Polestar 3 review: A gorgeous EV with annoying technical flaws
The Polestar 3 is sleek and thrilling to drive, but its technical quirks make it a frustrating luxury EV.
- The Polestar 3 luxury EV is sporty with a distinctive design, but it’s too complicated to get in and out of.
- The Polestar 3 I tested was priced at $91,700, excluding destination.
First impressions are great, but nothing beats getting to know people, places, and vehicles. As makes and models evolve, that’s why I’m sharing my experience after driving the car for a week or so.
This week we take another look at the 2025 Polestar 3 dual-motor performance electric SUV that we first drove in September 2024.
This week’s car: 2025 Polestar 3 Dual Motor with Performance Pack
What is it? A sporty and luxurious compact electric SUV
how much? Prices for the Polestar 3 start at $67,500. All prices exclude $1,400 destination charge. The top-of-the-line 517-horsepower Polestar 3 Dual Motor Performance Pack I tested cost $91,700, excluding destination.
How are sales going? Polestar won’t reveal P3 sales figures until the end of the year. P3 was released at the end of 2024. Global sales of the brand increased by 36% to 44,482 units through September this year.
What will it compete with? Audi SQ6 Sportback e-tron, BMW i4, Cadillac Optique, Ford Mustang Mach E, Mercedes GLC EQ, Lexus RZ.
What I thought when I drove Polestar 3 for the first time
After driving the Polestar 3 through the mountains, valleys, and towns of Wyoming in September 2024, I wrote:
- Fast, comfortable and feature-rich, they prove Polestar is a luxury brand that values responsiveness and responsibility, performance and sustainability in equal measure.
- 3 is sporty and luxurious.
- Controls rely a little too much on the 14.3-inch touch screen.
- The desire for a clean, simple-looking interior created overly elaborate and complex controls.
- Although the price is higher than some mainstream sporty EVs, the Polestar compares particularly favorably with sporty electric EVs from other European-based luxury brands.
What I think now
The Polestar 3 looks great and is fun to drive, but basic tasks like locking, unlocking, and starting the SUV are frustratingly overcomplicated.
The competition vehicle recognizes the presence of the key fob, unlocks and starts. 3 requires you to hold your electronic card up to the door or place it in a cradle in the center console. Polestar said its smartphone app solves these problems, but it has not made the app available for testing.
Additionally, new luxury EVs such as the Audi SQ6 Sportback e-tron and Cadillac Optique are lowering the price of the Polestar 3.
What I liked the second time I saw it
- Sleek, modern and unique appearance
- spacious and comfortable
- Convenient cargo hold
- power and acceleration
- excellent steering and handling
- Apple CarPlay standard
- Control with Google navigation and voice recognition
what could be better
- The keycard must function near the vehicle and does not need to be pressed against a door handle or placed in a cradle in the center console to lock/unlock.
- Overreliance on touchscreens and voice recognition
- Enable remote opening and unlocking of the tailgate and all four doors, respectively.
- Designers are trying too hard to create features like three switches to control four windows.
- With the advent of cheaper EVs from established luxury brands, the Polestar’s quirky inconvenience has become hard to overlook.
Polestar by the numbers 3
- Base price $67,500, excluding destination charges.
- Single motor model, rear wheel drive. Dual motor AWD.
- 5 seater
- The AWD model I tested with 22-inch wheels had a range of 279 miles. Maximum: 350 miles.
- Charging time: 10% to 80% 30 minutes at 240 kW. 10 hours at 240V.
- 111kW battery
- 517 horsepower and 671 pound-feet of torque
- 4.5 seconds 0-60 mph
- Top speed: 130 mph
- Vehicle weight: 5,686 lbs.
Contact Mark Phelan: 313-222-6731 or mmphelan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark ferran. read more car and sign up for our service automotive newsletter. become a subscriber.
