A New Look: Why the Polestar 4 Has No Rear Window

Daily Car

·

05/11/2025

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The Polestar 4, an electric crossover that reaches U.S. dealers in the fall, draws attention because it has no rear window. The back of the car uses a solid metal panel instead of glass. Drivers see behind the vehicle through a digital rearview mirror that shows a live video from a roof mounted camera.

Polestar gives two main reasons for the missing rear glass. The stylists wanted a low, coupe style roofline without forcing rear passengers to crouch. In most electric crossovers, the battery pack sits under the floor and lifts the seats higher - the roof must rise to maintain head clearance. By deleting the rear glass, the design team kept the sleek roof while preserving enough cabin height. A solid rear panel strengthens the body shell - a stiffer shell protects occupants better if the car rolls over.

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A high definition camera sits where a shark fin antenna would normally be - that position shields the lens from most rain and road spray. In snow a driver clears only the small lens, not an entire rear windshield. The camera feeds constant video to the screen that replaces the traditional mirror.

Drivers need a short period to adapt. The picture is wide plus sharp - yet shifting focus from the road to the screen feels unfamiliar at first. Some drivers report that cars behind look nearer than they are. Many coupe shaped SUVs already restrict rear vision because of their steeply sloped glass - the Polestar 4's clear digital feed may represent an upgrade.

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If the camera stops working, the mirror screen turns black and the whole unit must be replaced. Polestar is the first brand to delete the rear window entirely, but Cadillac besides Kia already offer optional digital mirrors on cars that still retain rear glass. The Polestar 4 simply turns that technology into a standard, required element of the design.

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