Polestar 7 Will Be The Swedish Model Y, With An Attitude To Rival A Porsche

Polestar has so far propped itself up as a relatively exclusive premium performance brand, targeting to position itself as something closer to a Swedish Porsche than a more mainstream brand like Toyota. But that’s likely about to change a bit with the upcoming Polestar 7 SUV, which is said to be a more affordable, more mainstream offering that should help the brand’s sales soar. Think of this as Polestar’s Model Y. But if that sounds a little… not like a Porsche rival, Polestar bosses want you to know it will still feel like a Polestar, despite its mainstream ambitions.

More Mainstream, But Not Mellow

Execs don’t want anyone concerned that the new 7 SUV won’t be a fun ride, like the Polestar 3 and 4 aim to be.

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Fresh, More Detailed Designs Are Coming

The CEO also mentioned a new design language should debut with the 7 and then likely roll out in the mid-cycle refreshes for the brand’s other models. “Design is of the highest importance,” Lohscheller added. “[The 7] needs to have a very compelling design, obviously in the Polestar style. Maybe a bit more confidence going forward, and the performance element is also super important.”

Philipp Römers is the new head of design for Polestar and will spearhead the new design direction in a “less minimalistic” fashion. It’s not yet clear whether the Polestar 7 will be a bespoke platform or if it will borrow from the broader Geely automotive family that also owns Volvo, Lotus, and Zeekr. The Polestar 2 and 4 share a platform with the Volvo XC40, and the Polestar 3 shares a platform with the Volvo EX90.

“If you take the Polestar 3 and the EX90, I would argue it’s executed very well. The Volvo is comfort and safety-[oriented], nice and easy for the commute; the Polestar is a performance car – you feel it in how it drives. The suspension is different, the chassis tuning is different,” Lohscheller said.

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“Design is always evolving. It will develop, especially with a new head of design, but I would say we’ll keep the basics in terms of Scandinavian design, but I want to have a bit more confidence,” Lohscheller said. A production location in Europe will be announced in the coming weeks. While the Chinese-built Polestar 2 has been discontinued in the U.S., the 3 and 4 are still on sale, with the 2026 Polestar 4 recently updated without a price increase, despite new tariffs. That should be good news for a more affordable “mainstream” model to still hit the U.S. market with exports from Europe, despite the trade situation.

Source: Autocar