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Polestar is evolving. And proof of that came in 2024 with this Polestar 3. This was the company's first large SUV and of course is fully electric, with a sporty vibe that pitched this original version directly against rivals like BMW's iX and Jaguar's I-PACE. The brand saw it as 'the luxury SUV for the electric age'. Here, we look at the early 2024-2025 400V models as a used buy.
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Luxury Full Electric Cars
History
By early 2024, the Polestar brand really needed this Polestar 3 large SUV, having previously depended almost completely on the compact Polestar 2. This '3' was a high-end large luxury EV evolving the company's design identity and was, according to the marque's then-CEO Thomas Ingenlath, tasked with bringing the 'sport' back to this class of SUV.
It sat on much more substantial underpinnings than the Polestar 2, using a freshly developed SPA2 platform also designed to underpin future models. And was built in China and (for Europe) at Volvo's US factory in Ridgeville, South Carolina to sell in thirty global markets. It's the early pre-facelift 400V versions pf this car that we look at here. A Long range Single motor variant joined the Dual motor versions in the line-up in late 2024.
* What You Pay
Prices for the Long range Single motor version of this Polestar 3 start at around £40,700 (around £46,000 retail) for a typical variant on an early '24-plate. Prices for the Long range Dual motor version of this Polestar 3 start at around £43,500 (around £48,750 retail) for a typical variant on an early '24-plate. Prices for the Long range Dual motor Performance version of this Polestar 3 start at around £44,900 (around £50,250 retail) for a typical variant on an early '24-plate.
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What you get
This was a different kind of Polestar to anything we'd seen before, though certain styling cues remained, like the Y-shaped 'Thor's Hammer' LED headlights, the full-width rear light bar and the chunky side cladding. There's a rakish silhouette with a panoramic glass roof panel that curves gently towards the back, passing beneath a prominent rear spoiler. There are air- channelling vents at the leading edge of the bonnet and substantial rear haunches, with flush-fitting door handles offering a finishing touch.
Size-wise, think BMW iX, Mercedes EQC or Audi e-tron from this era, so it's a large category SUV. Which means that more luxury and technology will be expected inside up-front, where things are dominated by a huge central screen that uses Google's Android Automotive OS operating system. The panoramic roof gives the cabin an airy feel - which isn't illusory. Unlike in the Polestar 2, there's plenty of space on the back seat, where there's a fully flat floor courtesy of the Volvo/Polestar SPA2 EV architecture. You get a decently-sized 484-litre boot too, extendable to 1,411-litres with the backrest folded.
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What to look for
We've had a lot of reports of Polestar 3 software bugs, so check the car's media systems thoroughly. One owner had several issues; microphone not working; a complete loss of sound, including turn signals and parking assistance; door puddle lights flashing between white and gold, with no way to turn them off completely; and Emergency braking kicking in for no reason when reversing. There have been issues with the digital key system too. Otherwise, not too much goes wrong. Ask for a full battery health check if buying direct from Polestar or any other seller.
Obviously, you'll need to check the charging system. If the car won't charge, it could be a problem with your home electrics (or those at the public charge point you're using). Check the charge light to make sure that electricity really is going through the charge port. And make sure there really is charge in the socket you're using to power from - plug something else into it to see - say, your 'phone. If that charges OK, it could be that your charging cable is demanding too much power, so try another power source. Another problem could be that the circuit may have tripped due to a circuit overload. Or perhaps there could be a problem with the charge cable: this needs to be cared for properly. Repeatedly driving over it (as previous owners may conceivably have done) will damage it eventually. Make sure you do a charge-up before signing for the car you're looking at. When you do this, make sure that when you plug in to start the charge cycle you hear the charge port and the cable locking and engaging as they should; that's all part of the charger basically confirming with the car's onboard computer that everything's good to go before releasing power. But if the charging cable fails to lock as it should, then that won't happen. If there is a failure to lock, the issue could be actuator failure, caused by a blown fuse.
Otherwise, it's just the usual things to look for: parking knocks and scrapes and any damage to the interior caused by kids. And of course insist on fully stamped-up service history.
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Replacement parts
(approx based on a 2024 Polestar 3 Long range Single motor - Ex Vat - see autodoc.co.uk) Wiper blades sit in the £10-£17 bracket. An air filter is in the £20-£62 bracket. A rear shock absorber's generally in the £34-£50 bracket.
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On the road
'This is not a car to drive to the kindergarten', said then-Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath at this model's original launch, which seems ironic since that's exactly what an awful lot of Polestar 3s will be used for. The original model's power outputs were tuned to fit with this emphasis on handling engagement. There was a dual motor AWD set-up of course and in the base 'Long Range' version, that produced 489PS and 840Nm of torque, allowing 62mph to be dispatched in 5.0s on the way to 130mph. The 'Performance' version had a 519PS output (with 910Nm of torque) and trimmed the sprint time to 4.7s. Both variants used the same 111kWh (107kWh usable) battery, delivering a range of 379 miles for the 'Long Range' and 348 miles for the 'Performance' model. A year after launch, an entry-level Long range Single motor version was launched with 299PS and a 438 mile range.
You have to have one of the two Dual motor versions to get air suspension and of these, the 'Performance' variant should feel sharper through the turns, sitting 13mm lower than the standard car, with a shorter, stiffer suspension set-up. Whatever your choice though, the brand claims the car will be 'fun to drive': Chief Engineer Joakim Rydholm asserts that 'the 3 will breathe and flow a bit more than the Polestar 2'.
When plugged into an Ultra-fast charger (if you can find one), it should take around 20 minutes to charge the battery to 80%.
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Overall
Polestar reckoned that the 3 stayed true to the brand's performance roots. In this original form, it certainly stayed true to the kind of formula likely to be well received in the growing sector for stylised large luxury crossover EVs. It didn't bring anything dramatically new to the segment, but it did further refine what customers could expect from this class of car in terms of range, style, charging and connectivity. The Single motor version probably gives you everything you really need. But the air-suspended Dual motor versions are the ones you'll find most readily on the used market.
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