Polestar is arguably Tesla’s largest rival in Britain and, at this level, one of many better-known solely electrical manufacturers throughout Europe.
However till now the standalone Swedish agency – previously the inexperienced efficiency arm of Volvo – has bought solely the Polestar 2 whereas teasing plans so as to add to the line-up in a bid to tackle the may of Elon Musk and his monumental EV empire.
And at last it has with the arrival of the Polestar 3, a efficiency luxurious SUV that is seeking to pinch gross sales from the world’s most purchased automotive, the Mannequin Y.
Does it have the correct substances to do it? We have pushed it to search out out.
The Polestar 3 is a luxurious SUV EV from the Swedish racing-inspired model, and is just the second automotive Polestar has made
The three begins at £75,900 with the Efficiency variant costing from £81,500. The Lengthy vary Twin motor does 392 miles on a single cost, whereas the Efficiency pack drops that to a (nonetheless very lengthy) vary of 348 miles
Polestar – the place did it come from? A really transient historical past
Within the lifespan of automotive producers, Polestar is a relative child.
The one-time Volvo racing workforce was born again in 1996 below the (far much less memorable and extra laundry-detergent-sounding) identify of Flash Engineering.
It was re-branded in 2005 to Polestar – a nod to frozen north Sweden and pole place on the grid – and have become Volvo’s official efficiency associate in 2009.
Volvo then purchased Polestar in 2015, and in 2017 switched it throughout to an EV-only maker. It turned a separate branded marque, now not part of Volvo vehicles.
Polestar, the EV model, was born with the Polestar 2 which launched in 2019 – deliveries got here in early summer season 2020
The Polestar 4 – a coupe SUV with no rear window – is launching concurrently the three, which makes Polestar a three-car model any further
Polestar 3 vs Tesla Mannequin Y
In October 2020, Polestar opened its first retail ‘House’ in Westfield Procuring Centre in West London, to showcase the model’s first all-electric automotive, the Polestar 2, which went on sale within the UK within the peak of Covid lockdowns in summer season 2020.
I bear in mind visiting the area in Could 2021, and take a look at driving the Polestar 2 across the similar time. Everybody was popping out of lockdown hibernation and immediately there was this new EV model with a retail area close to Zara, and a automotive on the street individuals couldn’t determine.
Passers-by would flip and stare, with the cogs clearly turning of their head as they tried to decipher the emblem on the bonnet and boot lid.
Quick ahead 4 years, and Polestar has now established its identification.
However whereas different producers like Volkswagen (which is admittedly a large of automotive manufacturing) have gone from one EV to a number of (VW now has six electrical fashions you may presently snap up), Polestar has been caught on only one – albeit best-selling mannequin – since 2019.
So, the launch of the Polestar 3 is a large second for the model, particularly as Polestar has been logged in a head-to-head battle towards simply the Tesla Mannequin 3 for the perfect a part of half a decade.
Now it goes up towards the US agency’s most profitable import of late – the Mannequin Y SUV.
The Tesla Mannequin Y has been an unequivocal success story. It was the best-selling automotive in Europe and globally final 12 months – the primary time an electrical automotive has solidified the primary slot
Not solely was this Britain’s best-selling EV final 12 months (racking up virtually 36,000 registrations), it was the most-bought automotive of any gas kind throughout Europe and globally in 2023.
It means Polestar has entered the hardest competitors conceivable with the three.
Nonetheless, the early indicators look promising…
Polestar says gross sales for the Launch Version – the primary arriving within the UK in a matter of weeks – have already bought out till 2025.
The most cost effective model, referred to as the Lengthy Vary Twin Motor, will arrive later within the 12 months ranging from £75,900.
This covers 0 to 60mph in 4.8 seconds, has a high pace of 130mph, produces and has a claimed vary of 392 miles – the longest o the 2 variants bought.
The Mannequin Y rival to that is the Lengthy Vary All-Wheel Drive, which round £20,000 much less, has the identical 0-to-62mph dash time and related 135mph high pace, although – importantly – has a shorter vary of 331 miles.
You’ll have to pay a minimum of £81,500 for the Lengthy vary Twin motor with Efficiency pack in order for you barely enhance stats: 0 to 60mph in 4.5 seconds; 510bhp; and the identical high pace.
Vary with the Efficiency pack drops to 348 miles, which for lots of people might be not well worth the marginal efficiency enchancment.
Comparatively, the Polestar 2 Lengthy vary Twin motor (which is round 500kg lighter) has 416bhp, does 0 to 60 in 4.3 seconds and the identical high pace of 130mph.
Whereas it’s, once more, round £20,000 pricier than the range-topping Tesla Mannequin Y Efficiency, it does gazump the American SUV on driving distance between costs.
Given a excessive proportion of EVs are presently being leased, the distinction in month-to-month prices between the Mannequin Y and the comparative premium Polestar 3 is round £300 a month.
How does it drive?
We took the Lengthy vary Twin motor out in Spain, testing it within the metropolis and on mountain roads, and had been extraordinarily impressed with the journey consolation
In the course of the take a look at drive in Spain, I took the Lengthy vary Twin motor from Madrid to Segovia by means of metropolis streets, on motorways and twisting mountain roads.
The smoothness – due to the energetic air suspension – is nice over low pace bumps. Inside about 5 minutes I’d cease slowing down for the pace limiters – there’s merely no want, you don’t even discover them.
The relaxed driving that EVs enable are a a lot talked about plus level: As a toddler and teenager, my household drove throughout Europe each summer season vacation (one member of the family was petrified of flying), and on this automotive I’d have most likely slept the complete period of a visit.
So, the posh consolation a part of the SUV expertise is there, however Polestar guarantees to ship efficiency too.
The Efficiency pack improves the sporty stats barely, shaving a tiny little bit of the time without work the 0 to 60mph, and including round 30bhp and £5k to the value
The Polestar 3 relies on the identical technical base (the all-new SPA platform) because the forthcoming Volvo EX90
The Polestar 3 relies on the identical technical base (the all-new SPA platform) because the forthcoming Volvo EX90 – the 111kW battery again and a pair of,985mm wheelbase are additionally shared – nevertheless it has much more pizazz to drive than a Volvo.
Polestar is an excellent model for drivers who’re able to go electrical however like a automotive with extra persona than a Tesla, which might usually really feel like driving a futuristic go-kart.
Acceleration was enhanced – notably weaving out and in of visitors on the motorway outdoors Madrid – by the delicate feeding of energy which Polestar’s nailed. Quite than getting an almighty punch of energy, it is fed by means of regularly (regardless of the nonetheless speedy acceleration).
You are feeling engaged and trusting within the 3; the steering is agency and it holds its physique weight properly round corners. A hefty SUV isn’t going to probably the most agile automotive within the storage, however that is unlikely to be what consumers are after.
With out query, the Polestar 3 is much less thrilling than the two, however the elevated journey peak provides a great feeling of street dominance.
The massive boxed-in sprint provides to how protected the automotive feels, as does the Pilot Help security package deal – so mother and father ought to really feel very assured driving their youngsters.
A premium audio driving expertise
For the three, Polestar’s gone all out on the sound system and noise cancelling.
Award-winning Bowers & Wilkins has made a bespoke 25-speaker encompass sound system to ‘ship the absolute best in-car audio expertise’ which works along side Dolby Atmos’ spatial audio – the form of tech you’d look forward to finding in a top-of-the-range house threatre system. This set-up is out there as an improve – which my take a look at automotive had.
And likewise through the improve you may get Dolby Atmos energetic noise cancellation within the cabin to dam wind, tyre and street noise.
Blasting an eclectic vary of music en-route to Segovia, the sound system actually got here into its personal.
Bowers & Wilkins’ – homegrown in Worthing in 1946 and nonetheless headquartered there – has all the time had the philosophy that ‘the perfect loudspeaker isn’t the one that provides probably the most, it’s the one which loses the least’, and the whole lot Spotify and Tidal supplied up was cinema-worthy popping out the sound system.
Bowers & Wilkins’ Tweeter-on-High design dominates the sprint. In addition to giving un-deflected sound, it gives a cool racing nod
The Polestar 3 Launch Version has a particular characteristic 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins 3D encompass system and Dolby Atmos noise cancelling and spatial audio
The speaker system has the basic Bowers & Wilkins Tweeter-on-High arrange on the sprint, which works completely in a automotive as a result of it direct sounds straight on the occupants quite than permitting sound to replicate off the windscreen – and it provides a cool visible nod to racing heritage.
Every seat has 4 audio system above it, and there are 4 headrest audio system too, all of which use the B&W new Continuum sound copy expertise.
These audio system additionally double because the warning techniques, so any navigation prompts are delivered on to your ear.
I like to drive with music – as do four-fifths of UK motorists in accordance with a 2021 Direct Line survey – and the dearth of engine noise in an EV permits a sound system to come back into its personal.
For the practically half (48 per cent or 18 million individuals) who take heed to music solely behind the wheel and are out there for a luxurious EV SUV, this sound system could possibly be an actual promoting level.
Sharp – however uncontroversial – appears to be like
The brand new 3 is being launched alongside the sportier Polestar 4 coupe SUV – the latter of which has been grabbing headlines as of late as a consequence of its controversial exclusion of a rear windscreen.
Whereas the 4 is creating loads of debate, the Polestar 3 is comparatively standard.
Nahum Escobedo, exterior design supervisor for the automotive, explains that Polestar doesn’t like the standard aerodynamic teardrop form, as an alternative the model follows aeronautic inspiration.
The three’s general design is highly effective and ‘sculptural’ quite than utterly glossy and easy – extra Nadal than Ferderer principally.
The entrance is designed to be ‘visually hanging’ and it is rather totally different to lots of EVs, persevering with Polestar’s theme of standing out in a really interchangeable EV design market.
The ‘Sensible Zone’ replaces the grille from a conventional combustion automotive. As an alternative of hiding the tech, Polestar has determined to focus on it and present individuals all the security and driving assists the automotive has
The three has a entrance wing, which works in tandem with the rear wing, – this units it other than the sector of SUV EVs that do not have a characteristic like this
As a result of EVs don’t want grilles, Polestar has chosen to focus on that area – which is used for cameras, radars, sensors and different tech – and ‘have fun the expertise’ as a aesthetic ‘Sensible Zone’.
The three can also be one of many first EVs to have a wing on the entrance, which provides character and performs into the sporty appears to be like, and the entrance and rear wings work as a workforce. It’s acquired robust stance and a low roofline, in addition to flush home windows and door handles.
The appears to be like, just like the drive, are probably going to swimsuit a EV purchaser who desires their automotive to have persona.
There’s the primary 14.5-inch which homes all of the infotainment expertise (there’s just one button) and a 9-inch digital display screen for the motive force
What’s it like inside?
Polestar has prioritised two issues with the inside: legroom and sustainability.
Legroom we will’t fault; it’s actually very spacious back and front on this automotive, helped by the choice to not supply a seven-seater model.
I require little or no legroom (solely 5’3) however the 6’2 passenger with me might have grown one other few inches and nonetheless have stretched out within the again – for premium area you get what you pay for with the three.
The low roofline isn’t speculated to hamper headroom, however it is going to most likely limit the taller members of society. However due to the panoramic roof and the overall airiness of the cabin there’s nonetheless a sense of area all through.
The construct high quality is high of the sport, as is the use sustainable supplies. Should you go for leather-based it’s all Bridge of Weir – the world’s lowest carbon depth leather-based – whereas the vegan leather-based different makes use of recycled supplies to have 70 per cent decrease CO2 emissions than standard PVC.
The inside is mild and ethereal with that vast panoramic sunroof, and the supplies are targeted round sustainability, regardless of in the event you go for leather-based or vegan inside
Different inside supplies embrace European-grown flax, carpets constructed from recycled fishing nets and aluminium constructed from post-industrial waste.
For driver and passenger the primary calling is the 14.5-inch infotainment display screen, which homes all controls besides the quantity play/pause dial, which occurs to be the one bodily button within the automotive.
There’s 484 litres of boot area , 90 litres beneath the boot flooring and a 32-litre frunk
Just like the Polestar 2, it’s a Google setup, although up to date to incorporate (amongst others) the brand new HD Google Maps.
There are shortcut tabs on the backside of the display screen for fast menu entry whereas driving, and Polestar’s orange and gray tile system for menu hopping.
As infotainment techniques go it’s some of the intuitive and fast to make use of, nevertheless it’s nonetheless much more fiddly and distracting than buttons.
The driving force will get a 9-inch anti-glare digital display screen, and head-up show, and there are touch-sensitive steering wheel controls to manage driving settings. Not like the two the motive force selector is housed on the steering wheel.
When it comes to practicality, you get 484 litres of boot area, in addition to 90 litres beneath the boot flooring.
With the rear seats down (they cut up 60:40) cupboard space expands to 1,411 litres. The frunk (entrance trunk) holds 32 lites and there is additionally a ski hatch within the rear seats (Swedes are Swedes).
Is the vary as much as scratch?
I used to be blissful to see that the three, like the two, holds its vary as predicted, and doesn’t eat by means of it quicker like some efficiency EVs (the Lotus Eletre hyper SUV I lately wolfed up its vary a lot quicker than it said). With 392 miles to play with, there actually isn’t any want for vary nervousness on this automotive.
250kW speedy DC charging from 10 to 80 per cent takes round half-hour, whereas 11kW AC house charging from 0 to 100 per cent takes round 11 hours.
Vehicles & motoring verdict
There is no denying the Polestar 3 has a luxurious price ticket – and that may minimize out numerous consumers who will unquestionably be drawn to Tesla’s extra inexpensive Mannequin Y.
However for what you get, I feel the Polestar 3 is pretty priced.
In comparison with its different direct rivals, just like the £69,800 new electrical Porsche Macan, the BMW iX (£70,080) and the Mercedes EQE SUV (£90,560), it is the perfect of the three.
However the Polestar 3 has a lot better vary – the Macan ‘estimates’ broadly from 322 to 380 miles, whilst you’ll need to pay over £111,865 for an iX with vary to match the Polestar 3.
Load area is not phase main, and there could possibly be extra headroom within the again, however in order for you a premium EV SUV that may go lengthy distances usually with out vary angst, then Polestar is among the most pleasant drives to purchase.
Some hyperlinks on this article could also be affiliate hyperlinks. Should you click on on them we could earn a small fee. That helps us fund This Is Cash, and hold it free to make use of. We don’t write articles to advertise merchandise. We don’t enable any business relationship to have an effect on our editorial independence.
