Polestar 3 2024 Review – International

The second model family from Polestar to arrive Down Under, the 2024 Polestar 3 is a large SUV with an unapologetically large price tag. Starting price is from $132,900 plus on-road costs.

The initial model line-up is simple with two long-range, dual-motor, all-wheel drive versions, one boasting Polestar’s Performance Pack upgrade which boosts power, torque and adds larger wheels and sports suspension. The Performance Pack-equipped Polestar 3 starts from $141,900 plus ORCs.

A five-year service plan is included in the Polestar 3’s purchase price. But complicating the value equation a little is the fact that all initial Polestar 3 EVs coming to Australia will be ‘Launch Editions’ which feature Polestar’s Plus Pack and Pilot Pack at no added cost.

Pilot Pack adds autonomous driving and parking functions and will be standard on all Australian-market dual-motor Polestar 3s. Plus Pack adds a Bowers and Wilkins audio system, rear heated seats, soft-close doors, heated and powered steering wheel and more, and carries a normal option price of $11,750.

While no MY25 model Polestar 3 pricing has been announced, Polestar says the Plus Pack will not be included standard.

Polestar did reveal at the launch of the Polestar 3 that a rear-drive single-motor variant will join the model family – most likely as an MY25 model. No pricing or further details were given.

The elephant in the room is perhaps the fact that Polestar 3 is only a five-seater and will stay so. This is to deconflict the car from its battery-electric Volvo EX90 ‘cousin’ with which the Polestar 3 shares its basic underpinnings.

Five seats only aside, as Polestar’s range-topping SUV, the 2024 Polestar 3 is well equipped – especially so when the above-mentioned Plus Pack is added into the mix.

Where to start? Australian-bound Polestar 3s roll on 21-inch wheels and get air suspension, a fixed full-length glass roof and all-LED lighting as standard.

The Scandi-fresh interior features a large portrait-orientated screen, wood or repurposed aluminium trim and a choice of recycled plastic or ethically sourced wool blend seat surfaces. Bridge of Wear leather is a $7500 option.

Electrically adjustable heated front seats and heated rear seats are standard; so too a heated and power-adjustable steering wheel. Retractable door handles with proximity sensing deliver that luxury sense of occasion on approach, there’s a powered tailgate and an “advanced cabin sensor and filtration” system looks after the allergy-prone among us.

Polestar highlights the 3’s advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS; see the safety section below), and the 25-speaker Bowers and Wilkins 3D surround-sound audio system delivers noise-cancelling and Dolby Atmos capability. A heat- and sound-insulated windscreen and head-up display are other Plus Pack additions standard at launch.

The Performance Pack version gets unique 22-inch wheels and retunes the suspension, as well as adding ‘Swedish Gold’ valve caps and seat belts. The key changes, of course, are the power and torque boosts to 380kW and 910Nm respectively, although Polestar does deliver a Range Optimisation drive mode which effectively disengages the rear axle for increased efficiency.

Other major options across the Polestar 3 range include premium paint colours ($2000) and 1.3-megapixel HD LED headlights ($3000).

Although Polestar has sold direct to Australian consumers to date, its retail footprint is set to change to include dealers in the near future.

Warranty is the now-industry-standard five years/unlimited kilometres, with the battery warranty stretching to eight years/unlimited. Polestar includes a 12-year corrosion warranty on its vehicles.

As noted above, a five-year/100,000km service plan is included in the purchase price, as is five years of roadside assist. Normal service intervals are two years/30,000km – one of the joys of battery-electric motoring…

Lifetime over-the-air (OTA) software updates are part of the Polestar 3’s tech suite.

Safety is at the core of the Volvo Group’s DNA and closely-related Polestar doesn’t scrimp in this area.

As you’d expect, there’s a comprehensive suite of passive and active safety technologies at the heart of the 2024 Polestar 3, as well as a ‘class-leading’ crash structure – the design and performance of which has been optimised from the ground up for a battery-electric vehicle.

Australian-spec Polestar 3s boast nine airbags (the normal sweep, plus ‘inner side’ and driver’s knee airbags) and a comprehensive safety assistance suite including, but not limited to: map-adapted adaptive cruise control, multi-function autonomous braking and crash avoidance/mitigation systems with braking and steering support as well as vehicle, cyclist and pedestrian detection.

Oncoming lane mitigation increases safety in single-lane road environments and there’s conventional lane keep assist and other allied systems. Speed sign recognition, drowsy driver alert, and blind spot and cross traffic systems are all standard, as are some of the more run-of-the-mill safety features such as hill start assist and the like.

An acoustic vehicle alert system announces this EV at low speeds, and the Polestar 3 features a total of five radar modules, five external cameras and 12 external ultrasonic sensors to support the myriad above-mentioned systems.

The front-mounted radars and sensors are cleverly located in a grille-aping Smart Zone. This is more than a styling exercise; its construction and the materials used optimise the sensors’ efficiency and placement.

A Luminar Lidar system to facilitate higher levels of autonomous driving (as legislation allows) will be offered as an option at a later date. It looks like a taxi sign on the roof – don’t do it!

Claimed to be a world-first for the Polestar 3 is the use of no less than four internal radar arrays (including one in the luggage area) to avoid leaving kids or animals inside the car inadvertently. The sensors can detect sub-millimetre movements and the system is linked to the locks and climate control system to “avoid heat stroke or hypothermia”.

The Polestar 3 is yet to be Euro NCAP tested.

The 2024 Polestar 3 is the first car from the brand to feature a NVIDIA DRIVE core computer. Running software from Volvo Cars, the NVIDIA processor uses data from the car’s many sensors and cameras to facilitate ADAS and other functions.

The Polestar 3’s infotainment system is equally cutting-edge, utilising the Android Automotive operating system powered by a Qualcomm Technologies Snapdragon Digital Chassis. Polestar says this is a “comprehensive set of open and scalable cloud-connected automotive platforms”.

There’s an integrated 5G SIM and users can interact with the car via Polestar Connect and the Polestar app. In addition to a physical key, there are digital options too.

The main interface is via a portrait-style, high-def 14.5-inch centre display and steering column-oriented 9.0-inch driver display that has a ‘calm’ mode which prioritises info to speed, battery charge and range. It’s a very refined execution.

Indeed, the quality of the design, graphics and even the use of Polestar’s own font is first-class – and the system is, overall, intuitive and easy to learn, based on a ‘card’-style interface that allows you to easily dig into more detail.

An ‘always-on’ section at the bottom of the screen ensures key functions including climate do not need any menu manipulation to action. There’s also quick access to key vehicle settings and other functionality. The ‘Hey Google’ voice assistant means there’s less need to take your eyes off the road.

Wireless phone charging and connectivity are givens – and there is no shortage of onboard charging options including high-output USB-C sockets. DAB+ radio is standard.

Apple CarPlay is supported but it must be said, the interface plays second fiddle to the Android execution. Many iOS users will simply connect the phone via Bluetooth and use the native system as well as the apps available (think Spotify, Prime Video, Waze) methinks.

Fiddly and not terribly intuitive steering wheel-mounted controls aside, the rest of it is ‘that’ good.

Your Polestar 3 can store up to six separate driver profiles. Jump in and seat and mirror settings as well as steering feel and one-pedal driving choices are all automatically adjusted. The smarts will also cue up your favourite apps and/or playlists.

The Polestar 3’s standard Pilot Pack delivers auto parking and the 360-degree camera is a boon for those tight car spaces.

The 2024 Polestar 3 is a pure battery-electric vehicle (BEV) – no hybrid or other options here.

The 3’s 111kWh battery pack powers front and rear permanent magnet synchronous motors which, while otherwise identical, have their power and torque output’s software tweaked to be rear-biased.

The standard car produces a total of 360kW and 840Nm of torque. With the optional Performance Pack, total output is 380kW and 910Nm. Using the Performance Pack outputs as a guide, the split is 180kW/420Nm front to 200kW/490Nm rear.

Each motor is matched to a single-speed transmission; however, the Polestar 3 features a claimed EV SUV segment first – a dual-clutch torque-vectoring rear axle assembly. Rather than braking the inside wheel as many torque-vectoring systems do, the Borg Warner set-up apportions drive to the outside wheel to deliver added agility in corners.

The system has the added benefit of being able to completely disconnect the rear axle in a straight line for increased efficiency – effectively rendering the Polestar 3 front-wheel drive in some conditions.

One-pedal driving is available via a three-step regenerative braking function.

Polestar claims 0-100km/h in 5.0sec for the standard 3, with the Performance Pack 0.3sec or 0.5sec quicker, depending on which spec sheet you trust. Top speed is 210km/h and towing capacity is 2200kg with a maximum down ball weight of 100kg.

Take note of the latter if you’re hitching up an Aussie van or boat trailer as they tend to be set up with higher ball weights.

The 2024 Polestar 3’s CATL-supplied lithium-ion battery (with nickel manganese cobalt chemistry) features a 204-prismatic cell design housed in a protective aluminium case with boron steel reinforcement and liquid cooling.

A heat pump allows ambient heat to be used to pre-condition the battery and for climate functions within the car.

At 111kWh, the battery is one of the largest offered in the SUV segment. No surprise, then, that the Polestar 3 offers decent range – up to 610km for the standard 3, according to the WLTP protocol (Polestar also quotes a conflicting 628km). The Performance Pack Polestar 3’s range is rated at 560km.

The Polestar 3 features an onboard 11kW AC charger and can charge at up to 250kW using DC fast-chargers. At the full 250kW it will charge from 10-80 per cent in 30min.

Our relatively short, one-day drive of the Polestar 3 didn’t allow for any realistic real-world range or charging insights.

Experience with the Polestar 2 and its real-world range and DTE (distance to empty) algorithm bodes well for the 3. We’ve easily topped 500km in the 2 and the DTE estimates provided are more reliable than most other EVs.

And if you’re cutting it fine, there’s a whole other layer of charging infrastructure smarts (location, availability, etc) accessible via the infotainment/navigation system in the Polestar 3.

It’s often said range anxiety disappears once you’ve owned a BEV… The Polestar 3 should give even the most pessimistic EV driver some level of comfort.

Cars with capable, well-refined chassis seem to shrink around you and give you an added level of comfort in terms of their roadholding, stability and your ability to place them exactly how you’d like in a corner or even in a highway lane. That’s exactly what the 2024 Polestar 3 delivers.

We praised the Polestar 2’s mid-life makeover during which it shifted from front- to rear-wheel drive in its single-motor variants. Polestar engineers improved that car’s ride and handling and also its steering. Many of those lessons seem to have been applied to the Polestar 3.

After a few kilometres behind the wheel, it’s very easy to forget that this is a full-size, 2600kg (ouch!) SUV, such is the balance and overall capability of the Polestar 3. It really does deliver on the Sports part of its SUV label.

Credit needs to be sheeted home to the Polestar 3’s dual-chamber air suspension which delivers a controlled rather than plush ride – but is never too firm. Electronically controlled ZF adaptive dampers do a great job in controlling body heave and roll without creating that artificial feel that takes away from the driver’s ability to understand innately what the car is doing.

The other secret weapon is the torque-vectoring rear axle. Roll through a corner and the Polestar 3 feels planted and safe. Pick up even a modicum of throttle and there’s a clearly appreciable eagerness to track through the corner with more resolve.

If this is what the system delivers on a big SUV, I’m looking forward to what Polestar can do with sportier models to come.

Straight-line performance is decent off the line but is far more impressive in terms of real-world mid-range acceleration and overtaking. At almost any ‘normal’ road speed, put the foot down and acceleration is vivid.

And the Polestar 3 stops, too. The 400mm front discs and four-piston Brembo callipers haul things up quick smart, but perhaps more importantly Polestar has nailed the transition between mechanical and regenerative braking better than most. There’s little of the artificial ‘switch’-like brake pedal feel that some EVs and even PHEVs can’t shake.

For the ‘normal’ driver, all of this adds up to being more confident and comfortable behind the wheel.

Probably – but we can’t guarantee that: there was no off-road segment of the international launch drive of the 2024 Polestar 3 in the hills to the northwest of Madrid, Spain.

When there is no off-road drive, my spidey senses tingle a little (even Mercedes-Benz chanced its off-road arm at the launch of the EQS SUV), but the Swedes usually understand at the very least a car’s dirt road needs…

Perhaps when the Polestar 3 arrives here we’ll drive it across the Simpson.

The 2024 Polestar 3 is a lesson in how simple can be classy. As you’d expect from the Scandinavians, it’s clean and beautifully executed. Two rows and five seats only, but there’s acres of room for both front and rear occupants.

Although the roofline has been deliberately lowered to separate it from the run-of-the-mill SUV (with both styling and drag reduction benefits), the Polestar 3’s cabin never feels cramped and there’s plenty of headroom.

In part, this is due to a sportier (than normal for an SUV) seat inclination, matched with a more sedan-like steering wheel angle. The full glass roof helps too – let’s hope we don’t cook under it.

Of course, as a ground-up EV, the flat floor liberates even more room. Clever scalloping of the interior door surfaces opens extra elbow-room outboard and delivers some ‘see-through’ airiness – especially from the back row. It’s like the front seats are positioned inboard more than usual. They aren’t.

Materials used inside the Polestar 3 have sustainability as a key consideration. Plantation timber details in the test car were beautifully finished and lovely to touch.

There’s a recycled aluminium alternative. The optional vegan leather and standard textile seat and trim materials are both bio-attributed, meaning they are manufactured from renewable and biological feed stock rather than fossil-based raw materials. There’s ethically sourced wool and Nappa leather options too.

It’s not just about styling and good looks, either. It’s a practical cabin with a large centre console, two covered cup holders and a wireless phone charging pad. The door bins are a decent size, with enough space to store a large bottle.

Polestar says the rear luggage space will swallow around 480 litres including 90L under the floor, but the space looks bigger (it’s 600L or so to the roof). The floor itself folds and hinges to allow you to quickly and easily secure loads.

Tumble the 60/40 spit-fold (with ski port) second row and that stat grows to 1400L-plus. On paper you can fit an item 1880x1100x600mm. Insert Ikea reference here…

There’s foot actuation of the power tailgate and even a loading mode button inside the boot which will ‘kneel’ the rear suspension 40mm.

Unlike counterparts from Benz and BMW, the Polestar 3 does have a frunk, although it’s not Tesla-level in its capacity. There’s an additional 32 litres at the pointy end – think charging cables and perhaps a few car cleaning accoutrements, but not much more.

Overall, Polestar claims the carbon footprint of the Polestar 3 is 24.7 tCO2e – lower than that of the Polestar 2 when it was launched in 2020.

Ah, the $164,000 question – cos that’s about what the 2024 Polestar 3 Performance is going to set you back on-road with the right options in Launch Edition spec…

It’s a lot of money and with the volatility of EV pricing once off the showroom floor, you’ll need to prepare to commit to the car for a decent period to escape significant depreciation.

Mind you, Polestar doesn’t have that on its own…

The good news is that the Polestar 3 is a cracker – and a significantly more convincing vehicle than key competitors such as the BMW iX and, especially, the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV.

Ironically, the biggest competition for the Polestar 3 could come from its own neighbourhood: Volvo’s three-row seven-seat EX90 with which it shares significant DNA.

Polestar will build the 3 in both China and the USA, it’s gearing up for volume and the world’s addiction to large SUVs could see it eventually become one of the brand’s top sellers.

It delivers a true luxury SUV cabin and an almost unique level of safety and infotainment tech. Its operating system alone will be reason enough for some buyers. It’s spacious and delivers plenty of amenity without looking like a bus.

But the killer app for me is how it drives – properly engaging and at a level of competence that makes it a current standout.

Polestar is different things to different people – peak Volvo for some, a different tune and Kryptonite to the Germans for others. Whichever way you look at Polestar as a brand though, Polestar 3 is an impressive piece of work.

If Polestar 2 was a support act to warm up the crowd, Polestar 3 is the main event.

And as arguably the true ground zero for Polestar, proof positive the brand has potential…

2024 Polestar 3 Long Range Dual Motor Performance Launch Edition at a glance:
Price: $141,900 (plus on-road costs)
Powertrain: Dual permanent magnet synchronous motors
Output: 380kW/910Nm
Transmission: Single-speed with dual-clutch torque vectoring on rear axle
Battery: 111kWh lithium-ion
Range: 560km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 21.9-23.1kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Not tested