Polestar 3 review: For drivers who appricate simplicity
Polestar customers looking at the brand's latest model face an interesting choice - do you want to go fast, or do you want to go far?
The cheapest version of this prestige electric SUV claims truly impressive driving range - some 706 kilometres.
You can go faster if you spend more, but the most powerful version must stop 140 kilometres sooner than that.
All versions of the Polestar 3 have the same battery, a whopping 111kWh unit with roughly twice the capacity of affordable electric hatchbacks.
Lighter and simpler, the entry-level Polestar 3 has just one motor, a 220kW motor mounted in the rear of the car.
Capable of producing 220kW and 490Nm, it can propel the car to 100km/h in 7.8 seconds.
Want to go faster?
Dual-motor versions are available with 360kW/840Nm or 380kW and 910Nm - the latter capable of ripping to 100km/h in just 4.7 seconds.
But it can only drive for 567 kilometres.
Price might be a deciding factor. The two-wheel-drive model costs about $128,000 drive-away, while the high performance dual motor version starts from about $155,000 drive-away.
That's a lot of coin.
The options are dear, too. A 'plus pack' with a premium Bowers and Wilkins stereo is $9000, premium LED headlights are $3000 and an electric tow bar adds $2900 to the deal.
Whichever way you go, the result is a polished electric SUV with Scandinavian design elements and Chinese battery know-how.
Think luxurious yet sustainable materials, wonderfully comfortable seats and a Google-powered infotainment system.
It takes a little more time to learn than simple smartphone mirroring such as Apple CarPlay, but it's worth persisting with as it helps the car stand apart from the crowd.
The interior really does make a quiet statement. It's a calming, comfortable space that swerves around the ostentatious trim and nightclub-esque LED lighting of some alternatives.
And you could say the same of the driving experience. This isn't a shouty, boisterous car. It's an exercise in restraint, painted with a palette of neutral earth tones rather than primary colours or neon.
The standard car's regular suspension does a decent job of keeping you comfortable while maintaining control of considerable mass. Air suspension in the all-wheel-drive version might be a better bet, but then again, it adds weight and complexity that saps range.
The simple two-wheel-drive set-up suits the Polestar.
It's a car that aims to soother, rather than thrill. Self-assured but not self-aggrandising, it's a pleasantly inoffensive model geared toward folks who appreciate its restrained design and environmental conscience.
Perhaps it will be for some folks.
But it's hard to see it cutting through in big numbers here, particularly when rival machines like the Porsche Macan bring prestige badges and the promise of greater driving satisfaction for similar money.
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