According to Maximilian Missoni, head of Polestar design, the design of the new 2023 Polestar 4 was influenced by the focus on maximum range. One notable design choice is the absence of a rear window, which is usually located in the rear roof area to provide structural strength. The positioning of the header rail, which adds rigidity to the vehicle, was a crucial factor in shaping the design.

The challenge was to find the optimal position for the rail. Lowering it too much would impede headroom, while keeping it high would affect aerodynamics and performance. The solution Polestar came up with for the Polestar 4 is to lower the header and move it behind the rear passengers’ heads. This positions the header rail where the rear window would typically be, and a roof-mounted camera replaces the rear glass for rear visibility. The Polestar 4 has a drag coefficient of 0.269, whereas the Tesla Model S, for comparison, has a drag coefficient of 0.208.

Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar and former design head at Volvo, played a significant role in influencing the design of the Polestar 4. Ingenlath humorously mentioned that more conservative car makers would still be testing the idea with customer clinics. He emphasized that true design leaders do not need to seek approval through market testing.

The Polestar 4 crossover measures just under five meters in length and features a 102kWh battery pack (with 94kWh of usable capacity). It is available with either a single-motor configuration offering 268bhp or a dual-motor model with 537bhp. Ingenlath expressed his satisfaction with the Polestar 4, stating that it complements the Polestar 3 and covers the premium SUV segment effectively.