2025 Polestar 3

Straight out of the gate, the Polestar 3 gets so many things right. It has abundant style and tech to attract luxury buyers, excellent range to quell any anxieties, recharges its battery as quickly as most other electric vehicles (EVs), and even its standard amount of power is plentiful. This is Polestar’s first proper SUV and it looks like it could be a serious contender, able to mix with offerings from big names like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

A brief bit of background: Polestar started out as an independent Volvo tuner, which became integrated into the company. It was later spun off as a maker of all-electric vehicles (although the Polestar 1 was a sporty plug-in hybrid coupe — fun car). Links with Volvo remain, which is no bad thing.

Launch editions of the Polestar 3 debuted for the 2024 model year, but the full lineup really gets going for 2025. Production has begun in China, and Volvo’s new factory in South Carolina began building the 3 in mid-2024, making this the first Polestar to be produced in the United States. A long-range/single-motor variant is new this year.

There are several attractive alternatives. The Audi Q8 e-tron begins in the same ballpark as the Polestar 3. Make sure there’s at least $80K in the piggy bank if a Mercedes-EQ EQE SUV, Porsche Macan 4 Electric, or Tesla Model X spark some interest. The BMW iX begins closer to $90K. For luxury and range at a lower price, the Cadillac Lyriq is more in the $60K bracket.

Before buying a new Polestar 3 electric SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

A new base model joins the lineup this year, a long-range, single-motor variant that drives the rear wheels and gets 350 miles of range, accelerates from 0-60 mph in 7.5 seconds, and packs 299 horsepower.

The dual-motor setup in the 2025 Polestar 3 makes an impressive total of 489 hp and 620 lb-ft of torque going to all four wheels. With that much muscle, Polestar’s claimed 4.8-second standstill-to-60 mph time sounds unduly modest. The base Tesla Model X has 670 hp, and the BMW iX starts with 516 — some other rivals aren’t quite as energetic, handing the Polestar 3 a respectable spot in the pecking order.

Buyers who choose the Performance pack will have 517 hp and 671 lb-ft of torque to propel them to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Again, we wouldn’t be surprised if that happened a little faster in real life. The Polestar 3 is an absolute blast to drive, with tons of torque readily accessible. It also feels agile yet stable.

Every new Polestar 3 has a buttery-smooth adaptive air suspension as standard, with the Performance pack bringing a sportier calibration. We’d prefer a Drive Mode button rather than clicking through screen settings, although there’s no disputing the system’s effectiveness. Throughout the lineup, the brakes are Brembo — an absolute top-tier supplier.

Being an electric vehicle, the Polestar 3 won’t always need those awesome Brembo brakes, because drivers can use the one-pedal driving function. One-pedal driving is when the level of brake regeneration can slow the vehicle just by easing off the accelerator. This action becomes second nature quite quickly and can be useful in the stop-and-start of city driving as well as during more spirited excursions along canyon roads.

Polestar says an optional lidar system will become available in preparation for autonomous driving. The Polestar 3 already comes with five radars, five external cameras, and a dozen external ultrasonic sensors as standard, supporting a variety of current (and planned) driver assistance and safety features. Its maximum towing capacity is 3,500 pounds, about 1,500 pounds shy of a typical gasoline-powered midsize SUV.

Like so many EVs, the Polestar 3 features a sparse interior dominated by a large infotainment touchscreen. All the same, we like it. It’s simple yet classy, with fine materials (many from sustainable sources). A standard panoramic glass roof adds airiness, while the 14.5-inch central screen is generous for the class and has suitably sharp graphics.

This is a 5-seater luxury electric SUV with supremely supportive front seats. It took hardly any time for us to achieve an ideal driving position. We also like the amount of rear passenger space. One thing we’re slightly less comfortable with is cargo space. The luggage area behind the rear seats measures 17.1 cubic feet, with 3.1 of those under the floor. Fold the seats, and the maximum area is 49.8 cubic feet. Both of these figures are low for the class. There’s also a 1.1 cubic-foot space under the hood, which is great for stowing a charging cable.

Over-the-shoulder vision is restricted by the way the Polestar 3’s “waist” rises toward the rear, but we’re thankful that blind-spot monitoring is standard.

Whatever one might think about the Polestar 2 (High-riding hatchback? Wagon?), the newer Polestar 3 is unambiguously an SUV — an extremely sleek and futuristic-looking one at that. At 16 feet long, the Polestar 3 is about an inch shorter than the BMW X5 midsize SUV or approximately halfway between the Tesla Model Y and Model X.

Pilot pack
This standard equipment includes adaptive cruise control, lane-changing assistance, parking assistance, plus a head-up display.

Plus pack
You’re going to want this. It brings a 25-speaker/1,610-watt Bowers & Wilkins audio system with Dolby Atmos (which brings extra life to music), soft-closing doors, heated rear seats, and several other features.

Performance pack
The standard Polestar 3 is sweetly powerful, but we know some buyers will want more. The Performance pack brings exactly that, with 517 hp and 671 lb-ft of torque. It also entails a sport tune for the adaptive air suspension and 22-inch alloy wheels wearing grippy Pirelli P Zero tires.

Google built-in
This Google-based infotainment system is user-friendly and responds well to voice commands given in natural speech. Its navigation uses Google Maps and allows the use of other apps purchased through the Google Play online store.

Two-way charging
In addition to receiving electrical energy, the Polestar 3 can send it out, even to the point of being able to power a refrigerator and other essentials in the event of an outage.

Interior radar
First announced in the all-electric Volvo EX90 SUV, this feature detects subtle movement — like a child’s or pet’s breathing — to help prevent loved ones from being left in the vehicle inadvertently.

The Polestar 3’s best range is 350 miles. That’s solid and compares well against the competition. Mid-range offerings can reach up to 315 miles, also a competitive figure. With the Performance pack added, the range dips to 279 miles, which is still perfectly usable.

Using a DC fast charger, the Polestar 3’s battery can go from 10% capacity to 80% in 30 minutes. That’s the level most EVs are at these days, although some can perform the same task in around 20 minutes.

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

Polestar’s new vehicle warranty lasts four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. Batteries are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles. These terms are typical for the luxury sector.

Safety

Standard safety features in the 2025 Polestar 3 include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, and an acoustic vehicle alert system for other road users who may not be aware of a near-silent electric vehicle in their immediate vicinity.