Polestar 4 review: Trish Whelan, Irish Car

The Polestar brand is becoming more recognised here in recent times, with over 1,000 of their vehicles now on Irish roads. Polestar is a Swedish automotive brand that arrived in Ireland in 2022 with the launch of the Polestar 2 model, followed by models 3 and 4 in 2024, along with a revised Polestar 2. A Polestar 5's arrival is imminent. 

My review car was the long-range single-motor version with a Plus Pack and powered by a 100kWh battery, with 272hp and 343 Nm of torque and a claimed range of 620km, which should quell any range anxiety. An SUV coupe, it is stunning from every angle, slightly shorter and lower than the Polestar 3, but wider for more inside comfort. From the outside, you don’t notice that the car has no rear window. Designers say it allowed for providing extra space for rear seat passengers. 

The car opens as you get very close with the ‘blank’ key fob in your hand. There’s no on/off button, as your bum on the driver’s seat turns everything on and off when you sit or lift yourself to exit. The interior is both luxurious and minimalist. Sumptuous seating and high-quality materials give a premium feel. The dash has no knobs or buttons. The split 16.4-inch screen display features a colourful rotating planet of your choice, which determines the interior lighting colour - I chose bright red/orange Mars. This interface is powered by Google Automotive, so it has Google Maps built in. It controls almost all of the car’s functions, even the opening of the tailgate or adjusting the side mirror settings, with quick access to key features like climate control, permanently located at the bottom of the screen. You can also opt to use Voice Control to change the car’s temperature, radio station, or to navigate to a destination. The many apps include a recording facility that operates as a dash cam. 

The driver’s screen provides all your driving information clearly, with your current speed shown large. With no rear window, a wide rear view is provided via a high-definition camera on the roof, sending the view to a wide ‘screen’ where the rear view mirror would normally be located. It can take a bit of getting used to, but it provides a much wider field of view than a traditional mirror. Cubbies include a large open area below the central console, which you can use to store an iPad or a bag out of sight. 

A panoramic sunroof reaches from the A-pillars to beyond the heads of rear passengers, providing plenty of light, and is tinted to block out bright sunshine. Rear passengers can enjoy their own infotainment and climate control, and can heat their seats. The boot is opened by pressing a dark rectangle on the boot door. Luggage space is a very decent 520 expandable to 1,536 litres, and the floor level can be adjusted. A deep area below stores a tyre repair kit and cables, or you can put these in the 15-litre frunk under the bonnet. 

There are just two drive modes, Normal and Sport. The latter should only be used on a sports track, as Normal provides more than sporty driving. On the road, my Polestar 4 was a pure joy to drive, with so much power on tap for overtaking or for motorway cruising. You feel very engaged behind the wheel, and the car’s low centre of gravity provides beautiful balance and weight distribution. Acceleration from 0-100km/h takes 7.1 secs. Energy consumption is claimed to be 17.8-18.4 kWh/100km - I achieved 20.4 kWh/100km during my lengthy test drive period. 200 kW rapid DC charging from 10-80 per cent takes 40 mins; home charging from 0-100 per cent, 5.5 hrs. 

You can opt for one-pedal driving, and set the feel of the steering wheel to light (for navigating city streets), standard (for motorways) or firm (for active driving on twisty roads). The Lane Keeping Alert was way too sensitive, so I switched it off. 

When tested last year, the Polestar 4 scored a maximum 5-star safety rating from Euro NCAP. A top car for those who want their car to be different from mainstream models. The brand is mainly owned by Geely Holding and Volvo Cars, each of which has ties to the Geely industrial conglomerate in China. Polestar has its headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, but produces its cars in facilities controlled by Volvo or by Geely. 

My long-range single motor car is priced from €56,490; the long-range dual motor version from €78,390. Road tax is €120.

Electric Juke in spring 2027

Nissan’s all-electric Juke will arrive next year as the carmaker expands its European EV line-up, writes Brian Byrne. Unveiled at Nissan’s Vision event in Japan, the third-generation Juke is the first fully electric version of Nissan’s compact crossover.

Built on the CMF-EV platform and set to be produced at Nissan’s Sunderland plant in the UK, the new Juke is part of the company’s broader push toward electrification in Europe. Nissan said the model will join an expanding EV range that includes the new Micra, third-generation Leaf, Ariya, and Townstar, with another A-segment EV also planned.

The electric Juke will retain the bold character that helped make the model a success since its 2010 debut, while adding zero-emission driving and Vehicle-to-Grid capability.

Nissan said hybrid models, including the Juke HEV and Qashqai e-POWER, will remain in its line-up as it offers customers a mix of electrified options. 

Leapmotor prices B10 Hybrid EV SUV

Leapmotor Ireland has revealed pricing for the new B10 Hybrid EV ahead of its arrival in Irish dealerships in the coming weeks, writes Brian Byrne. The compact SUV is set to start from €36,995. 

The new model will be offered in two trims — STYLE from €36,995 and DESIGN from €37,995 — and features an 18.8kWh battery, up to 86km of electric range and a combined driving range of up to 900km.

The new Hybrid EV name replaces REEV to more clearly describe Leapmotor’s technology. 

EV2 is Kia's smallest and most affordable EV

Kia’s smallest and most affordable all-electric model has gone on sale here priced from €28,660, writes Trish Whelan. The car, compact outside and spacious inside, competes in one of Ireland’s fastest growing segments which accounts for over 22 per cent of all new car sales, with fully electric B-SUVs growing in popularity by 37 per cent year-on-year. 

EV2 was designed, engineered and produced in Europe - and tuned specifically for European roads - it is available exclusively as a five-seater in Ireland. EV2 follows the exterior design of Kia’s other recent EVs, with a bold and boxy exterior with upright proportions and strong shoulder line, like that of the EV5 and EV9. 

The new EV2 combines everyday versatility, upper-segment technology and a comprehensive Advanced driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and driving performance. It is available in four different trim levels, each with an impressive list of standard equipment and a choice of 42.2kWh standard-range battery with a 317km range, or 61.0kWh long-range battery option with a class-leading range of up to 453km. All variants are powered by a single front-mounted electric motor. In variants equipped with the standard-range battery pack, the electric motor applies 144bhp through the front wheels; the larger long-range battery pack is paired with a slightly detuned front motor to maximise driving efficiency applying 133bhp through the front wheels. All variants produce 250Nm torque. 

EV2 offers Kia’s latest triple-screen connected car Navigation Cockpit system integrating a 12.3-inch driver cluster, 12.3-inch central touchscreen, and 5.3-inch climate control display. Boot space is a decent 362 litres. 

Four trim levels are: Air, Earth, GT-Line and GT-Line Plus, with the latter two trims exclusively available in long range. The Air trim comes very well specced for an entry level model with 16-inch alloy wheels, Blind-spot collision avoidance, front and rear parking sensors, heated front seats and steering wheel, LED headlights, smart cruise control 2 and wireless CarPlay & Android Auto. Earth has 18-inch alloys, rear privacy glass, wireless phone charger, and 15 litre frunk; GT adds 19-inch alloys, GT-Line exterior and interior styling, vegan leather seats, power driver seat with lumbar support, while GT-Plus adds 12.3-inch infotainment with built-in maps and Kia upgrades, Hardon Kardon sound system, heat pump, Highway driving Assist 2, glass sunroof. 

DC fast charging from 10-80 percent takes approximately 29 minutes for the standard-range version and just a minute or so more for the long-range model. EV2 is available from €28,660-€30,530 for the 42.2 kWh battery variant, and from €31,940-€37,090 for the 61.0kWh model. 

After a short spin on launch day, I believe it could well become Kia Ireland’s best-selling all-electric model.

Range Rover Sport special edition

Orders are now open for the Range Rover Sport TWENTY Edition, a special model created to mark 20 years since the luxury performance SUV was launched, writes Brian Byrne.

The limited-run edition features exclusive design details, SV-inspired performance seats and a choice of flagship powertrains. It is offered in a new Sanguinello Orange finish, alongside Santorini Black and Ostuni White, with bespoke ‘TWENTY’ branding inside and out.

Range Rover said the anniversary model reflects the vehicle’s evolution over three generations, which have combined luxury, on-road performance and off-road capability. Powertrain options include a 4.4-litre Twin Turbo V8 mild hybrid and a P550e plug-in hybrid with an electric-only range of up to 115km.