I've Driven My Polestar 4 for 3 Weeks After Trading My Volvo XC90, The Pilot Assist Takes Forever to React But The Comfort Will Spoil You Forever

By now, you’ve heard of Polestar, that slick, clean-cut Swedish spinoff riding a wave of lithium-ion bravado straight out of Gothenburg by way of Hangzhou. What began as a tuner badge under Volvo’s wing has bloomed into a full-blown electric insurgency, a machine equal parts Scandinavian reserve and Chinese capitalistic ambition. And while it might not carry the gravitas of Stuttgart or the swagger of Silicon Valley, the Polestar 4 doesn’t care. It’s here to disrupt, stylishly, efficiently, and just a little bit defiantly. But like all revolutionaries, it’s got a few bugs in the software and some ghosts from the homeland whispering in its ear.

“I took delivery of my Polestar 4 three weeks ago. The spec is: Plus, Pilot, Performance, Nappa Leather Seats, Electrochromic Glass, Colour: Space. The only options I didn't go for were tow bar and lower cladding painting (which, given the car is black, I didn't feel necessary).

I use it as my daily to and from work (approx. 80 mile journey) and it's a delight. Real world range is about 270 miles on a full charge.

Pro's:

Comfort: "Holy double-vented comfort, Batman!" This is easily the comfiest car I've ever sat or driven in. The space is legitimately impressive and those who question the advantage gain by the no rear view window should see the head and leg room in the rear seats and the size of the boot, whilst maintaining a sleek couple-esque silhouette. The ventilated and massaging seats are a nice luxury along with the speakers in the headrest.

Sound: Incredible sound system and top quality management thereof, a lot of customisation to fit your needs. The speakers in the headrest add a level of completeness to the sound without overwhelming you. Also the ride sound is near silent.

Driving: Boy is this car a delight to drive. Comfortable, engaging, memorable. I haven't tested all the driving options but I am impressed by the control and feeling of the steering and suspension (not to mention the absolute demonic speed)

Looks: Incredible looking car, from the color, shape, interior, rims and brakes. It's so cool, it looks like a stealth fighter.

Con's:

Pilot assist: Versus my Volvo XC90 (MY24), the Polestar pilot assist is severely lacking. The delay in activation and overall accuracy/agility is very different. It feels like it takes several seconds to recognise when a new vehicle merges in front of me or if that vehicle slows down. Also, the slightest readjustment of the steering, leads to deactivation. When compared to the Volvo Pilot Assist, these problems do not exist.

Security: The lack of a fob with buttons is very inconvenient. The door 'buttons' are not very responsive even when next to them with the fob, and the proximity sensor does not always pick up the fob until I've been at the door a couple of seconds.

Infotainment: The only issue I have with the infotainment system is that I cannot reset it while in motion. I live in an area with temperamental signal and it seems if you attempt an action that requires internet whilst you did not have signal, the app will freeze. Whereas with Volvos this is not an issue as you can reset while in motion.

Size: You would think that compared to an XC90 the Polestar 4 would be a breeze to park... No, it's actually wider than the XC90! It does mean you have ample room in the car, but it takes some getting used to (even with the myriad of cameras!)

Charging pad: When a phone is in the charging pad and you accelerate, the phone will fly backwards. If you had a passenger in the back and you accelerated harshly, I'd be legitimately concerned for their safety”

That’s kendo545 on Reddit’s r/Polestar community, and his write-up is less a review than a confessional. Three weeks in with his Polestar 4, armed to the teeth with the Plus, Pilot, and Performance packages, and he’s all but married to the thing. But he’s also honest. The love affair is deep, but not blind. He notes that Pilot Assist is sluggish and lacks the intuitive feedback of his old XC90. That’s no small criticism in a vehicle that positions itself as the thinking man’s Tesla alternative. Still, he makes one thing abundantly clear: he’s not going back. Not to the XC90, not to anything else.

Pilot Assist Performance in the Polestar 4: Why It Lags Behind the Volvo XC90

• The 2025 China-built Polestar 4 starts at $56,400 (single-motor) and $62,900 (dual-motor) MSRP; the upcoming 2026 South Korea-built model rises slightly to $57,800 and $64,300, respectively 
• At launch in Europe, the Long-Range Single-Motor began at €63,200, with the Dual-Motor around $69,300 incl. VAT 
• Owners laud its engaging driving dynamics, premium interior feel, and ample real-world range, one Redditor called it “a work of art” despite minor quirks 
• Common gripes include early software bugs, the camera-only rear-view setup (no rear window,) and missing battery pre-conditioning on route planning

And that’s the crux of what makes Polestar interesting, it isn’t trying to be a Tesla clone, and it doesn’t feel like a rebadged Volvo. It's something in between. Polestar has preserved Volvo's obsession with safety and driver focus but wrapped it in an entirely new ethos, design-forward, performance-curious, and software-ambitious. 

Even when Subaru edges out Polestar on crash ratings (which, to be fair, it frequently does), the latter wins the aesthetic and emotional argument. This isn’t your dad’s Outback, it’s a Scandinavian stealth jet with electrochromic glass and massaging Nappa leather seats. As kendo545 put it, “Holy double-vented comfort, Batman!”

Polestar 4 Pricing, Real-World Range, and Owner Feedback at a Glance

But don’t let the luxury fool you into thinking this thing is soft. Underneath that smooth silhouette and whisper-quiet cabin is a real-deal performer. Reddit comments and forum chatter are peppered with praise for the 4’s handling, balance, and torque delivery. And while it won’t out-corner a Cayman or out-drag a Plaid, it occupies a fascinating middle lane, one where electric power doesn’t have to scream to feel fast. “Smooth power delivery, very little lean in corners… highly capable,” noted one Polestar 2 owner on polestar-forum.com. That same DNA is woven into the 4, except now it comes with headrest speakers and a sunroof that makes the sun look “like a blood moon,” according to kendo545.

Still, Polestar's greatest trick might be its refusal to wrap itself in one nation’s flag. It’s not Tesla’s techno-nationalist circus, nor is it Mercedes’ silver spoon affair. This is a car born in Sweden, funded by China, and benchmarked against the best California can build. Unlike Tesla, whose infotainment suite sometimes feels like a Silicon Valley beta test with wheels, Polestar takes a cautious, perhaps even Volvo-like approach. OTA updates come when they’re ready. Driver-assist features are conservative, not flashy. You won’t get a light show, but you will get a sound system that doesn’t need to shout.

Of course, not everything is rosy. The lack of a traditional key fob, inconsistent proximity sensors, and a frozen infotainment screen due to poor signal are things that would make older people frustrated. You shouldn’t have to babysit your phone charger, and yet here we are, kendo545 had to worry about his phone launching off the pad under heavy acceleration. These aren't fatal flaws, but they are reminders that Polestar, despite its polish, is still building the airplane as it’s flying it.

What’s more surprising is that even with these flaws, and there are a few, owners aren’t just tolerant; they’re evangelical. Polestar has somehow captured the hearts of a new kind of driver. One who’s tired of Tesla’s gimmicks, bored of Audi’s sameness, and too skeptical of GM's promises. They want something that looks like the future but feels like it’s built to last. “It’s not perfect,” as one forum member wrote, “but it’s the first car in a decade that made me feel something.”

2025 Polestar 4 Specs & 2024 China Deliveries: Battery, Power, Dimensions

• Available as a Long-Range Single-Motor (200 kW/272 hp, 253 lb-ft) RWD or Long-Range Dual-Motor (400 kW/544 hp, 506 lb-ft) AWD; both use a 102 kWh battery and reach a top speed of 124 mph 
• Measures 4,840 mm in length, 2,067 mm in width, and 1,534 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,999 mm 
• The Single-Motor version does 0–60 mph in 6.9 s; the Dual-Motor in 3.7 s 
• Polestar 4 achieved 19,335 unit deliveries in China during 2024

In the end, Polestar isn’t trying to be a revolution. It’s trying to be a refinement, a thoughtful recalibration of what luxury, performance, and technology can mean in the EV era. It’s a brand willing to ditch the rear window in favor of more cabin space and a better silhouette. A company that will chase comfort just as hard as it chases 0-60 times. And while it may still be catching up to Tesla in some tech categories, it’s already lapped most of the legacy automakers in ambition.

So yes, the Pilot Assist still takes too long to react. And no, it’s not perfect. But three weeks in, kendo545, and a growing crowd of believers, wouldn’t go back. Not to the XC90. Not to anything else. In a world where most EVs feel like rolling computers, the Polestar 4 feels like a car again, fast, flawed, and human in all the right ways.

Image Sources: Polestar Media Center

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.