2024 Polestar 3 review: International first drive (2024)

Fledgling electric car maker Polestar has been busy. After launching just two models over five years, this year alone will see three new EVs bolstering the brand’s line-up.

The first cab off the rank is the Polestar 3, a large electric SUV the company says is aimed squarely at the premium end of the market. It will be followed in just a few weeks by the Tesla Model Y-rivalling Polestar 4 and later this year by the Polestar 5 electric sedan.

You might have noticed a numerical order to the Polestar model range. And to keep it simple, the brand’s naming convention refers to the order in which each of its respective electric cars have been released.

Back in 2019, the original Polestar 1 debuted as a low-volume (just 1500 were ever made) plug-in hybrid sports car. It remains the only Polestar to date with a petrol engine.

It was followed in 2020 by the brand’s first full battery-electric vehicle, the Polestar 2, a mid-sized car akin to Tesla’s Model 3.

And now comes the electric car maker’s first SUV, and it’s a big one. Literally.

The Polestar 3 ushers in the next chapter of the Chinese-owned Swedish brand’s expansion plans. It’s a large SUV, a rival for the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, Audi Q8 e-tron, BMW iX and as well as its twin under the skin from Volvo, the soon-to-be-released EX90.

But, unlike the Volvo, with which it shares the same PSA2 electric vehicle platform, screens, switchgear and the like, the Polestar 3 will only ever be offered as a five-seater family SUV. If you want a seven-seater, then buy the Volvo, was the subtle inference at the model’s launch last month. First Australian deliveries are imminent, but before then, we attended the global launch of Polestar’s newest creation to see how it stacks up.

Polestar’s pricing certainly reflects its premium aspirations for its big electric SUV, but then that’s been matched by a premium level of standard equipment.

As we’ve previously reported, Australia will initially get two trim levels of Polestar 3 at launch, priced from $131,574 plus on-road costs for the Long Range Dual Motor, or $143,274 with the Performance Pack.

Both launch models come fitted as standard with the Plus and Pilot option packs, as well as rear privacy glass, and on the cheaper model, 21-inch wheels (rather than 20s).

Powering the Long Range Dual Motor are two electric motors and a 111kWh (107kWh usable) nickel-manganese-cobalt battery for claimed outputs of 360kW and 840Nm.

Polestar claims it can cover the sprint from 0–100km/h in 5.0 seconds, reach a 210km/h top speed, and travel up to 628km on a single charge, based on European WLTP testing.

Opting for the dearer Performance Pack model increases outputs to 380kW and 910Nm, and shaves 0.3 seconds off the 0–100km/h claim, now at 4.7 seconds. That power bump sees driving range decrease to a claimed "up to 561km" on WLTP protocols.

It also brings a swag of extra performance focused equipment including Polestar Engineered suspension tuning, 22-inch forged alloy wheels with Pirelli P Zero tyres, Swedish gold valve caps and seatbelts, laser-etched gold interior light line on the dashboard, and a "range optimisation" drive mode.

Polestar says its new large SUV can charge from zero to 100 per cent on an 11kW three-phase AC socket in 11 hours, or complete a 10 to 80 per cent DC fast charge in 30 minutes, at up to 250kW.

As you’d expect of a premium model with a premium price tag, the list of standard equipment is long.

But as a taster, highlights on the highly specified launch model include 21-inch wheels, textile or wool seat trim, LED headlights, adaptive air suspension, a torque-vectoring rear axle, 14.5-inch touchscreen, 9.0-inch driver's display, glass roof, and a power tailgate.

Conspicuous by its absence is Apple CarPlay connectivity which will not be available at launch. However, it’s set to follow in wireless form as part of an over-the-air software update planned for the fourth quarter of 2024.

Standard for the first model year are the Pilot and Plus option packs – though it's likely these will revert to options from 2025 cars onwards.

Plus Pack adds a bunch of goodies, including (but not limited to) a 25-speaker Bower and Wilkins premium sound system with Dolby Atmos enhancements, 21-inch alloy wheels, soft-close doors, and MicroTech textile or wool blend seat upholstery.

And the Pilot Pack adds Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving system for freeways (acceleration, braking and steering support up to 150km/h), automatic parking and a head-up display.

For the full run-down on the Polestar 3’s equipment list, check out our pricing and specs story here.

Polestar makes no bones about its design-led philosophy. That’s evident on the outside, where the Polestar 3’s sharp lines and conformist teardrop shape adhere to the principles of aerodynamics.

But there are plenty of clever features, such as the wing located – discretely – on the leading edge of the bonnet, said to reduce drag by “forcing the air to attach itself to the bonnet and the rest of body a lot sooner, laminar air flow is smoother and in combination with the rear aero wing and side aero blades, overall drag is reduced” to 0.29Cd.

At first glance, the Polestar 3 looks far more compact than it is. That’s partly down to that distinctive teardrop shape, which tapers down towards the tailgate lending the ‘3’ a coupe-like appearance. It also sits low on the road, and if comparing apples to a different breed of apples, its dimensions are significantly smaller than the Volvo EX90 with which its shares much of its architecture.

Whereas the EX90 is all signature Volvo boxiness, the Polestar 3 is actually 137mm shorter, 4mm wider and a massive 130mm lower than its Swedish sibling, dimensions that help the big SUV shrink around you.

The cabin of the Polestar 3 is a masterclass in design. It’ll feel familiar to anyone who’s sat in a Polestar 2, although everything has been lifted to another level, as you’d expect of vehicle costing around twice as much and promises a breathtaking array of eco-friendly materials.

Several of the 3’s interior trims have been either repurposed, such as the carpets made of discarded fishing nets, or the headlining manufactured out of recycled plastic bottles, and even the aluminium accents where 80 per cent of the raw material has been sourced from industrial waste.

And where natural materials have been used, such as the optional wool or nappa leather upholstery, they have been, according to Polestar “sourced responsibly and ethically”.

And the battery’s minerals – including cobalt, mica, nickel, and lithium – have been ethically sourced.

You’ll certainly appreciate the attention to detail sitting in the driver’s seat, as you take in interesting textures and materials that look and feel like a million bucks.

Every aspect of the interior has been carefully designed to reflect Polestar’s design philosophy. Yes, that famous Swedish minimalism remains firmly in place, with an uncluttered interior that oozes class, both in terms of build quality and the materials used throughout.

The 14.5-inch portrait-style infotainment touchscreen, shared with the Volvo EX90, has been given a through reskin with the user experience front of mind.

Polestar’s UX team proudly talked about how they’ve designed the infotainment system to be more intuitive and aesthetically pleasing.

Every aspect, from the redesigned widgets and icons has been carefully designed to mirror Polestar’s philosophy. Even the font, designed specifically for Polestar (a revised Unica 77 for those playing along at home) reflects the brand’s design-led ethos.

However, there is a distinct lack of physical buttons and dials, with almost all of the 3’s vital functions housed inside that generous screen. But Polestar has mitigated this somewhat by dividing the screen into two sections, the upper portion devoted to running the system’s apps and widgets, while the bottom section is filled with shortcuts to frequently used and important functions such as climate controls and vehicle settings.

The one concession Polestar has made is a large dial housed in the centre console, which controls the sound system’s volume as well as allowing you to play and pause any audio tracks.

On that, the 25-speaker Bowers and Wilkens stereo is, dare I say it, as good as any I’ve experienced with a rich, deep clarity of sound that filters throughout the cabin like a concert hall.

Those living in the second row will find plenty of space to relax, as you’d expect from a five-seater that’s nearly five metres long. Leg room is good, as is head room despite the gently tapering roof line.

That svelte roof line does mean the cargo area isn’t as generous as you’d expect of a large SUV, measuring in at claimed 484 litres with the second row in use, expanding to 1411L with the back seats stowed away.

Our time behind the wheel was limited to the more powerful Polestar Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack. And that means outputs of 380kW and 910Nm.

And it’s certainly quick from take-off, piling on speed in a linear and predictable fashion without straying too far into silly territory.

Keeping things nice and smooth and more importantly stable, the trick Borg Warner-sourced torque-vectoring dual-clutch system (TVDC) located at the rear axle can send all of the rear motor’s available torque to one wheel or split it between the left and right wheels. And unusually for a torque-splitting system, it will send more torque to the outside wheel (rather than the inside) to push the 3 tighter when cornering.

Additionally, the system can decouple the rear axle entirely during more gentle driving, turning the Polestar 3 into a front-wheel-drive vehicle. The benefit comes in energy consumption and improved driving range.

Can you feel any of this trickery at play? Not by the seat of the pants, but what you can feel is that the Polestar 3 belies its size and weight, and is a dynamically capable large SUV that can provide decent dollops of driver engagement.

That the steering is nicely weighted, with precise response to inputs, only adds to driver engagement.

The standard-fit adaptive air suspension and dual-chamber air springs provide a wonderfully cushioned ride when cruising the motorway.

Ride height can be adjusted by up to 60mm too, hunkering the 3 down low on the road or riding high should you decide to take your luxury electric SUV off-road.

Drive modes range from Standard to Nimble and Firm. Standard and Nimble remain on the side of comfort, while Firm does invoke a hard edge to ride comfort, but in a good way. You can feel the road underneath you in the way you want when pushing a little harder from behind the wheel.

There are three levels of regenerative braking – from none to full single-pedal driving, while the friction brakes themselves fed by four-piston Brembo calipers provide plenty of stopping power. And the transition between the two pair braking systems is seamless, a nicely-engineered integration that some others brands could learn from.

Despite weighing around 2.6 tonnes, the Polestar 3 does a good job of disguising its heft. It feels nimble and agile when you want to exploit its performance, and solidly planted when the highway stretches in front of you for mile after interminable mile.

Polestar claims the more powerful Performance Pack model will consume between 21.9–23.1kWh per 100 kilometres. Our launch drive, encompassing a good blend of city traffic, high-speed motorway running and a good dose of twisting and beguiling rural back roads returned a commendable 24.8kWh/100km.

While that is marginally outside the manufacturer’s WLTP claim, I reckon it’s a premium well spent for the sheer enjoyment this large SUV can deliver.

On paper, the Polestar 3 really shouldn’t be this much fun to drive. After all, it is a big and heavy electric SUV. But the engineers at Polestar have done a remarkable job to disguise both its size and mass.

It’s a joy to drive, really, relaxing and refined on one hand, and dynamically capable on the other.

Polestar stated at launch it wanted to be considered amongst the established premium players. The Polestar 3 has hit the mark.

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