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Owner regret around the Polestar 4 tends to come from three places: software and key behavior, the camera that replaces a conventional rear mirror, and everyday details such as cargo loading and the charge-door timing. The missing rear glass is not the main complaint in the reviews and owner threads reviewed for this article. Reviewers also praise the driving experience, comfort, range and charging, so the picture is mixed rather than uniformly negative.
One limit matters throughout. The sources describe individual reviewers, named publications, a regulator’s file and individual owners. None establishes how many Polestar 4 owners have any of these problems, so the points below describe what has been reported, not how often it happens.
What the complaints actually are
The table separates each complaint area from the kind of evidence behind it. The difference matters, because a regulator’s file, a reviewer’s test week and a forum post carry very different weight.
| Complaint area | Who reported it | Type of evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Key-card unlocking and failure to shift into Drive or Reverse | Cars.com reviewers, on the vehicles they tested | Test-drive experience, not an owner-wide rate |
| Profile recognition and a blank main screen | One Reddit owner, in a two-week ownership post | Individual owner report |
| Rear-view camera mirror: eye strain, focus and image behavior | Cars.com reviewers | Subjective reaction during testing |
| Rear-view camera failures after a software remedy | Consumers reported to NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation | Regulator’s record documenting reports through 2025 |
| Hatch loading and timed charge-door closing | TechRadar road-trip reviewer | One reviewer’s observations |
Software, keys and profiles
This is the most frequently raised usability problem in the material reviewed, and it appears in both professional and owner accounts.
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Key-card unlocking
In a multi-reviewer assessment published by Cars.com, one reviewer said key-card unlocking worked only about one attempt in four on the vehicles he encountered. That is a figure from the publication’s test cars, and it should not be read as a fleet statistic. The same assessment says the driving experience was strong, and it attributes the frustration to software behavior rather than to the chassis or powertrain. See the Cars.com 2026 Polestar 4 Second Look.
Failure to shift into Drive or Reverse
A second Cars.com reviewer described a car that did not recognize the key card, which left him unable to shift into Drive or Reverse. Normal operation returned several days later. The article does not give a cause, so owners should treat it as a documented failure mode with an unknown trigger rather than a known fault with a known fix.
Rank #2
- 【Suitable Model】 for 2024 2025 2026 Polestar 4. Confirm year and model before purchasing. *NOTE: If the product arrives with a crease, please use hot water to heat it up and then use a heavy object to press it for a period of time, and the creased part will be restored to its original condition
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- 【After-sales service】Products will undergo strict inspections before they are dispatched. If you have any questions about the product, please feel free to reach out our after-sales service
Profile recognition and blank screens
An owner’s two-week ownership post on Reddit describes profile-recognition problems and a blank main screen. In that account, some functions were unavailable, including regenerative braking. Replies in the same thread describe mixed experiences, and some owners report no major problems. Read it as one owner’s account. The Reddit discussion is useful for seeing what an affected owner experienced, not for estimating how common the fault is. A second owner thread titled “worst car I’ve ever owned” also contains mixed anecdotes rather than a consistent pattern.
The rear-view camera mirror
The rear window is the feature most people associate with the Polestar 4, but the rear-view camera is the component that actually changes how a driver checks behind the car. Complaints in this area concern the camera’s usability and, in one regulatory matter, its reliability.
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What Polestar says the system does
Polestar’s support material says a high-definition screen receives a live feed from the roof-mounted camera. The image is not blocked by headrests or passengers, and the display can be switched to a traditional mirror mode to view rear occupants. The company also says removing the rear window allowed it to extend the rear header and panoramic roof. That is Polestar’s stated design rationale, and it is the reason the glass was deleted in the first place. See the Polestar 4 support page.
Why the rear window is not the real issue
Removing the glass is not what most reviewers object to. They object to looking at a screen instead of a mirror. Cars.com reviewers criticized the need to focus on a nearby display, and they said the image changed when the driver used the turn signal. Road Test Editor Brian Normile put the reaction bluntly: “Using the rearview camera mirror induces eye strain, motion sickness and maybe even disorientation;” That is a subjective reaction from a test period, and tolerance will vary from driver to driver. Owners who find screen-based mirrors comfortable may not share it.
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Regulatory record on camera failures
Separate from comfort, NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation documented consumer reports that rear-view camera failures continued after Recall 25V-280’s over-the-air remedy, which Polestar issued on April 25, 2025. The agency states that Polestar confirmed the software remedy did not correct the original issue, and ODI opened a query to evaluate whether the remedy is adequate. A query is an open review, not a finding that every car is affected or that the remedy has failed in all cases. The current status should be checked against NHTSA’s records for a specific vehicle identification number. The primary document is the NHTSA ODI recall query RQ25004.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Cargo and charging: practical details
Two daily-use complaints come from a TechRadar road-trip review published in April 2025. The reviewer found an office chair extremely difficult to load because of the rear opening and the hatch angle, even though the car offers useful cargo space. The published figures are 526 litres with the rear seats up and 1,536 litres with them folded. The reviewer also found the motorized charge-port door’s programmed closing timing frustrating during a charging stop. Both points are one reviewer’s observations. Anyone who regularly carries bulky items should measure their own load before deciding, because published volume does not show whether an object’s shape will fit through the opening. The TechRadar road-trip review covers the test in detail.
Best Value
- 【Suitable Model】 for 2024 2025 2026 Polestar 4. Confirm year and model before purchasing. *NOTE: If the product arrives with a crease, please use hot water to heat it up and then use a heavy object to press it for a period of time, and the creased part will be restored to its original condition
- 【TPE Material】SMABEE 2024 2025 2026 Polestar 4 Trunk Mat is crafted from top-notch TPE materials, granting them a soft yet enduring touch. They remain tough under any severe conditions, ensuring the surface stays in prime condition even after extensive use. The 3D design incorporates raised edges that keep water and dirt out, offering dirt-repelling properties and shielding against moisture ingress. Furthermore, they boast flexibility and are tough enough to withstand cracking
- 【All Weather Car Mats】 The SAMBEE Polestar 4 All-weather bed liner features a three-dimensional design, ensuring that you're not troubled by car interior dirt during persistent rain and snow. The elevated rims effectively contain dirt and dust, hindering their spread. Additionally, they reduce vehicle vibrations while driving, thereby boosting the stability of your drive
- 【Easy To Install And Clean】: The clasp's underside is treated to minimize sliding and keep the mat stable, enhancing driving stability. No tools needed for quick installation. SMABEE Polestar 4 mats are stain-resistant, water-resistant, long-lasting, and easy to clean. Easily remove stains with a damp cloth or rinse and air dry
- 【After-sales service】Products will undergo strict inspections before they are dispatched. If you have any questions about the product, please feel free to reach out our after-sales service
Price, range and equipment
Cars.com’s 2025 review gives U.S. 2026 model-year pricing and EPA-estimated range for the two configurations. Both listed prices include destination charges. These are listed figures for that model year, and they can change.
| U.S. 2026 configuration (per Cars.com) | Listed starting price, including destination | EPA-estimated range |
|---|---|---|
| Single motor | $57,800 | 310 miles |
| Dual motor, all-wheel drive | $64,300 | 280 miles |
EPA figures are estimates under standard test conditions, not promises of real-world range. Equipment also varies by build. Polestar’s global specifications list the rear passenger touchscreen and climate controls as part of the Plus pack, so a car without that pack will not have them. Check the exact build and market before assuming a feature is standard. The manufacturer’s data is on the Polestar 4 global specifications page.
What owners and reviewers say works well
The criticism is not universal. Cars.com describes the Polestar 4 as quick, light on its feet, quiet, comfortable and good-riding, even while it criticizes the software and access behavior. Autoblog’s 2026 week-long review lists driving dynamics, range and charging among the car’s strengths. These comments come from different reviewers testing different cars, so they confirm that the praise is widespread among reviewers, not that any individual car will behave the same way. The Autoblog 2026 Polestar 4 review was published May 30, 2026.
A pre-purchase checklist for the specific complaints
- Test the key card more than once, and try starting and shifting into Drive and Reverse, not only unlocking the door.
- Ask the dealer whether the car has the latest software, and whether any open NHTSA item applies to its identification number.
- Spend at least 20 minutes using the camera mirror on a real route, including a lane change and a signal, and note whether focus, depth judgment or nausea bother you.
- Load your own largest regular item through the rear opening, not a catalog measurement.
- Confirm which equipment pack the car has, especially if you want rear-seat climate or touchscreen controls.
- Check the charge-port door during a real charging stop, since its timing is programmed rather than adjustable by the driver.
The Bottom Line
If you are weighing a Polestar 4, the most useful tests are the ones that replicate your own use: key behavior, a long drive with the camera mirror, a real load and a real charging stop. The rear window is a feature you will notice on day one but is not what the reported complaints are about. The software and camera issues are the ones that deserve a hands-on check before purchase.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
