Polestar 3 First Drive Review

Since originally being established as a standalone brand in 2017, but especially since the launch of its first series production model to markets in 2020, Polestar's entire brand and reputation has effectively been staked on just one product - the Polestar 2. (The Polestar 1 was a limited series model).

That's inherently challenging. With success so singularly bound to one model, the results will inevitably have its ups and downs. But things are set to evolve, as Polestar is quickly expanding its product lineup with not just one, but two new models. 

The first is this, the Polestar 3.

The Polestar 3 is built on the SPA2 platform, and at 4.9m long and 2.1m wide is a considerably-sized car

What is it?

The Polestar 3 is an all-electric premium mid-sized SUV, built on the same SPA2 as the Volvo EX90. One notable difference to immediately point out: Where the EX90 is a seven-seater, the Polestar 3 is strictly a five-seater. This means that while the Polestar 3 has sizeable exterior proportions, measuring 4,900mm long, 2,120mm wide, 1,6,14mm tall and with a 2,985mm wheelbase, it also has appropriately sizeable interior proportions (more on that later).

In person, you immediately see and feel the car's size. This is a big car, and exactly the sort of size that is very on-trend in today's automotive landscape. However, one thing that will surprise is how not tall it is. According to Polestar, the designers have made deliberate efforts to take out unnecessary components that would traditionally dictate an SUV's tall height, to result in more sporty proportions. The overall effect actually emphasises the car's length, but the good thing is that you'll never have to worry about height limits.

The subtly-integrated front aero wing helps to improve the car's overall aerodynamic efficiency

There are some interesting exterior details to note, such as the front aero wing. It's designed and integrated to be visually flush with the bonnet - very on-brand with the sleek, minimalist aesthetic that the brand embraces (as are the frameless wing mirrors). I also particularly like the small illuminated 'Polestar' word on either side of the car near each head light.

Having spent a good chunk of a day with the car, I must say that the design softens over time. I find that the more I look at it, the smaller it becomes visually. I attribute this to the relatively simple shapes and lines across the body, and the way the designers have managed to create a sense of visual flow. It helps mitigate any monolithic feel to the way the car looks. And, there's no denying its rather unique shape and design - I was definitely catching plenty of glances during my drive in Madrid.

The user interface of the infotainment system has been redesigned to prioritise simplicity and ease of use, putting most-used functions at the forefront

How is it like on the inside?

Step inside the Polestar 3, and it immediately feels familiar - the overall design and colour scheme is quite familiar from the Polestar 2, which is to (again) say that it leans heavily into that minimalist Scandi aesthetic.

Don't let that fool you, though. This is a pimped out space, so to speak, headlined by the optionally available 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkin sound system. Beyond just being really high output and high fidelity, it also supports Dolby Atmos. With the appropriate tracks, you literally can hear and feel the music move around the car. I don't really want to geek out and delve into the details (and I certainly could), but the long and short of it is that it allows for an awesome audio experience. But one caveat: Dolby Atmos is currently only available on certain streamers (Tidal, but not Spotify), so your actual Atmos options are limited. Hopefully that will change in the future.

The impressive Bowers & Wilkins sound system supports Dolby Atmos and provides a truly impressive and immersive sonic experience, and even features speakers in the front seat headrests

The infotainment system has also been redesigned, and for the better. It's organised in terms of priority and frequency of use. The main real estate is occupied by Google Maps, then the Media and Telephone widgets below, followed by other necessary functions underneath. It's neat, intuitive, and easy to use. I like it, a lot.

Option the Bridge of Weir Nappa leather seats and you also gain access to ventilation and massage functions on the front seats. The car also features soft closing doors, and an expansive panoramic glass roof.

The middle seat of the rear bench is properly sized, so three adults can comfortably relaxed in the spacious rear cabin

Slide into the back, and that exterior size really reveals itself. It's a thoroughly spacious area, and properly comfortable. You even get neck and back cushions! The EV-only platform also means that you get a completely flat floor, which means that three adults will fit very comfortably. Even the middle seat is properly adult-sized. Where middle seats are typically compromised, this has clearly been designed to be regularly occupied. This is a proper three-seater rear bench.

Overall, there is certainly an elevated sense of quality and luxury with this Polestar 3.

As standard, the Polestar 3 offers impressive performance with 360kW and 840Nm of torque, and there's more power available with the optional Performance Pack

How does it perform on the road?

The Polestar 3 is offered in just a Long Range Dual Motor setup, so you get two motors, 360kW and 840Nm of torque, and all-wheel drive. An optional Performance Pack bumps performance up to 380kW and 910Nm of torque, and drops the 0-100km/h timing from an already brisk 5 seconds to 4.7 seconds.

It's a plenty quick car, though I will note that it doesn't have exactly the immediate turn of pace from standstill that the numbers may suggest. Power is doled out in a more measured manner, and I quite like it, actually. It's in keeping with the car's character.

Does the Polestar 3 feel big and heavy to drive? Well, sometimes. At 2.1m wide it is a lot of car to navigate through narrow downtown Madrid streets, and at over 2.5 tonnes under hard braking you do feel the weight.

The Polestar 3 impresses with its effortless acceleration, smooth ride control and serene driving experience

But in every other driving situation, it is a breeze. The steering is on the lighter side, and remains accurate at all times. At highway speeds, acceleration is effortless, and the suspension setup is extremely forgiving and comfortable, thanks to the dual-chamber air suspension with active dampers as standard.

Turn it up to the stiffest setting and it's still perfectly usable (I want to note that the country roads around Madrid are INCREDIBLY smooth and well maintained). All in all, it makes for a very pleasing and pleasant driving experience.

The Polestar 3 is equipped with a 111kWh battery, with the standard Long Range Dual Motor variant promising 631km of range, and the Performance Pack variant promising 560km. A more extensive test drive will need to be done in Singapore to ascertain how realistic those numbers are. But on paper, at least, it looks easily sufficient for most drivers. 

Now, I do want to talk about torque vectoring. The Polestar 3 uses a peculiar setup (Torque Vectoring Dual Clutch) - simply explained, instead of braking the inner wheels to 'pull' the car into a corner, it instead sends power to the outside wheels to 'push' the car into the corner.

Through corners, the Torque Vectoring Dual Clutch system is able to facilitate corner entry and exit, helping to disguise the overall weight of the car

I can tell you it works. Through a series of tight hairpins, it definitely can help shuffle this heavy car more neatly through a corner, though you do have to get on the power and 'attack' the corner (much to the displeasure of the other passengers on board the car with me). How relevant is that to most drivers' actual day-to-day driving? Probably not much at all. But it's good to know it works. More relevantly, the system allows the car to disconnect the motors where relevant to just utilise the rear motor and thus help eke out more range.

The car also can be optioned with a full suite of driver assistance systems. Things like adaptive cruise control are fairly common these days, but Polestar also offers lane change assist. In appropriate situations (with cruise control turned on), hit the indicator stalk, and the car will move into the next lane accordingly.

Where does it ultimately stand?

As this point, the Polestar 3 serves as the flagship model for the brand. And it has all the necessary qualities to. It definitely feels like a step upwards in terms of functionality and performance capability, but at the same time shows an elevated sense of quality.

While its performance capabilities are good, it really shines when it comes to daily comfort. What I particularly like is how it embraces simplicity, resulting in a calming experience that improves the more time you spend with the car.

But Polestar has a tough fight on its hands. This particular electric premium SUV segment is rapidly growing, with many big name manufacturers already in on the action.

The expansion of the Polestar lineup will certainly help to broaden its appeal to potential new customers, and the Polestar 3 is a fitting range-topping model that exemplifies what the brand is about. There's no denying that its particular chic, minimalist aesthetic may not be every single persons cup of tea, but I find myself quite drawn to the new Polestar 3 and its simple, quiet luxuries.  

The new Polestar 3 is slated to be launched in Singapore in Q3 this year, so definitely keep your eyes peeled for it.