Review: Polestar 3

At the beginning of August this year, a Polestar 3 set a Guinness World Record for the longest journey travelled by an electric SUV on a single charge.

The distance its three drivers managed on UK roads was 581.3 miles, but it took them 22 hours and 57 minutes.

Polestar, in case you’re not familiar with the marque, is an electric-only performance car brand owned by Volvo and the Chinese company Zhejiang Geely Holding.

Polestar 1 was launched in October 2017, followed by Polestar 2 in 2020, with Polestar 3 in 2022 and Polestar 4 coming along in 2024.

The Polestar 3 is a super stylish five-seater performance electric SUV.

It is available in two versions, the Long Range Single Motor and the Dual Motor.

We tested the Dual Motor, which is blisteringly quick. It can manage the 0-62mph sprint in a mere 4.8 seconds and has a top speed of 130mph. It is four-wheel drive and has 483bhp at its disposal.

We didn’t have the performance pack added, but that would have boosted it even further to 510bhp and a 0-62mph of 4.5 seconds.

Driving this version of the 3 is incredibly rewarding, the four-wheel drive and torque vectoring system keeping the vehicle firmly anchored to the road even through tight bends.

It also comes with air suspension, which makes for a comfortable ride, whatever the speed or road surface.

Very little noise makes its way into the cabin, and the driving experience is superb on all levels.

Comfortable, supportive seats, good visibility and a high-up driving position. There’s enough room for five adults to get comfortable, and while the boot is not the largest in the class, there’s plenty of room with 484 litres to work with.

The interior is minimalist and beautifully crafted. The most striking thing about it is the 14.5in portrait touchscreen dominating the cabin.

Like the majority of cars these days, the touchscreen is king, with just about every function going through it but I’d have welcomed some physical buttons for the main functions.

Having said that, if you’re prepared to spend a bit of time getting to grips with it, I’ve no doubt it will soon become intuitive. It has a head-up display.

You can set it up with several shortcuts for your most often used functions.

Our test car came fitted with animal welfare Nappa leather, which attracted a £5,000 premium.

Instead of the Sport Pack, we got the Plus Pack at £5,000 and the Pilot Pack for £2,300.

The Plus added, among other things, a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system, heated steering wheels and seats, and an upgraded air con system, while the Pilot Pack means a range of driver aids, a 360-degree camera and enhanced park assist.

The Polestar is not cheap. The dual motor model we tested has an on-the-road price of £75,000, boosted to £89,200 with the optional extras.

Polestar 3

Price: £75,900 (as tested £89,200

Engine: 400v Lithium-ion batery

Power: 483bhp

Torque: 620lb/ft

Transmission: Single-speed

Top speed: 130mph

0-62mph: 4.8seconds

Range:390 miles (WLPT)