It’s nearly impossible to turn a corner in Los Angeles and not come face-to-fender with a Tesla. No other electric vehicle manufacturer has been able to hit the sales numbers that Tesla has. However, aside from the funky Cybertruck, Tesla’s core product line has started to feel a bit stale. Plus, Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s political activity has turned off some potential buyers. It could be the right time for another EV disruptor to carve away some sales from Tesla—Polestar could be that brand.

About The Polestar Brand

Polestar began about ten years ago as the high-performance arm of Volvo and delivered a handful of truly beastly sedans and wagons. Volvo and Polestar are now part of Chinese automotive giant Geely, along with the British brand Lotus. Geely has serious electric vehicle expertise, so it made sense that the Polestar brand evolved into a fully electric one about five years ago. Today, the lineup includes the Polestar 2 electric sport sedan, the all-new Polestar 3 SUV, and the upcoming Polestar 4 SUV Coupe. The Polestar 3 is manufactured in a new plant in South Carolina, which is likely to produce future Polestar vehicles as well.

The Polestar 3 Is Available In Several Models

The Polestar 3 is available in several models. There’s a $67,500 MSRP Long Range Single Motor with an EPA-rated 350 miles of range, a $73,400 MSRP Long Range Dual Motor with 315 miles of range, and the car we tested over the course of a week—an $88,100 MSRP First Edition Long Range Dual Motor, which also offers 315 miles of range. Our 3 was equipped with the $5,500 Ventilated Nappa Leather Package and the $2,200 22-inch sport wheels.

A Level Of Poise In The Twisties

All three of these EVs have a 400V lithium-ion battery pack under the floor with a capacity of 111 kWh. Some models have a Performance Pack, which delivers 517 horsepower and 671 pound-feet of torque. Our conventional two-motor tester had an impressive 489 horsepower and 620 pound-feet of torque. That’s enough to get the nearly three-ton SUV to 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds. On the twisty canyon roads high above north Malibu’s hills, the Polestar 3 was exceptionally quick. More importantly, it had a level of poise on the twisty sections of tarmac that few mainstream EVs do.

Even The Softest Suspension Setting Was Well-Tuned For Canyon Driving

Polestar offers a drive mode screen that allows the driver to adjust settings for steering feel, suspension firmness, and power level, as well as one-pedal drive and stability control. In short, you can tailor the feel of the car to either your mood or the road you’re driving on. As we cycled through all the settings and got a taste for this car on the glorious roads, we found that no matter what settings the car was in, the Polestar 3 felt sharp, planted, and inspired confidence. The cool thing? Even the softest suspension setting was well-tuned for canyon driving.

The firmest setting made the car corner flatly, but the biggest undulating corners made the car feel a little too stiff and bouncy. Dialing back to the mid-level “Nimble” setting offers just about the perfect amount of roll control and compliance. Similarly, the weightiest “Firm” level for the steering was the best choice here. Compared to other performance EVs, like the Tesla Model Y, the Polestar is tuned for driving fun without compromising ride quality.

Firm Ride, But A Great Drive Experience

On the streets of Los Angeles, the 3 felt comfortable and easy to live with. The ride is on the firm side, even on the softest setting. This is true even on the worst roads. However, we never found a pothole that was too jarring for the suspension. Overall, the driving experience is hard to fault. While some EV drivers enjoy the resistance of one-pedal driving around town, we prefer to coast. Thankfully, Polestar offers two one-pedal drive modes, along with a traditional coasting experience similar to that of an internal combustion engine when you lift your foot from the accelerator.

Upscale Materials, Well Assembled

The Polestar feels well-assembled and fairly luxurious inside. The materials are upscale, Nordic modern in design, and quite like a Volvo—no bad thing. The Polestar 3 is about as tech-forward as any EV today. There is no “key,” just a fob that recognizes you and allows you to simply shift into Drive mode and be on your way.

Similarly, almost every adjustment and driving task is handled through the 14.5-inch infotainment screen, including the aforementioned driving settings. But there are also functions, such as adjusting the side view mirrors and steering wheel height, as well as opening and closing the glove box, that don’t have physical buttons and are instead handled virtually on the screen.

Google Assistant is built in, so you need only say, “take me to a pizza restaurant,” and the system will oblige with directions. It works well and is very quick, so it can save you the hassle of using your phone’s nav system for directions while on the move.

We Think The 9-Inch Gauge Cluster Needs More Information

Our car had the Pilot Pack, which includes an adaptive cruise control system, lane change assist, a 3D view 360-degree camera, and a head-up display. We also had the Plus Pack, which included a more advanced particulate filter for cabin air quality. There’s even a screen within the infotainment system that lets you monitor both outside and inside air quality. We found this feature useful and smart.

The 9-inch gauge cluster in front of the driver is fairly small and only displays basic information like miles and charge remaining, speed, and navigation. We’d prefer a bit more information and maybe a few themes to choose from.

Limo-Like Rear Seat

The Polestar 3 is one handsome SUV. The bodywork curves and flares at just the right spots to present an athletic and unique design. The car looks especially good from the rear, where the tapered tail really shows off a taut, purposeful style. This has to be one of the best-looking electric SUVs at the moment.

It looks like there would be very little room inside for people and things—especially in the second row. But that’s far from the case. In fact, not only are the front seats roomy, but the rear seat is simply limo-like. We sat behind the driver’s seat positioned for a six-footer and had about four inches of knee room before our legs touched the seat. Headroom was just as impressive, with at least 3 inches before our hair hit the headliner. The trunk area has 17 cubic feet of cargo space, which is significantly less than the Tesla Model Y. However, there’s a button back there that, when pressed, will lower the rear suspension. This is a smart feature for shorter drivers who need to load bulky items in the cargo area.

Less Range Than Expected

We started our test with a full charge and a predicted range showing 280 miles. Over the course of the five days we spent with the Polestar 3, we racked up 226 miles before the battery pack dropped to 9 percent. That’s significantly less than the quoted 315 miles of range. While the Long Range Rear Drive model does offer a bit more range, the 3’s EV range falls short compared to many other new EVs.

The Bottom Line

Overall, the Polestar 3 is a great driving and highly stylish EV. We really appreciate the sweet spot between ride and handling as well as the easy-to-use infotainment system and the way the driver can really fine-tune the drive experience through the settings. And of course, we dig that roomy interior. Yes, the 3 could use more range to satisfy those that plan to take longer road trips. Perhaps an even longer-range model will be added in the coming years.