Summary
The Polestar 3 is a large electric crossover/SUV that became available to order in the UK in 2024, which its manufacturer says offers family-friendly SUV space and drives like a sports car.
Based on the same foundations as the new battery-powered Volvo EX90, UK reviewers have widely praised the Polestar 3 for its classy minimalist interior design and comfortable ride, but many outlets conclude that comparing the SUV to a sports car is not very accurate.
“Sure it’s powerful”, says Carbuyer’s Charlie Harvey, “but there’s not much feel in the driving experience.” Alastair Crooks of Auto Express agrees, arguing that the EV “falls short of Polestar’s sporty claims, as you might expect of a two-and-a-half-tonne family car.”
As a family car though, the British motoring media largely agrees that the Polestar 3 stacks up well against its large electric rivals, What Car?’s Neil Winn concluding that the SUV has “arrived in style” with a sharp driving experience, competitive pricing and adds that it “comes packed with standard equipment.”
That said, Parker’s CJ Hubbard explains that, while the Polestar 3 has a longer battery range, “the BMW iX is a better blend of luxury and utility.”
While there are reviews already published on the new Polestar 3, we currently don’t have any emissions, reliability or running cost data for the model. Once we have the full picture, we will give this SUV an Expert Rating score. Check back again soon!
Polestar 3 highlights
- Class-leading battery range
- Attractive exterior and interior design
- Extensive list of standard equipment
- Sharp driving dynamics
Polestar 3 lowlights
- Not as sporty as the marketing suggests
- Rivals offer more boot space
- Over-reliance on touchscreen for car settings
- Performance Pack models have a firm ride quality
Key specifications
Body style: Large SUV
Engines: electric, battery-powered
Price: From £69,900 on-road
Launched: Summer 2024
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“As you might expect of a two-and-a-half-tonne family car, it falls short of Polestar’s sporty claims – especially in dual-motor Performance Pack guise. We think it might be worth waiting for the more sensible, cheaper, two-wheel-drive version due on sale next year.”
Author: Alastair Crooks
Read review
Autocar
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Refreshingly different to the masses, and a pleasure to drive. Touchscreen is annoying and refinement could be better, but the 3 is still peculiarly charming, and very recommendable.”
Author: Vicky Parrott
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Car
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“This is Polestar’s most convincing effort yet, sticking a Swedish cat amongst the Bavarian pigeons. The spacious and well-appointed interior impresses, as does the handling and promised range.”
Author: Alan Taylor-Jones
Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Its minimalist interior exudes a premium feel, albeit in a more understated way compared to many rivals. The ride is comfortable, too, but we think it’s a push to consider the Polestar 3 sporty as per the manufacturer’s claims – sure it’s powerful, but there’s not much feel in the driving experience.”
Author: Charlie Harvey
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Carwow
Model reviewed: Range overview
“Polestar’s first new model in a while looks good, feels great inside and has plenty of space – but it only has five seats and it’s not cheap.”
Read review
Electrifying.com
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“This crossover of estate and SUV means it’s more aerodynamic and brings efficiency improvements, but it also makes the 3 more engaging to drive as it has a lower centre of gravity. It’s really spacious too, especially in the back, and the quality is great.”
Author: Tom Barnard
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Evo
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“Ultra-competitive pricing, a sharp design and strong performance make Polestar’s first SUV a promising new offering.”
Author: Sam Jenkins
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Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.8 / 10
“It’s a better driving and more special feeling thing than the Mercedes EQE SUV, although the BMW iX is a better blend of luxury and utility.”
Author: CJ Hubbard
Read review
The Sunday Times
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“It’s a full £15,000 cheaper than the cheapest Volvo EX90, which uses all of the same basic mechanical bits. So, you’re getting a sportier, better-looking, reasonably engaging-to-drive electric SUV for less, and all you’ve had to sacrifice are some extra seats and a more voluminous boot.”
Author: Neil Briscoe
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The Telegraph
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Polestar 3 seems well engineered and good-looking, it rides and drives well and is as efficient as any of these giant battery SUVs can be.”
Author: Andrew English
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Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“A solid effort from Polestar, and one you should try if the usual brands are beginning to grate.”
Author: Tom Ford
Read review
What Car?
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The luxury electric SUV segment is hard to break into, but the new Polestar 3 has arrived in style. Not only does it boast a BMW iX-beating official range, but it’s also sharp to drive, cosseting at cruising speed, competitively priced and comes packed with standard equipment.”
Author: Neil Winn
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
No safety rating
As of September 2024, the Polestar 3 has not been crash tested by Euro NCAP.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of September 2024, the Polestar 3 has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.
The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the Polestar 3 is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing whenever it ever takes place. Check back again soon.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of September 2024, the Polestar 3 has only just started arriving on UK roads, so we don’t have enough reliability data on the SUV to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using workshop and extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy, sourced from both official dealerships and independent workshops.
As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the Polestar 3, we’ll publish the results here.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
No data yet
As of September 2024, we don’t have independently verified data available for the Polestar 3. Check back again soon.
Recalls
Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the Polestar 3
As of September 2024, we are not aware of any DVSA vehicle safety recalls affecting the Polestar 3. However, this information is updated very regularly so this may have changed.
You can check to see if your car has any outstanding recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local Polestar dealer.
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Polestar 3, you might also be interested in these alternatives.
BMW iX | Hyundai Ioniq 7 | Hyundai Santa Fe | Kia EV9 | Land Rover Defender | Land Rover Discovery | Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV | Range Rover plug-in hybrid | Tesla Model X | Volkswagen ID. Buzz | Volvo EX90
More information
More news, reviews and information about the Polestar 3 at The Car Expert
Buy a Polestar 3
If you’re looking to buy a new or used Polestar 3, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.
Find your next used car with Motors. Find out more
Find your next new or used car with Auto Trader. Find out more
Find your next new or used car with Carwow. Find out more
Lease a Polestar 3
If you’re looking to lease a new Polestar 3, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal.
Personal contract hire deals from Leasing.com. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Carparison Leasing. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Rivervale Leasing. Find out more
Subscribe to a Polestar 3
Subscriptions are becoming a very popular way for consumers to try an electric car for a few weeks or months to help decide whether it’s a suitable alternative to a petrol car. If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?)
Car subscriptions from Mycardirect.
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Car subscriptions from Wagonex.
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Car subscriptions from Cocoon.
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