MADRID, Spain — Polestar has been catering to a niche audience since it came to the automaker’s table in 2017. It all started petite: For the past few years, it has operated as a single-model brand. Although these two have set the bar high, they cannot single-handedly push the tuner manufacturer into the mainstream.
Backup has arrived. The Polestar 3 presented in 2022 will be the banner of the extremely significant (and very lucrative) SUV segment. It also sets out the path that subsequent entries in the range will follow, both in terms of design and technology. For many, this huge electric vehicle will be the face of Polestar.
I have already driven this 3 on the test track in Sweden. Now it’s time to hit the open road.
Like the segment-bending Polestar 4, the 3 shows how Polestar plans to gradually distance itself from Volvo. It’s built on the same modular SPA2 platform as the EX90, which will be sold alongside the XC90 for at least some time, but the two SUVs look and behave differently. They are cousins rather than siblings. The Model 3 is marketed as the sportier of the two, so it has a more raked-back stance, a lower roofline and only two rows of seats. The EX90 is boxier, taller, and available with a third-row seat.
The idea was not to completely cut ties with Volvo. “As a family, we like to keep the bridge to Volvo because we have a lot to gain,” Maximilian Missoni, Polestar’s head of design, told me. Drivers tend to trust Volvo, especially when it comes to safety. “The merger with Volvo is a good thing; distinguishes Polestar from many other newcomers who do not enjoy the same level of trust.”
Up front, Thor’s Hammer daytime running lights provide the link between the two companies. There’s plenty of unique Polestar DNA, though. The trio doesn’t hide its sensor cannon; proudly presents them. On a panel between the headlights – where you’ll likely find the grille if the Model 3 has, say, an inline six – there are lines that indicate the location of various sensors that power the electronic driving aids.
In a way, this is Polestar’s legacy. The Polestar 1, its first model, pioneered this labeling system with a chilly, lucid panel in the trunk. It explained the purpose of the huge orange wires connected to the battery.
You’ll feel a stronger Volvo breeze from the driver’s seat. The three-spoke steering wheel, digital instrument cluster, overall dashboard layout and floating center console look similar to those found in the EX90. However, Polestar emphasizes that it has made every effort to diversify its software. While the infotainment system is still Android-based and displayed on a 14.5-inch touchscreen, the brand has designed its own user interface with proprietary fonts and icons.
About 85% of the Model 3’s infotainment system is shared with the Model 4. The biggest difference is that the Model 3’s touchscreen is vertically oriented, while the Model 4’s is horizontally oriented. Ruben Rodriguez, the company’s head of UX design, told me that’s because the Model 4 is aimed at younger buyers who will appreciate extra features like split-screen mode. While 3 buyers will prefer a top-to-bottom display.
This software relies on tiles and illustrations to convey information clearly, which is good considering the long list of features found on the screen. In addition to the usual tasks such as entering an address into the navigation system or changing the radio station, the touchscreen is the touchscreen through which you can open the glove compartment, choose whether to fold the door mirrors automatically, or adjust the steering column.
Backseat passengers will likely feel the need to send the Polestar a heartfelt thank you card after a long journey. Moving away from the three-row configuration, designers could freely move the rear seat back to create plenty of legroom. Trunk capacity, however, is not satisfactory: cargo space is 21.1 cubic feet (including 3.2 cubic feet under the floor) with the second-row seats up and 49.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. It’s uncomplicated to find a rival with a larger trunk. Staying in the (extended) family, the XC60 offers more trunk space, yet is about eight inches shorter than the Polestar 3.
At launch, the only one of the three variants available will be a long-range twin-engine. Its name is elementary: power comes from two electric motors (one per axle), which draw energy from a 111 kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery. System output is rated at 489 hp and 620 lb-ft of torque, though the optional Performance Package bumps those numbers up to 517 hp and 671 lb-ft, respectively. While the 3 isn’t featherlight – it weighs between 5,696 and 5,886 pounds depending on configuration – the enormous power ensures sizzling hatch-like acceleration: Polestar quotes the standard 3 from 0-60 mph in 4.8 seconds and 4.5 seconds for the Performance model.
However, there is no shortage of electric cars that produce levels of power and torque that were comparable to the supercar segment a decade ago. Most of them have the same basic powertrain setup – a single-speed gearbox for each engine and a bulky battery pack under the cab – so they all have similar driving characteristics. It is these three that stand out from the rest.
It’s all on the rear axle: Polestar added a torque-vectoring dual-clutch differential for sharper handling. This is not just a marketing gimmick. This system makes a large difference on a winding road, where the 3D drives like a more agile car. It’s not, say, a Volkswagen GTI, but it’s a lot more engaging to drive than its weight and proportions suggest. One of the best-handling electric vehicles on the market is a 192.9-inch SUV built by a company few had heard of 10 years ago.
Several other factors come into play, including a low center of gravity and a 50/50 front/rear weight distribution that allow the three to carve through corners without excessive body roll. You can also configure the steering (featherlight, standard and firm) and the adaptive air suspension (standard, agile and firm). Playing with these profiles makes a noticeable difference in behavior 3. Almost every recent car offers driving modes or profiles, but often they are not as refined as we would like.
Brakes? They’re there and they’re huge – we’re talking four-piston Brembo calipers up front – but you probably won’t operate them very often. The pads only contact the discs at a braking force of 0.3 g. Below that, the regenerative braking system slows down on its own. 3. Pedal feel is average. It’s not great, but it doesn’t look much like a video game either. You can drive down the road with one pedal by selecting two levels, Low and Standard respectively (you can also turn the system off).
The Volvo Water the smell returns to the highway, where the three of them travel in comfort and relative silence, although the sound of wind comes from around the outside mirrors. Driving aids work as advertised, and the Model 3 is notably able to change lanes on its own using the turn signal. The rear axle, which manages the amount of power assigned to each rear wheel on a winding road, is taken offline for the sake of highway efficiency and range conservation. Driving straight at 65 miles per hour, you don’t feel like there’s no power to the rear wheels. I was told that the system would reactivate them almost immediately if needed.
Polestar notes that the Model 3’s 400-volt electrical system is capable of charging at 250 kW, which can charge the battery from 10% to 80% in 30 minutes. The brand is working on faster charging – it has built a prototype that will be able to charge from 10% to 80% in 10 minutes – but the technology is not ready yet. The Model 3’s EPA-estimated range is 315 miles, although the Performance Pack lowers that number to 279.
With a fresh design approach, nice interior and engaging handling, the 3 should allow the Polestar to shed its newcomer status. It’s different enough from the Volvo EX90 to stand out in a crowded segment, but it’s also similar enough to allay drivers’ concerns about buying a car from a youthful brand.
The 2025 Polestar 3 is on sale starting at $74,800, which includes a $1,400 destination charge. Adding the Performance Pack increases that number to $80,800. Please note that this model is not eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit because it was manufactured in Chengdu, China. Polestar will begin building a third example at Volvo’s plant near Charleston, South Carolina, at some point in 2024 so that American cars can qualify. Meanwhile, the automaker notes that 3-car lease buyers can claim the full $7,500 tax credit.
And hold on if you want a cheaper 3: a rear-wheel-drive model will go on sale later in 2024.
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