Polestar 3 review — An SUV with a sporting soul

SUVs are often associated with comfort and family motoring, with the more sporting side pushed somewhat to the background.

However, Polestar wants to keep its roots firmly in place, and created the Polestar 3 — a car that fits squarely in this segment yet maintains the driving enjoyment of a lower-slung car, while delivering all the comfort and safety you would expect.

Here is our review and verdict on this car.

Polestar 3 review — Because comfort does not have to mean losing the joy of driving

Polestar emerged as an independent brand from Volvo with a clear proposition: to manufacture high-performance electric cars without compromises on design or technology.

The Polestar 3 is the brand’s first SUV and represents its most ambitious push into the premium segment, combining the sporting DNA that defines Polestar with the practicality of a large-format SUV.

The Polestar 3 we tested is the Rear Motor version — the entry-level configuration, with a rear motor producing 245 kW and 480 Nm of torque, a WLTP range of 603 km, and 0–100 km/h acceleration in 6.5 seconds.

The 800-volt architecture with DC fast charging up to 310 kW allows a 10–80% charge in just 22 minutes, and the 92 kWh lithium-ion battery powers a 4.9-metre SUV with a completely flat floor, 597 litres of boot space, and an additional 23.8 litres under the bonnet.

On board, Android Automotive with Google built in, Google Gemini as the voice assistant, and a 14.5-inch central display define a technology proposition that rivals anything in the segment.

As for price, the Polestar 3 Rear Motor starts at €81,400 in Portugal.

Design and material quality

Polestar has positioned itself from the outset in a premium segment where material quality and design matter just as much as performance.

In this Polestar 3 — the most expensive model in the brand’s portfolio — nothing has been left to chance, with a well-considered choice of materials throughout.

Much of the interior is covered in fabric or rigid plastic, helping to build a sense of quality and reduce the likelihood of rattles and squeaks.

On the outside, the Polestar 3 presents an aggressive design front and rear, maintaining its sporting essence throughout.

Although it is an SUV, it does not have that high-riding look — it sits somewhere between a traditional SUV and a crossover.

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The front still carries some Volvo DNA, particularly in the headlights that still recall the Thor’s Hammer signature — though the design is beginning to find its own identity.

On the bonnet, an air intake channel helps direct airflow for improved aerodynamics.

On the front grille, the Smart Zone camera is prominently positioned, with further sensors located lower down.

Opening the bonnet of the Polestar 3 gives access to the windscreen washer reservoir and a small storage compartment for items such as charging cables or a small bag.

On the sides are flush door handles whose design works better than those on the Polestar 4 — they rise upward to extend rather than popping straight out, reducing the risk of catching fingers if the door closes suddenly.

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The rear windows are tinted, the door sill carries the model and battery information, and the car runs different tyre sizes front and rear.

Still on the sides, cameras are positioned near the mirrors to support the 360-degree view system.

At the rear, a light bar stretches across the full width of the car, with another 360-degree camera positioned centrally just below.

The panoramic roof is made from laminated acoustic glass that reduces interior noise levels and blocks 99.5% of UV radiation. An electrochromic glass upgrade can be added as an option, allowing the tint level to be adjusted from the screen.

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Moving to the interior, the driver has a three-spoke steering wheel with physical function buttons. These buttons have no visual labelling — hovering a finger over them without pressing reveals their function on the display.

Directly behind the wheel is a small driver display showing essential journey information.

To the right of the steering column sits the gear selector and cruise control stalk, while on the left are the lighting and wiper controls.

In the centre is the main vertical display, which acts as the hub for the vast majority of the car’s functions — from climate control and navigation to apps and even opening the glovebox.

Inside the car, ambient LED lighting is fitted in both front and rear doors, providing interior illumination at night. These only support cool white and warm yellow light — other colours are not available.

Three adults can sit comfortably in the rear with generous head and legroom. In our case, a child seat fitted with ease and there was no risk of feet reaching the front seat.

There is also a rear climate control panel with a temperature display, USB ports, and heated seat controls for the rear passengers.

In terms of storage, the Polestar 3 offers plenty of compartments for belongings — more than sufficient for the environment you find yourself in.

The 597-litre boot is very spacious — large amounts of luggage, shopping, or baby equipment fit in without requiring any particular skill in packing.

The tailgate is power-operated and can be opened with a foot gesture, closed via the button on the inside of the tailgate, or equally by foot.

Seat, mirror, and steering wheel adjustment, and comfort options

Seat adjustment in the Polestar 3 is electric, operated via controls on the side of the seat itself — covering height, recline, and backrest. There is also a manual lumbar support adjustment at the front of the seat.

There are no seat memory buttons on the seat itself to save a driver’s position — instead, these are tied to user profiles. Up to 6 profiles can be configured, with each profile storing its own seat, exterior mirror, and steering wheel position.

It is also possible to link an individual key to a user profile, so that when a specific key is used, the settings are automatically applied before the driver even gets in.

As for steering wheel and mirror adjustment — do not look for a button on the door or under the steering column. These are activated through the car’s display and then adjusted using the steering wheel function buttons.

Seat and steering wheel heating are also available, activated through the climate control menu.

The driver also benefits from two sensors — one on the steering wheel and one near the dash tweeter — that monitor attention and fatigue levels. If the driver appears distracted or drowsy, audible and visual alerts are triggered to encourage attention or a break.

Displays and Android Automotive

In the Polestar 3, the driver has access to a small display that acts as the instrument cluster, providing relevant information at a glance.

While customisation options are limited, it delivers the essentials: real-time speed, consumption, status icons for lights, seatbelts, and other vehicle elements, battery state, and range.

It also shows the current gear direction, adaptive cruise control status, and the level of motor power or regeneration in use.

In addition to journey data, a map view can be activated to follow navigation — but only with Google Maps. With Waze or other apps, navigation is displayed on the main screen only.

A road representation mode can also be enabled, showing the car, lane markings, and surrounding vehicles so you can see how well the car perceives the traffic around it.

Above the driver display is the heads-up display — adjustable via the main screen — which shows essential information such as real-time speed, road speed limit, GPS directions, and other key alerts.

Moving to the main display, this is the nerve centre of the entire car. At 14.5 inches and in portrait orientation, it houses the vast majority of the car’s features and software.

The car’s primary system is Android Automotive — the version of Android adapted and built natively for in-car use.

This means it can control all Polestar 3 functions while also giving access to an adapted Play Store and apps — just as on a smartphone.

You can install Waze or Spotify directly on the car to avoid relying on Bluetooth from your phone, install Chrome to browse the web — including catching up with Techbit — or install Prime Video or another streaming service to watch while charging.

Many other apps are also available, including ones for finding nearby chargers at the best price.

Google Maps is deeply integrated with the car — for example, it can show a predicted battery level at the destination, whether for a one-way or return journey, and can automatically include a charging stop if it detects there is not enough range to complete the trip directly.

The main screen is also where you manage the car’s various settings — from driving modes and intelligent driver assistance to interior and exterior lighting, audio, and trip statistics.

One setting we always disable when starting the car is the speed limit alert — the constant beeping quickly becomes tiresome.

Gemini is also present as the official voice assistant for this automotive version of Android.

For those who still prefer to connect a phone, Android Automotive now supports both wireless Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay.

Audio

The Polestar 3 features a sound system developed in collaboration with Bowers & Wilkins, comprising 25 speakers with a combined total output of 1,610 watts, 3D surround sound, and Dolby Atmos.

The standout element is the 25 mm dual-dome Nautilus tweeter positioned at the centre of the dashboard, which doubles as a design feature of the interior.

Audio quality is very good, creating an immersive sound that brings you close to feeling surrounded by a live performance. Although there are several preset sound modes, we found them all slightly lacking in bass — something easily corrected by adjusting the equaliser manually.

Beyond the standard audio presets, an Abbey Road Studios mode brings the iconic sound of the legendary studio to the Bowers & Wilkins system.

This includes four distinct presets plus a producer mode, which adds a vintage quality to the sound and allows individual instruments to be brought forward according to taste.

Parking cameras, automatic parking, and sensors

To make manoeuvring the Polestar 3 easier, the car includes the expected 360-degree system using cameras and sensors to map the surrounding space.

In addition to the surround cameras and front and rear parking sensors, the level of precision is notably high — which becomes clear when parking.

As you approach an obstacle, a colour-coded line appears and evolves as distance closes. When very close, it switches to showing the actual distance in centimetres — a level of detail that demonstrates the system’s capability.

It is also possible to view the car from above in a 3D perspective to understand its exact position within a parking space.

When reversing, if the car detects a passing car or pedestrian crossing behind it, it will also brake to prevent any incident caused by limited visibility.

The Polestar 3 also includes automatic parking, which identifies a suitable space and completes the manoeuvre autonomously. It genuinely works — though surrendering control while the car accelerates, brakes, and steers on its own requires a certain leap of faith.

Physical and digital key

The Polestar 3 comes with two keys — a card and a small fob.

Unlike criticism aimed at other models in the range, the key on this car is elegant and understated, matching the design and positioning of the car itself.

When using the white fob, we noticed on several occasions that the car’s response was not always consistent. Approaching the car should cause the door handles to extend and signal that it is unlocked — something that did not always happen, requiring us to step back and try again.

If a low battery warning appears on the key, it can simply be placed on the car’s wireless charging pad (and activated there) or on any smartphone wireless charger.

That is how to charge it — something we spent some time searching for after the key stopped working and we could not lock the car.

If the key runs flat, the car can still be unlocked by presenting the fob against the driver’s door handle and placing it on the wireless charging base to start the car.

One point we found lacking is the absence of buttons on the key fob, which means you always have to be close to the car to unlock it, or use the smartphone app to do so remotely.

There is also a digital key option for iPhone, which can be temporarily shared with others — access is granted by holding the phone against the door handle to unlock the Polestar 3.

Driving experience

In terms of driving, the Polestar 3 reveals a side you do not expect.

Being an SUV, there is always a preconception that it will feel ungainly and that the driving character will prioritise comfort above all else.

However, this car showed a more sporting side, behaving closer to the Polestar 2 than the Polestar 4, making every corner genuinely enjoyable.

Despite its considerable weight and dimensions, it felt agile with strong performance both for acceleration and at higher speeds, up to its 210 km/h limit.

The 333 hp are fun to exploit, and the 480 Nm of torque delivers an acceleration that puts a smile on your face — particularly because the full torque is available from a standstill.

One-pedal driving mode works very well, allowing you to genuinely drive using only one foot, with the brake reserved for emergencies.

There is a short adaptation period, as the regeneration when lifting off the accelerator is quite strong at first — but within a short time you are naturally accelerating and decelerating on a single pedal, also helping to recover battery through extended regeneration phases.

The driving position is excellent and particularly advantageous for shorter drivers. As an SUV, the seating position is higher and the seat can be raised further than is typical in lower cars.

The adaptive driving mode includes Pilot Assist for autonomous distance, speed, and steering control — though hands must remain on the wheel. It works well but is limited to a maximum of 150 km/h, above which it deactivates and full control returns to the driver.

Range and charging

Moving on to one of the points that matters most for anyone considering an electric car — the performance of the 92 kWh, 14-module battery.

Given the car’s high output and 2,400 kg kerb weight, significant energy consumption was to be expected. However, we consistently achieved interesting averages depending, of course, on driving style.

When returning the car, the trip odometer — reset a few kilometres after collection — showed exactly 600 km covered, an average consumption of 19.1 kWh/100 km, and a total driving time of 9 hours and 39 minutes.

Within those statistics, 204 km were covered since the last charge at a consumption of 20.7 kWh, driven predominantly on motorways at speeds of around 120–130 km/h.

On a 21-kilometre journey between Ubbo in Amadora and the Volvo Carclasse dealership in Queluz de Baixo, with one intermediate stop, we recorded 16.7 kWh on a mix of dual carriageway and urban driving.

The lowest consumption we achieved was 12.6 kWh/100 km over a 20-kilometre route, while the highest was 24.6 kWh/100 km over a similarly short route driven more aggressively.

These routes were driven through the Alentejo in August, with air conditioning active throughout to maintain a comfortable interior temperature of around 21°C.

Against the manufacturer’s stated range of 17.7 to 21.6 kWh/100 km, driving conditions and use of regeneration clearly play a significant role in achieving better consumption figures.

Using the overall average of 19.1 kWh/100 km, the real-world range of this car settled at around 481 km on mixed motorway and urban routes.

In practice, an initial journey of 189 km from Lisbon (Oeiras) to Reguengos de Monsaraz — mostly on the motorway — used just 36% of the battery, arriving with 64% remaining.

At the lowest consumption figure (with very careful driving), 12.6 kWh/100 km would give a theoretical range of 730 km, while at 24.6 kWh/100 km (with relaxed, aggressive driving) it would be around 370 km.

For charging, we sought out locations where fast charging was most cost-effective.

One of these was Continente Charge, where fast charging up to 120 kW costs €0.41/kWh, standard charging up to 22 kW costs €0.35/kWh, and ultra-fast charging up to 350 kW costs €0.55/kWh. These are the final prices with no additional fees — only the energy consumed is charged.

A €0.10/kWh discount sometimes applies, bringing prices to between €0.25 and €0.45 depending on power level.

In the Polestar 3’s charging history, we added around 66 kWh for €27.02 (approximately two-thirds of the battery) in 43 minutes.

In another session, we added around 26 kWh in 20 minutes for €10.52.

Finally, a third session added 34 kWh over 35 minutes for €14.04.

Charging costs vary considerably from one point to another, so it is worth researching tariffs in advance and seeking out the most affordable options.

Who is the Polestar 3 for?

The Polestar 3 is for anyone who wants a premium electric SUV without giving up driving enjoyment. It is the natural choice for drivers who value dynamic performance but need the practicality of a large-format SUV for daily family life — with generous space for passengers and luggage, and a real-world range that handles long journeys without significant anxiety.

It is also well suited for those who spend a lot of time on motorways and want a car with capable driver assistance, fast charging, and a top-tier technology experience. Android Automotive with Google built in, Google Gemini, and the ability to install apps directly in the car make it particularly appealing for those already living within the Google ecosystem.

For families with young children, it is an interesting option — the elevated seating position makes fitting child seats easier, the rear passenger space is generous, and the 597-litre boot accommodates all the usual equipment with ease.

It is less suitable for those looking for the most affordable option in the segment, given the starting price of €81,400, or for those who prefer an SUV with a more upright driving position and a more classic look. Drivers who mainly cover short urban routes may also find they are paying for features they rarely use.

Verdict on the Polestar 3

The Polestar 3 Rear Motor impresses in almost every area. In a segment where electric SUVs tend to prioritise comfort and practicality over dynamics, Polestar has achieved an unusual balance that makes every corner genuinely enjoyable without compromising on the space, comfort, and technology expected of a premium SUV.

The 333 hp and 480 Nm available instantly from a standstill deliver acceleration that surprises for a vehicle of this size and weight, and one-pedal driving — after a short adaptation period — becomes natural and contributes significantly to efficiency.

Real-world consumption figures between 12.6 and 24.6 kWh/100 km show that efficiency depends heavily on driving style, but an average of 19.1 kWh/100 km on mixed routes is an honest result for a car of this size with air conditioning running continuously in summer.

Android Automotive with Google built in is genuinely good and makes the on-board experience considerably richer than most competitors. The ability to install apps, use Gemini as an assistant, and access streaming services while charging are features that get used day-to-day. The 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins system with Dolby Atmos is impressive, though the preset modes may benefit from some bass adjustment via the equaliser.

The less positive points centre on details. The white key fob, despite its elegant design, showed reliability issues in detecting the driver, with the handles not always extending in time. The lack of buttons on the key means you always need to be close to the car to unlock it, or use the app remotely. And configuring the steering wheel and mirrors through the screen rather than dedicated physical buttons requires some getting used to.

At €81,400, the Polestar 3 Rear Motor is a significant investment, but a justified one for those seeking a premium electric SUV with genuine sporting character, top-tier technology, and real-world range sufficient for both everyday commutes and holiday trips.

Techbit thanks Polestar for providing the Polestar 3 for review.

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