan Electric plenty of competition while costing less for a comparable model, which should cause some controversy for potential Porsche customers.