The peculiar aspect of Polestar 3’s anatomy is that, although it emerges as the new flagship of the budding electric vehicle manufacturer, it doesn’t exactly manifest as such. Polestar’s numbering scheme doesn’t follow the conventional rule of reflecting the vehicle’s size or hierarchy but is aligned merely with the sequence of its inception.
Consequently, the novel Polestar 3 outperforms its predecessor, the Polestar 2 saloon, in terms of size, opulence, and price, which sounds reasonable. However, the fact that it surpasses the looming Polestar 4 in the same parameters is somewhat perplexing.
According to Polestar’s perspective, this conundrum will gradually clear up with the advent of the 5 (a sleek saloon) and the 6 (a double-seater electric sportscar), and will become even clearer when the 2’s successor turns out to be the 7 and not a revamped 2. Despite this explanation, I still find the situation a tad bewildering…
Regardless of my personal inability to comprehend, the introduction of the new Polestar 3 at the very least extends the range of the Polestar brand beyond just one model. The Polestar 2 is a charming car, yet it has been facing challenges in making its mark, and its sales have dwindled lately. Ideally, the Polestar 3 should have been launched a year earlier, but setbacks in software development for both the 3 and the closely linked Volvo EX90 have delayed its market entry.
Was it worth the delay? Indeed, it’s an eye-catchy vehicle, primarily due to its low-lying structure. While the seven-seater Volvo soars in stature, this five-seater Polestar 3 is distinctively lower in height to the extent that its roof barely reaches my chest. In fact, standing at 1,614mm tall, the Polestar 3 is a few centimetres closer to the ground than a BMW iX, and a foot (pardon the old-fashioned metric) shorter than the EX90.
Maximilian Missoni, the lead designer at Polestar, believes that many SUVs are burdened with unnecessary height, which might only be beneficial for those who drive in top hats. This concept is also because Polestar isn’t attempting to accommodate a third row of seats. Consequently, the rear seats of their Polestar 3 model are designed to be low and reclining. Even though the absence of a seven-seater variant might potentially reduce sales for the car, Polestar’s aim was to target a distinct market separate from that of Volvo’s practical, bigger vehicles. They positioned the car as a large, covetous driver’s SUV.
The Polestar 3 exhibits an aesthetic appeal. It has arrowhead-shaped headlights that flow into a smart panel at the front. This panel houses forward-oriented radar sensors, and cameras and it acts as a design element for some, but not all, future Polestar models. Above the vehicle’s bonnet, there’s an open front aero wing, acting as an airway guiding airflow over the bonnet, the rooftop, and down towards the open rooftop spoiler. The car has a neat, cut look which is significantly more appealing compared to the randomly arranged lines of the BMW iX or the shapeless form of the Mercedes EQE SUV.
The available space between the wheels is slightly less than 3m, enough to accommodate a 111kWh battery (with a usable driver capacity of 107kWh). This offers the standard two-motor long-range model a distance of 628km. Meanwhile, the Performance variant of our test car, fitted with “Swedish Gold” metallic brake callipers, a sportier suspension, and an increased power up to 517hp (28hp more than the standard model), has a claimed range of up to 561km. For those interested in greater mileage, the single motor versions of the Polestar 3, capable of going up to 660km on a single charge, are expected to arrive soon.
The high-performance family car, Polestar 3, advertises itself as a sports car hidden in SUV attire. It comes equipped with an intelligent clutch system for the back axle, contributing not only to the car’s range by allowing the rear electric motor to disconnect unless required, but also to handling. This system enables the car to transmit power to whichever back wheel can handle it best, and transfers energy to an external rear wheel to assist turning into a corner.
Under the hood, the enhanced model packs 517hp and an impressive 910Nm of torque. Yet, while these figures may seem appealing, it’s arguably not worth the additional expense when considering the standard dual-motor variant which boasts 490hp and 840Nm of torque. The difference in 0-100 km/h acceleration is only 0.3 seconds, with the Performance model achieving it in 4.7 seconds versus the standard model’s 4.10 seconds. It’s a relatively insignificant gain that may only serve as a conversation piece at dinner parties.
On first impressions, the Polestar 3 feels intriguingly sporty. Its weight, being nearly 2.7 tonnes, doesn’t stop it from appearing remarkably agile. The standard air suspension, while firm, effectively negates the heavy tyre slap impact typically experienced with tightly coiled Polestars. The steering too is noteworthy, with an agreeable heftiness and a pleasantly slim and tactile wheel rim.
However, once you start to push the performance envelope, the Polestar 3’s sporting nature seems to falter. Absurd physics means the low nose takes some time to grip and properly turn into a tight corner despite the assistance provided by rear axle braking and vectoring. Essentially, it behaves as you’d expect a large, hefty SUV to do— makes it a good breed amongst its peers, but it’s definitely not a sports car.
No sports car can match the spaciousness of Polestar’s interiors. The design strategy is clearly targeted at maximizing interior space and achieving a clean, visually appealing look without sacrificing luxury. The effectiveness of this approach cannot be denied. Although the inclusion of recycled and recyclable materials is commendable, certain features do not correlate with the car’s high price tag. Equally, the large touchscreen placed centrally on the dashboard could be tricky to operate at times, however, this seems to be a prevalent issue in most cars.
The back seats are plush and benefit from the low, relaxed driving stance which naturally positions the driver’s line of sight through the expansive glass roof rather than the side windows. Filled to its brim, the boot can accommodate a respectable 597 litres, but this necessitates fully capitalising on the car’s low-profile build, which comes with its own downsides.
Polestar 3 certainly captures attention with sportier audacity than most of its competitors and offers a practical €24,000 saving over the most affordable Volvo EX90, despite bearing the same mechanical features. Will the Irish market embrace Polestar as the electric vehicle for enthusiasts? It’s a possibility. However, it’s likely that Polestar’s finest creations are yet to premiere.