Hello Polestar 4. Let me count the ways I find you irritating. 

Here’s a car that thinks it’s cool not to have a back window. That’s right, no rear window, just a black panel. 

How do you see out? There’s a high-definition digital rear-view mirror instead of a regular rear-view. This electronic version displays a real-time video feed of what’s behind.

My issue here is that the image is wide-angled. That means the car pulling up behind you at a stop light looks like it’s hurtling into your rear bumper. 

Add to that, the wide angle means it doesn’t do a great job of showing distant objects. Like that police cruiser coming up behind. “Well hello officer, sorry I didn’t see you”. 

And sorry, if you’re over 50, chances are you’ll have difficulty focusing on close objects, like a digital rear view, as opposed to a traditional rear-view. This is because of general age-related loss of focusing called presbyopia. Google it.

So what’s the advantage of no back window here? I’m at a loss to find one. Yes, if your back seat is piled high with stuff, you get a clearer view. And the roof-mounted camera gives a wider view without headrests. 

But to me, it’s just a gimmick, and being different for the sake of being different. 

Which is a pity as this all-electric, swoopy-roofed, tall-riding four-door coupe is pretty cool. Styling, interior, the way it drives.

In case you’ve been living on the planet Zod for the past decade, Polestar is the Swedish car maker owned by the company behind China’s Geely and Volvo. 

It’s been around since 2017, producing its first volume electric model, the terrific Polestar 2 sedan in 2020, and the SUV-like Polestar 3 in 2024. 

This latest Polestar 4, that the company describes as an SUV coupe, is based on the 3 and kicks off price-wise from around $58,000 with a single 268-hp electric motor, going up to around $75,000 for the dual-motor, all-wheel drive model with 536-hp.

I’ve just spent a week with a well-loaded Dual Motor version with Pilot ($5,500) and Performance ($4,500) packages, Nappa leather ($3,700), and must-have electrochromic glass roof ($1,500), topping out at a pretty lofty $81,800. 

While most buyers would be deliriously happy with the single-motor P4, the fast ‘n furious dual-motor version is a full-size Hot Wheels. We’re talking off-the-line, 0-to-60 slingshots in just 3.7 seconds. That’s quick. 

Plug it in, charge it up, and the 94 kWh battery pack gives the Dual Motor around 280 miles of driving range. That compares to 310 miles with the single motor. But opt for the Performance Pack, with its 22-inch forged alloys, and the range drops to 255 miles. 

Find yourself a DC fast charger and Polestar reckons you can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes. Plug in at home with a 220-volt charger and you’re looking at 11 hours to go from zero to 100 per cent. Good, not great.

Where the P4 excels is in the way it handles itself. With adaptive suspension and all-wheel drive that come with the dual motor powertrain, grippy 22-inch tires, and laser-precise steering, the Polestar carves curves like it’s running on rails. Those Brembo brakes can stop time.

Inside, there’s a minimalist Volvo-slash-Scan-Design vibe, with lovely perforated Nappa leather, high-quality plastics, a thick, flat-bottom wheel and big 15.4-inch landscape touchscreen.

Interior space is plentiful, with no shortage of legroom and headroom in the back. But to avoid rear-seat claustrophobia, the optional full-length glass roof that can go opaque at the press of a button, is a must. 

Talking of touchscreen, here’s another source of annoyance. 

In Polestar’s quest for minimalism, pretty much all physical buttons and switches have been relegated to the screen. 

So want to change the temperature, or fan speed, you need to look down and tap a few buttons. Want to adjust the angle of the air vents, or adjust the door mirrors? Same thing. 

After my week with the Polestar 4, I came away thinking that driving today is challenging enough. For me, this was just too much like hard work.