Polestar3 v2 (2026) Review

IT’S 4pm, it’s a Sunday and I’m heading out.

It’s also the summer holidays and I live at one end of a tourism spot and my brother, who I need to visit, lives at the other.

In between are some of the most glorious roads in the country, if not the world. Lake District one end, Yorkshire Dales the other, but the chances of the roads being clear in the middle must be slim to none.

There’ll be cyclists, walkers, caravans and campers, Sunday drivers and more motorcyclists than the number of flies stuck to the front bumper – or will there?

I have a theory about tourists and day trippers. They don’t emerge until 10am and by 3pm they have headed off back home, and that certainly seems to be true today.

So what am I left with? Let’s see. Stunning weather, incredible roads and a simply amazing car, courtesy of Polestar.

If I tell you that Polestar started life as a race team you will understand why this contemporary looking electric SUV goes the way it does.

Yes, the Polestar3 is large – I’m off to pick up a substantial set of drawers as my brother is moving to a village near me – yes, it is luxurious with plush trim and one of the best hi-fis you could ever hope to hear, yes, it is class to look at, something you’ll be proud to have plugged in on the drive. But the unexpected brilliance of this car is how it drives, which is like a sports car.

Whernside on one side of the road, Ribblehead Viaduct on the other and beautiful fields, hills and attractive drystone walls all around. The light, the smells of cut grass – it’s hay making time – the vistas in all directions, could I be any happier?

Polestar3 is the cherry on the top of this remarkable layer cake. Its performance is stunning, the single electric motor shoving 333hp and 480Nm of torque through the back wheels. That’s a lot and even though the Polestar is a solid beast – 2.4 tonnes – acceleration is electric, literally, as is the mid-range.

Lift off the throttle and the regenerative braking kicks in making the 3 a one-pedal wonder and it makes safe forays through the countryside an utter joy.

Steering is uber-positive and the handling magnificent thanks to wide 20in alloys, great suspension and brilliant weight distribution. How about 48/52 per cent, front to rear, as the perfect balance. That sense of equilibrium translates into perfect poise and dynamic reactions. Drivers will love it.

Being electric it is supremely smooth and  quiet, of course, and the stupendous interior and panoramic glass roof give 3 a delightful ambience where you will be happy to loiter.

Practically speaking the Polestar is easy to live with too. The range is a genuine 340 and at slower speeds reluctant to drop. Even on the motorways it far from plummets. The new 800 Volt electrical architecture means faster charging times; how about 10-80 percent in just 22 minutes? That do you?

There is plenty of tech and it’s all on the large portrait touchscreen, even the darn mirrors. But I simply set it up before starting off then I’m not tempted to fiddle while under way.

I’ve been privileged to drive a lot of cars in the course of my career and many of them can be a bit meh. Not so the Polestar3, it’s brilliant and I can’t wait to head back west with even less traffic to get in the way.

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