I drove the new screen-obsessed Polestar 4 – and its lack of a rear windscreen isn't the only thing it should be remembered for

Strip away some of the tech gimmicks and this is a great EV

Features By Leon Poultney published 2 October 2024

The Polestar 4 will forever be remembered as the car that broke the internet. Well, if you dwell in automotive circles it most certainly did, purely because this was a new EV that dared do away with the rear windscreen.

That was arguably not as much of a big deal as numerous social media posts and website articles made out, seeing as most vans and commercial vehicles have done without a rear windscreen for years, but this would be the first time the world has seen a passenger car without a slither of glass at the back.

Steve Potter, Exterior Design Manager at Polestar, explained to me that the divisive design decision was made for various reasons, citing improved airflow and aerodynamic efficiency, extra roominess for rear passengers. Perhaps more important, though, was the fact that the company had exciting new rear-view camera technology in its arsenal and it wasn’t afraid to use it.

Although arguably not as handsome as that Precept concept car upon which it is based, the new Polestar 4 still cuts an imposing figure on the road. The Swedish company insists it is an SUV coupé, but the low-slung nose, the enormous alloy wheels and windowless ‘fastback’ design are far more modern mash-up than they are traditional Sports Utility Vehicle fare.

Technology is also absolutely everywhere, from the digital rear-view mirror (a must when you can’t actually see out of the back), to the various displays and touchscreens inside, this is a car that will have fans of clean design salivating and campaigners for physical buttons and dials recoiling in horror.

Never look back

Let's tackle the elephant in the room first, because Polestar's decision to replace a standard mirror and large piece of glass with fancy camera technology is controversial.

Most local laws state that if a passenger vehicle has a rear windscreen, it must also sport a functioning mirror – but Polestar has got around this by completely blanking out the rear hatch. When viewed (and touched) in the flesh, this manifests itself in a slightly awkward oval of thin metal where a window should be.

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