An EV SUV Owner’s Initial Impressions
Polestar 3 vs The Rest
An EV SUV Owner’s Initial Impressions
After years of driving European V8s, I transitioned to EVs several years ago — first with an Audi e-Tron 50 Quattro, then a BMW iX xDrive40 — before a 12-month detour back into ICE territory with a Land Rover Defender 110. That background forms the basis for my comparisons here.
Buying Experience
Reports about the Polestar purchase journey vary significantly by market. My experience at the Polestar Space itself was very good — friendly team, knowledgeable staff — but everything after that fell short.
Delivery was delayed by several weeks, and I only got clarity after a tense discussion with Polestar. On delivery day, I arrived ten minutes early for my scheduled handover but waited nearly an hour for the car to be prepared. When it finally arrived, the presentation was disappointing: hard water spots on the paint, polish residue in the joins, and oily smears on the displays. No bow, no goody bag, no handover ceremony — just a car parked in what felt like a glorified garage. For a brand aspiring to premium status, that part of the experience was underwhelming.
Ride Comfort and Handling
This is where the Polestar 3 shines. It’s far more engaging than the BMW iX — which itself outperformed the Audi e-Tron — and strikes a balance between comfort and athleticism. Both the Audi and Polestar feature air suspension, delivering a more supple ride than the non-air-equipped BMW.
Despite similar size to both the Audi and BMW, the Polestar drives more like a sporty estate than a bulky SUV. The seats are the most comfortable I’ve had in years, with excellent support and long-distance comfort. Even on maximum regenerative braking, one-pedal driving feels composed and controlled, avoiding the abrupt halt of the Polestar 2. The overall drive experience is refined, confident, and genuinely enjoyable.
Creature Comforts
In cabin quality and comfort, the Polestar leaves both the Audi and BMW behind. The Audi’s basic spec put it at a disadvantage, but the BMW iX was marketed as a halo product — and fell short in key areas. Seat ventilation was weak, the massage function primitive, and due to microchip shortages, the passenger side missed out on both massage and lumbar adjustment altogether.
By contrast, heating, ventilation, and massage in the Polestar 3 are excellent — comparable to what you’d expect in an S-Class. Seat adjustment takes a moment to get used to, but the range of configurability makes achieving perfect comfort effortless. Cabin insulation is superb, and the new active noise cancellation (ANC) introduced for the 2025 model year makes motorway cruising impressively quiet. The BMW iX may hold a slight edge in isolation at highway speeds, but it’s splitting hairs.
Infotainment and Controls
The Audi offered the most screens and physical controls, with an intuitive UX helped by dedicated climate controls. However, its MMI software was unreliable, causing more trips to the service centre than I care to remember.
BMW’s iDrive 8 was a big step up from Audi’s system — slick but complex — while the Polestar’s Google-based interface strikes the ideal balance of functionality and simplicity. Within 30 minutes, I felt completely at home in the Polestar’s system.
The optional Bowers & Wilkins system in my Polestar 3 deserves special mention: it’s the best in-car audio I’ve experienced, period. By comparison, the standard Audi HiFi setup was serviceable but uninspired, and the Harman/Kardon in the BMW was strong but not transformative. The Polestar’s system, however, is on another level.
Practicality and Range
From a cargo perspective, the BMW remains the most practical. The Audi and Polestar’s coupe-like profiles limit rear storage somewhat, though both benefit from front trunks. Interior space feels more generous in the Polestar, helped by thoughtful packaging and a sense of openness. The electrically deployable towbar also adds versatility.
Early impressions on range are excellent. I’m averaging around 18.5?kWh/100?km — better than the BMW and vastly more efficient than the older Audi. The Polestar’s larger battery naturally helps, but the real-world efficiency is impressive nonetheless.
Conclusion
The Polestar 3 is shaping up as one of the most complete all-round EVs on the market — blending genuine luxury, impressive range, and driver engagement in a cohesive package. Polestar still has work to do refining its customer experience, an area where the established European brands continue to excel. But behind the wheel, the 3 delivers where it matters most.
