► iX-rivalling Polestar 3 driven in the UK
► Up to 390 miles of WLTP range
► The Volvo EX90’s sportier sibling
Finally, it feels like the Polestar bandwagon is gaining momentum. Following the delectable 1 and increasingly popular 2, the Polestar 3 breezes in as the Swedish brand’s biggest SUV. The 4’s also here just to confuse the naming scheme, because unlike most manufacturers where bigger is better, Polestar gives the highest number to its newest car.
I like the simplicity of that, but can imagine customers wondering why their all-singing super-SUV has a lower number than the squatter sporting coupe-SUV. Anyway, let’s move on from that and concentrate on the Cayenne-sized 3. It challenges the likes of the Audi Q8 E-Tron, BMW iX and Mercedes EQE SUV in a fierce market sector, and comes in with little brand heritage (or baggage, depending on your view of ‘legacy’ manufacturers).
The good news is that the Polestar 3 does a great job of side-stepping the mainstream. It’s positioned as a more driver-focused and sporting alternative infused with a large shot of quality Nordic minimalism for good measure. Think Bang & Olufsen in terms of design, but hopefully with more deep-seated quality.
As you can imagine, with the focus on sports, utility does fall by the wayside somewhat, but will that be an issue for this fascinating newcomer? The CAR team has already had several runs in the Polestar 3, but now we’ve managed to spend time with it on UK roads to get a more balanced view – you can see how we test here.
At a glance
Pros: Generous rear space, great infotainment, uncommonly good handling
Cons: Relatively small boot, stiff ride with Performance Pack
What’s new
Everything. While the Polestar 2’s body is a melange of coupe, crossover and saloon, the Polestar 3 is an unashamed SUV, albeit one with a coupe-style roofline that falls towards the rear of the car. It looks striking in the flesh, well proportioned and benefiting from the packaging advantages of the EV-only SPA2 platform shared with the Volvo EX90. With that comes a sizeable 2985mm wheelbase within the 4900mm overall length, which promises plenty of interior space.
Aerodynamics have played a big part in the design, the best example being the narrow wing element integrated into the leading edge of the bonnet to help clean up airflow (Polestar quotes a so-so 0.29 drag coefficient of drag). At the rear is a full-width lightbar and a rear wiper that looks nearly as dinky as the one on the Mini hatchback. You won’t be using it much in reality.
What are the specs?
While other versions will follow, currently the Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor form, and the same but with added Performance Pack. Both feature the innovation of a twin-clutch torque-biasing differential for the rear motor, and use the same XL 111kWh battery pack, with 107kWh usable.
That’s good enough for a WLTP-tested 390-mile driving range for the regular dual motor, which is up on key rivals. This drops to a still reasonable 349 miles if you opt for the Performance pack.
Although the CATL supplied lithium-ion battery pack has a 400-volt architecture, in contrast the 800-volt systems of sharp-end rivals, it will support DC fast charging at speeds of up to a claimed 250kW, giving the prospect of a 10-80% recharge in as little as 30 minutes in optimal conditions and plugged into the best public chargers.
What about the interior?
Moving inside, the cabin is well finished and impressively spacious, with legroom in the back feeling particularly generous. Unlike the related Volvo EX90, the 3 is offered as a five-seater, allowing the rear bench to be placed further back in the wheelbase for even more legroom. Headroom is good enough, but the falling roofline means there’s less excess space than most rivals – not that most passengers will miss that.
Boot space is stingy by comparison, though, with a wide but shallow compartment resulting in only 394-litres with the rear seats in place, although with another 90-litre hidden compartment under the boot floor. There is another 32-litre storage compartment under the bonnet that’s intended for charging cables.
A panoramic glass roof is standard, providing a light airiness to the interior even when trimmed in the darker colours (I couldn’t imagine trimming your Polestar 3 in anything other than a light, creamy colour, mind). Material quality impresses and the overall effect is calming and very appealing. The ambient lighting is planet themed, so changing the mood comes with a free science lesson.
Physical switchgear has been been kept to a minimum. Even the hazard light switch has been moved to the roof console for example. Beyond the basic driving controls, everything is managed by the vast 14.5-inch portrait orientated touchscreen running Google’s Android Automotive operating system.
It’s a system that looks great with its crisp graphics and clean animations. But coming in cold as a newcomer to this car, it took time to find where everything is, so even though a few shortcuts here and there help, I’d still like more physical controls. But I guess this soon eases with familiarity, and it has to be said that the large on-screen buttons, elegant typography and use of colours, along with fixed menus that don’t require scrolling through, make this one of the very best touchscreen-operated systems out there.
How does it drive?
Plenty of high-end SUVs have already proved how effective smart dynamic systems can be at apparently bending the rules of physics. On paper, the Polestar 3 would appear to lack several of these: there is no active anti-roll system, or rear-steering set-up to sharpen responses. But where it does shine is the sheer quality and nuance of feedback you get from the controls – be it from the pedals, the steering and the damping.
The 3’s clever differential is subtler in its intervention and far more natural than some of the rear-steer systems found in rivals. While you’re aware it’s unwilling to push wide on the way out of tight bends, it trims your line effectively and progressively rather than drastically altering it.
That differential and pair of clutches don’t just allow fine torque distribution under power, they also work under deceleration, too. A bit more regen on the inside rear wheel than the outside helps tuck the nose in on corner entry, helping build agility further. Even so, the 3 much prefers a neutral line than an exuberant one.
With plenty of thumping from the suspension and more vertical movement than you might expect with the Performance Pack fitted, I’d recommend the more supple regular Polestar 3 if you value comfort, and are driving it anywhere in the UK with its shockingly-maintained roads. Body control is excellent, and it feels far less fidgety.
This is a car that’s satisfying to drive briskly, if not a huge amount of fun when you’re really on it. The steering is partially to blame here, with too much weight in all modes and strong self-centring that makes it tricky to get into a pleasing rhythm on twisting roads.
However, many of these brickbats won’t be on your radar on the 8.30 motorway commute into the city, and instead you’ll be left with a comfortable, refined and pleasingly tactile driving experience that rewards a smooth driving style.
Before you buy
Paying the £5600 extra for the Performance brings 22-inch alloys over the standard 21s, more aggressive dynamic software for various active systems and a modest performance upgrade. Polestar claims the Performance can dispatch the 0-62mph benchmark in just 4.7-sec – 0.3-sec quicker than the regular car – although both versions are ultimately curtailed by the same 130mph limiter.
Beyond that, you can add a Plus Pack (£5000) with luxuries like a sublime 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins stereo, soft closing doors, heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel. There’s also an optional Pilot Pack (£2300) which improves the driving assistance features and adds a head up display. If your budget runs to it, I’d recommend both.
Polestar 3: verdict
We originally concluded that this is Polestar’s most convincing effort yet, sticking a Swedish cat among the Bavarian pigeons. After spending time in this alongside the Polestar 4 (more of which, later), as well as my time in the Polestar 2, I would agree with this. The spacious, luxurious and well-appointed interior impresses, as does the handling, driving experience and battery range.
Boot space is tighter than you’d expect for the class, though, and there’s just too much reliance on the admittedly excellent central touchscreen. Even so, it’s a fine alternative to the BMW iX, and certainly more recommendable than an Audi Q8 E-Tron and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV.
Would I take one over the aforementioned Bimmer? Yes, and not just on aesthetic grounds. Although Polestar’s late to the party with this one, it’s proven more than capable of upsetting the copy-and-paste class incumbents.