Having whetted buyers’ appetites with the Polestar 2 electric executive car, the brand is now broadening its menu. The new Polestar 3 SUV offers a first taste of what’s to come
READER TEST TEAM
Claire Evans
claire.evans@haymarket.com
AFTER A FAIRLY slow start, introducing just two new models during its six years in the UK car market thus far, Polestar is looking to expand its horizons – along with its sales figures – with its first electric SUV.
Expected on sale this spring, the Polestar 3 will go head to head with the likes of the Audi Q8 e-tron and BMW iX. It will be followed by the Polestar 4 coupé SUV, and there’s a Polestar 5 performance car in the pipeline.
The Polestar 3 is powered by two electric motors – one on each axle, giving it four-wheel drive – and produces 483bhp in standard form. That’s enough for 0-62mph in 5.0sec, and if that’s not quick enough, there’s also a Performance Pack that adds another 27bhp to knock 0.3sec off the time.
A 107kWh (usable capacity) battery drives the motors and promises an official range of up to 379 miles – marginally farther than the iX can take you. The 3 is capable of charging at rates of up to 250kW, which means the battery can be topped up from 10-80% in 20 minutes if you can find a powerful enough public charger.
Inside, the Polestar 3’s clean-lined dashboard is dominated by a 14.5in infotainment touchscreen, which is laden with technology that’s been developed with Google.
All this power and equipment don’t come cheap, though; we expect the new model to start at around £80,000. To find out if the 3 will set Polestar on the right course for expansion, we asked a group of readers to assess the new model and issue their verdicts.
JURGEN VOLSKE
Age 64 Job Retired Drives Mazda CX-3
“The Polestar 3 is a lovely-looking car. It’s shapely, but not too angular, like some SUVs. The interior is the most important aspect for me, though, and I felt at home behind the wheel straight away.
“The driving position is good, all the controls are within easy reach, and I like the head-up display, which projects lots of useful information onto the windscreen in front of the driver.
“Both front seats have a lot of height adjustment; that’s good because I’m pretty tall and my wife is shorter but likes to sit high up for good visibility.
