We like
Excellent ride quality and handling, natural and communicative steering, spacious cabin – especially up back, prodigious audio system

Room for improvement
Higher energy use than quoted, lane keep assistance always on, rear seat tyre thrum, larger turning circle, no regenerative paddle shifters

Overview

 

POLESTAR has launched its Polestar 3 in Australia this week, the brand’s first SUV offered initially in all-wheel drive form, ahead of the arrival of a single-motor variant towards the end of this year.

 

Priced from $118,420 plus on-road costs, the three-variant range comprises the entry Long range Single motor model with outputs of 220kW and 490Nm, a quoted 0-100km/h time of 7.8 seconds and a driving range of 650km (WLTP).

 

It is accompanied by the Long range Dual motor (from $132,900) and Long range Dual motor Performance (from $141,900); the former offered with 360kW and 840Nm of output driving all four wheels, a 0-100km/h time of 5.0 seconds and 628km (WLTP) driving range.

 

The latter ups the ante with a 380kW and 910Nm kick, a 4.7-second 0-100km/h time, and a driving range of 561km (WLTP).

 

All versions of the Polestar 3 run 400-volt battery architecture and feature a 111kWh battery pack. Polestar quotes a DC fast charging rate of up to 250kW for all three variants.

 

Both AWD variants can tow up to 2200kg (braked) while the RWD is limited to 1500kg (braked).

 

The Large SUV (over $80K) segment contender is built upon Polestar’s SPA2 platform and is priced favourably against rivals including the Audi Q8 e-tron 55 quattro (from $153,984), BMW iX xDrive40 Sport (from $136,900), and Mercedes-Benz EQE 350 4Matic (from $154,900).

 

Optionally, the Polestar 3 range is available with Pilot pack with LiDAR ($7500), Plus pack ($9000), Pro pack ($3200), Nappa upgrade (+$7500), Metallic paint (+$2000), Premium paint (+$2300), Megapixel HD LED headlights (+$3000), 22-inch Sport wheels (+$1800), 21-inch Plus wheels (+$2500), MicroTech upholstery (+$700), Wool upholstery (+$1700), a folding tow bar (+$2900), and rear window privacy glass (+$700).

 

Standard features are generous with the Polestar 3 including an Android Auto based operating system with Google built-in, over-the-air (OTA) updates, and digital radio reception (DAB+). Apple CarPlay connectivity is currently not available but will join the technology bundle via an OTA from the end of the year.

 

Technology is interfaced via a 14.5-inch portrait style central screen and 9.0-inch instrumentation display. Four USB-C connectors are offered as is a wireless device charging pad and cargo area 12-volt outlet.

 

Four-way power seats with memory settings are standard and available with heating, ventilation and massage functions. A panoramic glass roof is likewise standard, joining acoustic laminated glass, Brembo brakes, and 20-inch alloy wheels.

 

Cargo space is listed at 484 litres.

 

Other equipment highlights include tri-zone climate control, auto headlights and wipers, a powered tailgate, tyre pressure monitoring, active air suspension, auto high beam, and keyless entry and start.

 

Safety equipment is similarly strong with nine airbags, two ISOFIX points, and a lengthy list of ADAS technologies.

 

On the list is adaptive cruise control, AEB, blind spot assist, cross-traffic alert, emergency stop assist, driver attention assist, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, post impact braking, rear collision alert and mitigation, rear-view camera, run-off-road mitigation, speed limiter, traffic sign recognition.

 

The Pilot pack adds Pilot Assist (assisted highway driving), lane change assist, and 360-degree camera technology with 3D view into the deal.

 

Additionally, vehicles sold over the first 12 months will include Polestar’s Plus pack and Pilot pack as standard adding items including a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins 3D sound system, soft-closing doors, head-up display and the Pilot Assist suite of active safety and driver assistance tech to the deal.

 

All Polestar vehicles are backed by a five-year warranty including roadside assistance and scheduled servicing with a three-year complimentary connectivity offering.

 

Driving Impressions

 

Tasmania’s roads are famous, not least of all for their tarmac rallying associations; and they’re not the place to hide a car’s shortcomings…

 

Fortunately for Polestar, Tassie’s meandering and at times quite pockmarked B roads served only to highlight the strengths of its new Polestar 3 SUV.

 

Departing from Launceston, the Polestar 3 revelled in a spirited drive across the Sideling Pass to Moorina before taking on the challenging Weldborough Pass and Pyengana before a more leisurely run down the picturesque east coast. Rally fans and motorcyclists will know it well.

 

Like most electric SUVs, the Polestar 3 is smooth and effortless in terms of its power delivery – and appreciably fast in Dual motor format. That said, we found plenty of grip on slick forested roads, the all-wheel drive and torque vectoring systems offering remarkable traction, instilling confidence quite literally at every turn.

 

Interestingly, the body remains well composed when confronted with gnarly lumps and bumps, continuing to deliver impressive road holding. Polestar says we can thank its intelligent dual-chamber air suspension here, the arrangement acting quickly to quell sharp impacts while at the same time offering a cossetting ride.

 

The car seems quieter than we recall in Europe, although louder in the rear seat than the front. The Polestar 3’s wide rear rubber and the back seat’s proximity to the rear axle are obvious contributors here, taking slightly from what is otherwise a spacious and comfortable seating position.

 

Up front, the massaging seats offered a level of pampering well suited to the 3’s ‘sports luxury’ attitude, and the adjustable bolsters just the ticket for additional in-corner support. Better yet, the relationship between the seats and the primary controls are such to offer decisive control over fluid steering and progressive pedals.

 

Perhaps indicative of the drive route, the Polestar 3 did consume more energy than expected on launch, running on average at 27kWh per 100km (indicated). It’s a number quite similar to the recently tested Audi SQ8 and shows roughly where you can expect a comparable Large segment electric SUV to end up.

 

Beyond the sparking dynamics and plentiful speed, the Polestar 3 impresses for what are perhaps less apparent reasons. Spaciousness, clever storage, dutiful climate control, and mostly useful ADAS technologies.

 

While most of the Polestar 3’s safety systems are wonderfully calibrated, we did find the lane keeping technology to be ‘always on’, occasionally correcting for bitumen repairs, standing water, and the likes. It’s a small bother, but one that shows more challenging road conditions are still beyond the best a computer can judge.

 

Audiophiles will love the Polestar 3’s presently standard 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins 3D sound system which offers concert-hall clarity and warmth across myriad genres. It makes driving an absolutely joy, with rich, rounded sound offered almost irrespective of where you choose to sit.

 

And it’s the sitting in – and the driving of the Polestar 3 – that will win over those drawn to its impressive styling.

 

Good looks will only get buyers so far. The driving will do the rest. We’d encourage anyone shopping a Large segment premium SUV to put this one of their shopping list, and not just because the ‘3 is smart, safe and stylish – but because it’s damn good fun to drive as well.