In This Story
Staggered-width wheels sporting summer time efficiency tires. A entrance aero wing and pass-through rear spoiler. Outstanding rear haunches and vast flared fenders. A properly tapering roofline. Gold Brembo brake calipers. A badge that claims how a lot horsepower it makes. All attributes that might sometimes be related to a sports activities automobile, and but I’m describing an electrical SUV from a Volvo spinoff model. It’s the Polestar 3, the third mannequin, largest providing and first true crossover from the Chinese language-owned Swedish firm.
Sadly, it was raining for almost all of our drive day, the place we took implausible mountain roads from Jackson, Wyoming by means of Swan Valley, Idaho to Alpine, WY, and again once more. We received to pattern two totally different variations of the Polestar 3, each of which wore 22-inch wheels with Pirelli P Zero summer time tires. Whereas the automobiles felt completely surefooted even when the rain was snow and slush as we went again down the mountain into Jackson, I didn’t get to essentially really feel out the Polestar 3’s dynamic capabilities, a disgrace as the three is being pitched as a performance-focused competitor to crossovers just like the Porsche Cayenne. Nonetheless, it was a beautiful drive in what I discovered to be a beautiful new entry into the posh SUV section, one which stands out particularly when you’re a design lover.
Full disclosure: Polestar flew me out to Jackson, Wyoming, put me up in a pleasant lodge and fed me scrumptious meals so I might drive the Polestar 3. The climate on our drive day sucked, however ingesting Cowgirl Cosmos on the Million Greenback Cowboy Bar that evening made up for it.
Once I first noticed the Polestar 3 on the world reveal within the fall of 2022 I used to be fairly blown away. To me it’s a spectacular design no matter section, not only for an SUV. The three is the primary Polestar mannequin not nonetheless tied to Volvo’s design language, and although there are undoubtedly nonetheless some throughlines, it has a definite id. A Polestar spokesperson described how the three was designed to enchantment to all types of “humanoids,” that means a robotic or alien might discover it as horny as people will. (Sure, actually.) At 193 inches lengthy and 64 inches tall the Polestar is about an inch shorter in each size and top than a Cayenne, and its 117.5-inch wheelbase is 3.5 inches longer. The Polestar’s stance is implausible from each angle, particularly with the 22s, and I particularly love the form of the floating D-pillar and the way it informs the define of the rear window and taillights.
I believe the inside is gorgeous, too. The familial resemblance with its Volvo EX90 sibling is a little more apparent inside, because the Polestar makes use of the identical 14.5-inch central touchscreen and 9-inch digital gauge cluster, and different bits like the middle console and window switches are additionally shared. There are greater than sufficient distinctive touches and considerate particulars to make the Polestar really feel distinct, like higher door sections and speaker grilles that echo the form of the outside facet skirts. A lot of the inside supplies are recycled, with surfaces utilizing recycled polyester textile and flax fiber, carpets constructed from used fishing nets and headliner constructed from water bottles.
The Polestar 3 shares its SPA 2 platform, twin electrical motors and 400-volt, 111-kWh battery pack with the EX90, however with bit extra energy. As normal the three’s dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup places out 489 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque, 87 hp and 52 lb-ft greater than a base EX90. Add the $6,000 Efficiency pack and output is upped to 517 hp and 671 lb-ft, 7 hp greater than the EX90 Efficiency. The conventional 3 will hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds whereas the Efficiency model takes simply 4.5 seconds, and each are restricted to 130 mph. (That makes it only a tenth off a V8 Cayenne GTS.) Driving the Efficiency model of the Polestar 3 earlier than the usual one revealed barely a distinction in real-world velocity; each have brisk acceleration that feels extra keen than within the EX90, with fast responses which can be sporty sufficient.
If you’d like the longest vary, you’ll must go for the usual Lengthy Vary mannequin, which the EPA charges at 315 miles with the accessible 21-inch wheels, or 310 miles with the bottom 20s and 287 miles with the optionally available 22s. Select the Efficiency pack, and the EPA vary goes all the way down to 279 miles. That places the Polestar 3 within the coronary heart of the section, and its 250-kW fast-charging functionality is fairly good too, providing 30-minute cost occasions to go from 10 to 80 %. The displayed vary felt fairly correct all through the cold-weather drives, with a Efficiency mannequin displaying 260 miles of vary with a 96-percent cost and a Lengthy Vary saying 130 miles at 53 %. A regular warmth pump and local weather preconditioning will assist in wintery climates, too.
There are three settings for the steering firmness (the heaviest is my favourite and the lightest is simply too gentle) and three settings for the dual-chamber air suspension’s semi-active dampers (I preferred the center Nimble setting essentially the most). No matter configuration the Polestar 3 rides very properly, even on these big wheels, and it corners flat with exact steering. The three has an ideal 50:50 weight distribution, and Polestar says its heart of gravity is even decrease than the Polestar 1’s. You may select between Vary or Efficiency drive modes, plus you’ll be able to put the soundness management right into a Sport mode.
The three’s electrical rear axle has a trick torque-vectoring dual-clutch system that may speed up the surface rear wheel to show extra sharply, as a substitute of regular simulated torque vectoring that brakes the inside wheel. It could additionally disconnect the rear motor whereas cruising on the freeway or underneath low masses for improved effectivity. Due to the climate I didn’t actually get to really feel out its capabilities, nevertheless it was a satisfying automobile to drive by means of the canyons nonetheless.
You may as well select between three settings for the regenerative braking, the strongest of which gives true one-pedal driving that’s very easy to make use of easily, whether or not you’re driving within the metropolis or going shortly on highway. And when you want them, each Polestar 3 has Brembo brakes with 4-piston calipers and 15.7-inch discs within the entrance and single-piston calipers with 15.4-inch discs within the again.
That Efficiency pack additionally provides distinctive 22-inch wheels that I don’t suppose look as cool because the optionally available 22s on the usual 3; each have the identical measurement tires at 265/40 up entrance and 295/35 on the again. (20-inch wheels come normal, whereas staggered-width 21s are optionally available.) Except for the additional energy and wheels, the one different objects are particular chassis tuning, tweaked torque distribution, and gold accents for the brakes, valve stem covers and seat belts. It’s in all probability not well worth the upcharge except you actually need these further few tenths.
An upside to the gross climate was with the ability to spend extra time taking within the Polestar 3’s cabin and consumer interface. Whereas not as quiet because the Rolls-Royce–like EX90, the Polestar 3 is extraordinarily quiet inside, with the vast tires being the one actual producer of noise that reaches the cabin. Chalk a number of the quietness as much as the Polestar’s 0.29 coefficient of drag, flush window glazing and intelligent aero options. Regardless of the small rear window and thick D-pillar visibility isn’t too unhealthy out the again, and the view out entrance is nice.
As common, Polestar has a number of the greatest seats within the enterprise, particularly with the $5,500 Nappa leather-based improve that provides air flow and a implausible therapeutic massage perform. It appears greatest within the Zinc shade, as that gentle grey can also be discovered on the decrease dashboard and door panels. Polestar additionally gives wool seats for $1,100, although they solely are available black, which is disappointing. With the accessible 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system you get two audio system in every entrance seat headrest, which work with the lively noise canceling and Dolby Atmos spatial audio tech to offer you a real surround-sound expertise.
There’s a ton of room within the again seat, and the usual panoramic sunroof and sloping roofline don’t appear to chop into the headroom. With the rear seats up the cargo space has 21.1 cubic ft of cupboard space and a further 3.2 cubic ft underneath the ground, and in some trims the false flooring could be partially folded and positioned into built-in notches to double as a bag holder and cargo divider. There’s additionally a 1.1-cubic-foot lined storage space within the frunk.
Throughout the drive I received in a spirited dialogue with my drive accomplice Mack Hogan, former Jalopnik intern and present InsideEVs deputy editor, concerning the Polestar 3’s virtually utterly buttonless consumer interface. He actually didn’t like the way it took not less than two faucets of the display screen to activate the entrance defroster because the climate received unhealthy; I don’t thoughts that in any respect, as hitting the 2 touchscreen buttons received’t require you to essentially transfer your hand or look away for greater than a cut up second, no extra annoying than an precise button can be. I don’t care in any respect that your mirrors and steering wheel are adjusted utilizing the display screen and steering wheel buttons, as a result of if I owned the automobile, I’d virtually by no means contact them.
The steering wheel controls are adaptive, so up/down and left/proper buttons can management totally different features relying on what factor you’ve toggled on, like controlling the facet mirror changes or your adaptive cruise management comply with distance. However on our drive the buttons are very restricted in scope — for example, they will’t management audio quantity or skip tracks, which Polestar says will come quickly with an over-the-air replace. OK, yeah, that’s fairly ridiculous. At the least the quantity knob on the middle console is outstanding and satisfying to spin.
I discover the Polestar’s Android Automotive–based mostly infotainment system to be nice to have a look at and straightforward to make use of, although, with a wonderful font and graphics and menus which can be properly laid out. Many of the residence display screen is taken up by the superb native Google Maps, and the map can be projected within the driver show with further instructions within the accessible head-up show. Beneath the map are configurable widgets that present lately performed media, and beneath which can be a row of modular buttons that change based mostly on lately used apps or the driving state of affairs. On the base of the display screen are local weather controls which can be all the time current, which open up small pop-ups or the complete local weather menu.
This is precise minimalism accomplished proper, a extra genuine design-forward strategy than the minimalist-to-a-fault cabins of Teslas. The dearth of buttons and switches opened Polestars’ designers as much as create a very calm, heat area that also has sufficient detailing to not really feel sparse or boring. As a complete the Polestar 3’s design feels authentically Scandinavian, reminding me of contemporary Swedish structure and industrial design. It could really feel at residence on show at Copenhagen trend week, utilized in an Ikea advert unfold, or being pushed by a personality in a Danish crime present. The Polestar 3 is simply plain cool.
Final month Polestar started manufacturing of the three on the Charleston, South Carolina manufacturing unit that additionally builds the Volvo EX90 (and used to construct the Volvo S60 sedan), however a small quantity of China-built 3s had been introduced over to the U.S. earlier than the current tariffs had been enacted, so these would be the first to succeed in buyer palms. The primary Polestar 3s would be the Launch Version spec, which begins at $80,300 together with vacation spot, $990 lower than an EX90. Identifiable by its gold brakes, the Launch Version comes normal with the Plus package deal that prices $5,500 on the non-LE fashions, which provides 21-inch wheels, the B&W sound system, a head-up show, soft-close doorways, that fancy cargo flooring, heated wipers, a cabin air-quality sensor, an infrared windshield, energy adjustment and reminiscence for the steering column, a heated steering wheel and heated rear seats.
For now each Polestar 3 comes with the Pilot pack, although ultimately that can in all probability be optionally available as properly, bringing the automobile’s base value beneath the present $74,800 for the usual Lengthy Vary. The Pilot pack will get you a 360-degree digital camera system that’s advantageous however not wonderful, entrance and rear parking sensors with parking help, and the Pilot Help system that features adaptive cruise management with steering help that works at as much as 93 mph, plus automated lane modifications. Later in 2025, you’ll have the ability to spend $5,000 on an upgraded Pilot pack that provides LiDAR from Luminar, extra cameras and a further Nvidia laptop for extra superior future driver-assist tech, together with hands-free operation.
Additionally normal on each Polestar 3 are 4 USB-C ports and a wi-fi charger, 8-way electrically adjustable heated entrance seats, three-zone automated local weather management, full LED lights with welcome sequences, an influence tailgate with hands-free opening, heated frameless mirrors, rain-sensing wipers and a 10-speaker sound system. Different normal security options embrace automated emergency braking with bicycle owner and pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, a driver-monitoring system with eye monitoring, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping help, visitors signal recognition, post-impact braking, rear collision warning and braking, an occupant detection system and extra. And in contrast to the EX90, which depends on a digital key that didn’t work properly, the Polestar comes with a keycard and a conventional keyfob along with the digital choice.
That pricing and have set put the Polestar 3 in a fairly aggressive spot. The fabulous however much less sporty BMW iX, which is analogous by way of measurement, vary and efficiency, begins at $88,425 earlier than choices. A dual-motor Mercedes-Benz EQE500 SUV begins past $90k, and whereas the bigger Rivian R1S prices about the identical because the Polestar to start out, its value (and efficiency) shortly enhance in order for you something however the base trim. Then there’s the Porsche Cayenne, which begins within the six figures in order for you a V8. Towards the Volvo EX90 I believe the Polestar comes out as the higher purchase too, although the Volvo does have a 3rd row of seats.
Polestar expects the three can be its greatest vendor, although the corporate isn’t publicly making any projections on the way it must do to be thought of a hit. The South Carolina plant could make as much as 150,000 automobiles per 12 months, and the EX90 is more likely to be the quantity vendor, particularly as Volvo has precise dealerships to promote its automobiles out of, versus Polestar counting on Tesla-like showrooms and on-line gross sales. The Polestar 3 could be a tough promote to some, because it doesn’t have any actual headline-grabbing stats or options, and certainly its interface will postpone tech-averse consumers. However for many who need a performance-leaning electrical SUV that places design first, the Polestar 3 might simply win you over.
