[Star Test Drive] Polestar 3, a family SUV that also devours tracks — the flagship

*This content was translated by AI.

One-line review of Polestar

A flagship SUV embodying both the fundamentals and essence of Polestar

GOOD

- Polestar's flagship SUV, leading with performance and design

- No signs of compromise in materials, equipment, output, or efficiency; everything is top-tier

BAD

- The ugliest among the Polestar lineup

- Despite being a flagship, it lacks the aura befitting a "flagship"

Competing models

- Porsche Cayenne EV: An electric SUV crafted by a traditional sports car brand that has repositioned itself

- Volvo EX90: Offers relatively more subdued power but is larger and more luxurious

Thomas Ingenlath, the former CEO of Polestar. I met him in person at Shanghai, China, in 2024. He was a man who could only feel satisfied after making sensitive decisions about everything from his attire and the water he drank to the interior color scheme. Truly an "exacting boss." He introduced Polestar as "a European-style electric high-performance automotive brand" with emphasis. He also declared his ambition: "There will be no compromise; we will compete in the premium electric vehicle market solely through design and performance."

The Polestar 3 is Polestar's flagship SUV built on this vision. Although it could have been launched last year, Polestar Korea decided to delay its release because the 400V system would soon require an upgrade to 800V within less than a year. As a result, in South Korea at least, this model has no predecessor or outdated version.

The venue for testing the Polestar 3 was the Yongin Everland Speedway, a race track with a total length of 2,125 meters and a longest straightaway of 450 meters. The reason for choosing a circuit as the test site for an electric SUV with a length of 4,900 mm is its bold output reaching up to 680 horsepower. To achieve 680 horsepower using internal combustion engines, one would need a 4.0L V8 engine paired with two turbochargers. Vehicles with such power levels include the Aston Martin Vantage S or Bentley Continental GTS. For reference, even without the Polestar 3 Performance variant, the Polestar 3 Dual Motor delivers 544 horsepower, and the Polestar 3 Rear Motor produces 333 horsepower, demonstrating its exceptional output capabilities.

Although it is marketed as an electric SUV (based on the Performance trim), the equipment installed in this vehicle is truly lavish, completing all preparations for serious driving. It is equipped with a two-chamber air suspension and Brembo four-piston brakes, with calipers even machined from aluminum. At this level, one might say, "Wow, they put a lot of thought into this for an electric SUV." The Polestar 3 went a step further by achieving a front-to-rear weight distribution of 49:51. It even differentiated tire aspect ratios, with 265 at the front and 295 at the rear. Moreover, it features spoilers on both the front and rear, typically seen only in high-end sports cars. Nothing has been neglected. Efforts were also made to streamline the bodywork to cut through the air efficiently.

The highlight of the Polestar 3 is its interior. The materials are both luxurious and practical, and the applications experienced via the 14.5-inch center display leave no room for boredom. However, the true masterpiece is the Bowers & Wilkins sound system. Without exaggeration, it delivers more refined audio than companies known for their car audio systems such as KEF, Burmester, McIntosh, or Sonus faber. In particular, the information density and clarity in the mid-range frequencies are exceptionally excellent. The design of the sound itself is also impressive; compared to a casually assembled mid-range, distortion has been significantly reduced, allowing for much cleaner and clearer sound across the entire frequency spectrum from mid-range to high-end.

Recently, premium automobiles have emphasized speaker counts or PMPO (Peak Music Power Output) figures. However, these metrics lack standardized measurement criteria, and manufacturers can inflate numbers at will. As a result, they are ultimately useless information. What matters far more is the RMS (Root Mean Square / Effective Power), which indicates how consistently a speaker can produce sound without distortion. Additionally, it is more helpful to examine how hardware is arranged to evenly distribute low, mid, and high-frequency speakers for rich sound expression. The Volvo EX90 I recently experienced followed the same principle, and the Polestar 3 also leaves no room for criticism regarding its hardware configuration. A prime example is the Double Dome Nautilus tweeter prominently mounted on top of the dashboard. This tweeter's greatest strengths lie in the material's superior elasticity and damping capabilities, as well as its natural sound resolution. While slight variations may occur depending on the playlist, the improved clarity and definition deliver higher-resolution, cleaner, and clearer sound, especially for string instruments like vocals, violins, and cellos.

Monster-like output and balance displayed on the track

The test drive began with a group of journalists forming teams. Thanks to being assigned to a team of experienced automotive journalists, we received special attention from the instructors and were able to test the vehicle for much longer than scheduled, reaching speeds exceeding 200 km/h. Before starting, we completed all necessary settings required on the track, including steering sensitivity, suspension feel, and Sport mode. As expected of the Performance trim, acceleration from a standstill to 100 km/h takes just 3.9 seconds. Upon hard acceleration, the overwhelming performance left my head spinning. In the subsequent corner, turning the steering wheel sent the vehicle directly toward the next straightaway without hesitation. On the 450th-meter straight, the car felt as if it were glued to the road. The braking performance was ideal; despite the significant weight of the vehicle, its mass was barely noticeable. Most notably, the brake force distribution remained consistent from start to finish.

Even after repeated acceleration and deceleration cycles and driving at high speeds until reaching the limit of braking performance on the pedal, the Polestar 3 never showed signs of fatigue. Was it due to its high-performance equipment, or did Polestar's engineers tune the vehicle with supernatural precision? Perhaps both factors worked together in harmony.

Journalists who drove the car unanimously praised its "excellent balance." They also remarked, "Now I understand why a circuit was chosen as the test venue for such a large electric SUV," offering high praise for the Polestar 3. I agree. Although it is a family electric SUV, the Polestar 3 demonstrates performance on the track that is almost combat-ready.

Although Thomas Ingenlath has since returned to Volvo, during his tenure as Polestar CEO, he emphasized with wide eyes the identity of Polestar: "Swedish Electric Performance Brand." Driving the flagship SUV of this brand, the Polestar 3, I once again realized what "performance" truly means in the context he so passionately championed.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.