Friend of the site Connie Peters has a video review of the 2025 Polestar 3 for us.
With 517 horsepower on tap, the word “quick” comes to mind. A 0-100 kmh time of 4.7 seconds is not shabby, and 280 miles of range is nothing to sneeze at.
Connie Peters is an automotive video creator and journalist covering all types of cars and trucks for the past 10 years in suburban Vancouver. You can watch all of her videos on her YouTube channel or find here on social media: Instagram.com/xoconniepeters, TikTok.com/@xoconniepeters, Facebook.com/xoconniepeters, Threads.net/@xoconniepeters
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A transcript, cleaned up by AI and edited by a staffer, is below.
[Image: Video Thumbnail]
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Transcript:
This is the Polestar 3 SUV, the first SUV from Polestar. If you’re wondering what Polestar is, it originally started as Volvo’s performance arm before splitting off into its own brand. They’re not completely separate, but Polestar is now a standalone EV-only brand. This is their third model, the Polestar 3.
I actually have another video on the channel from last September when I attended the first drive program. We drove it on a track and an off-road course. This week, though, I’ve had a chance to live with it day to day—street driving, city use, normal daily life. On that first drive, we only spent about 20 minutes on public roads.
This thing honestly feels like it has a jetpack attached. It’s extremely quick. Zero to 100 km/h is rated at 4.7 seconds, which puts 0–60 mph somewhere around 4.5 or 4.6 seconds. This is the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive Long Range Performance version, so it’s the top spec.
In the U.S., you can get a rear-wheel-drive single-motor version. In Canada, it’s dual motor only, either the regular Long Range or the Performance. This one is the Performance, so it has all the extras, including the Bowers & Wilkins sound system, which is one of my favorites. It has strong acceleration, charges well, and offers up to 450 km of range. I’ll talk more about real-world range later while driving.
I really like this black exterior and the overall body style. It’s genuinely good-looking for an SUV. The Performance model gets large Brembo brakes with gold calipers, big brake discs, and 22-inch wheels with performance tires. These are Michelin tires—likely summer-focused rather than winter or mud-and-snow rated.
The door handles sit flush, and the keys are fairly unique. The body shape is very coupe-like for an SUV, which does mean less space than its Volvo EX90 cousin, which has a third row. This one does not.
I love the rear styling. It’s simple, clean, and understated, with a light bar and subtle black-on-black Polestar badging. There’s no unnecessary branding. My one complaint back here is the rear wiper—I wish it were tucked under the spoiler like some other brands do, which looks cleaner.
The power liftgate opens to reveal Polestar and Volvo’s clever cargo management system. The car has active air suspension, which automatically lowers at highway speeds for better aerodynamics, but you can also raise or lower it manually from back here.
The cargo area includes built-in grocery hooks, clearly marked with bag icons, and storage for the charging cable. The load floor lifts to reveal additional storage underneath. You’ll also find three top tether anchors for child seats, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, a privacy cover, a 12V outlet, and controls for the air suspension height.
On the road, the Polestar 3 feels incredibly smooth and quiet. The instant electric torque is obvious, with 517 horsepower going to all four wheels. Range is rated at about 450 km, or roughly 280 miles. You’ll get slightly more range from the non-Performance dual-motor version, which trades a bit of power for efficiency.
The seats are very comfortable, and the driving experience feels more like a sports car than a typical SUV. The active air suspension constantly adjusts ride height, and if you actually want to take this off-road—which you can—you can manually raise it for more ground clearance and better approach angles. I’ve driven it on an off-road course, and it handled it surprisingly well.
Inside, the car starts automatically when you sit down and press the brake—no start button required. The keys are interesting as well. There’s a card that can be added to your Apple Wallet and used as a digital key, and there’s also a small rechargeable key fob. You charge the fob on the wireless pad in the center console.
The interior is very minimalist. There’s a small driver display and haptic controls for things like mirrors and steering wheel adjustments, which are configured through the main screen. The infotainment system is Google-based and includes wireless Apple CarPlay. It connects quickly and works smoothly. Because it’s Google built-in, you also get access to additional apps.
Climate control is tri-zone, with independent controls for the rear. I don’t mind having most settings in the screen since everything is clearly laid out. The car includes Pilot Assist with adaptive cruise control and stop-and-go functionality, which works well.
You can enable or disable one-pedal driving, turn creep on or off, and switch between Range and Performance drive modes. In Range mode, the car prioritizes efficiency and typically runs in rear-wheel drive. Performance mode delivers full power. Steering feel is adjustable as well.
There was a suspension error message that popped up unexpectedly, which hadn’t happened earlier in the week, so that was new. Navigation defaults to Google Maps, but you can switch to Apple Maps through CarPlay if you prefer.
Rear-seat space is excellent. This is set to my driving position—I’m 5’1”—but even so, there’s a lot of room. The climate system activates automatically when you sit in the back, which is a nice touch. Rear passengers get heated seats, two USB-C charging ports, rear climate controls, and seatback pockets.
The upholstery isn’t leather but a premium-feeling fabric called bio-attributed MicroTech. It’s fossil-free PVC, and the material labeling is actually printed on the seats. Combined with the metal accents throughout the cabin, everything feels solid and upscale, which you’d expect at this price point.
There are ISOFIX anchors for two child seats and a large fixed glass roof. I personally prefer glass roofs that either open or have a sunshade, or at least some kind of dimming technology, but that’s a personal preference.
The Bowers & Wilkins sound system is excellent. It’s easily my favorite audio system in any vehicle, and in this relatively compact cabin, it sounds especially good. I wanted to show a close-up of the seats and materials because everything feels well-made, solid, and premium—nothing cheap or plasticky.
One interesting note: this particular car is marked as made in China. I’ve read that U.S.-market Polestar 3 models are built in the U.S., possibly in South Carolina, so it appears Canadian models may be sourced from China.
Pricing in Canada starts at around $97,000 for the dual-motor Long Range version. The Performance model seen here comes in at about $106,000 CAD. In the U.S., pricing starts around $68,000 for the rear-wheel-drive single-motor version, while the top-spec Performance model is priced at $81,300.
The Polestar brand may be new on its own, but it has a long history tied to Volvo. It used to be Volvo’s performance division and is now a standalone EV brand.
Let me know what you think. Feel free to leave a question or comment, and I’ll see you next time. Don’t forget to subscribe and follow me on social.
