Long-term test: Polestar 3 Long Range Single Motor

Verdict

The Polestar 3 is classy, comfortable and spacious, and I’m looking forward to some longer trips to really see whether a range of well over 400 miles makes this car easier to live with than EVs I’ve run in the past. That will also allow time to get the most out of the fairly complex infotainment system; once I’m familiar with it, it could prove to be great.

• Mileage: 8,963 miles
• Efficiency: 2.8mi/kWh

We’ve kind of gone against our own advice when picking which Polestar 3 to run. But we’re playing the long game with the Long Range Single Motor edition that joined the SUV’s line-up last year, dropping the entry point to below £70,000 and pushing the official range out to a heady 438 miles.

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That makes this the longest-range electric car we’ve ever run on the Auto Express test fleet, and it’s going to be interesting to see if over 400 miles of range is enough to silence the EV sceptics over the next six months. 

I’m lucky because I can charge at home, and I’m expecting my clever Ohme chargepoint will soon come into its own, taking advantage of cheaper rates of supply where possible, while still making sure the car is ready to go at the time I’ve set. Without home charging, the argument for electric cars falls apart, I reckon. 

Used - available now

2025 Polestar

3

8,042 milesAutomaticElectric

Cash £53,999

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2025 Polestar

3

1,214 milesAutomaticElectric

Cash £55,999

View 3

2025 Polestar

3

1,249 milesAutomaticElectric

Cash £47,999

View 3

Given that the latest EVs are edging out to 500 miles of range and beyond, my suspicion is that we’re reaching numbers that might be more than most drivers actually need. I’m also fascinated to see if the Polestar’s range is enough to minimise pricey public charging stops on longer trips. Previous EVs I’ve run have hovered below the 250-mile mark at best in the real world, and sometimes that meant a rapid charge to make sure I got home.  

Which is why we’ve gone against our own advice when picking which model to test. When the Long Range Single Motor was added to the line-up, we concluded that the Dual Motor alternative’s extra performance  and brilliant adaptive air suspension were worth the £6,000 price jump and the reduced range. 

But I was attracted to the potential extra 43 miles of driving on a charge, taking the claimed range to well over the 400-mile mark, and that was the clincher compared with the Dual Motor’s official 395 miles. True, its 7.5-second 0-62mph time is a little on the relaxed side, but this is a big SUV, so almost 300bhp should be enough to keep me happy. 

And going for the entry car doesn’t mean any compromise in kit. My family and I are enjoying the likes of a head-up display, heated seats all-round, panoramic roof, three-zone climate control, and what seems like every safety system ever invented. 

Beyond that, we were a little extravagant with the options list, ticking boxes for various packs that add just over £12,000 to the list price, but give us a chance to assess the value of the various extras. One place we didn’t add any cost, though, was the Magnesium paint. As the standard colour, it’s the only one that doesn’t add £1,000 to the price, but I think it suits the car better than the blue, black, white or lighter grey options. 

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It’s early days with the car, so we’re still waiting for the predicted range to settle down in line with my driving style. The figure is hovering around the 240-mile mark on an 80 per cent charge, which means 300 miles or so from a full battery. As soon as I start doing some longer trips, I’m expecting that to rise. 

What has been getting a rise out of me from day one, though, is the key. I can’t fathom Polestar’s decision-making, and assume it’s a case of style over logic, but there’s no unlock button on the fob – the car opens as you walk up to it with the key in your pocket. Which is fine until one of your children remembers they’ve left their phone behind and runs back to the car to get it. 

With a normal car, you’d get the key out and hit the unlock button, but Polestar didn’t think of such scenarios, so you either have to call said child back to give them the key, or grab your phone and use Polestar’s app to unlock the car. Occasionally, the 3 has even decided it doesn’t want to open. I never knew I’d miss an unlock button so much. 

Having every operation deep in touchscreen menus is also taking a bit of getting used to. The screen itself is excellent, but it’s not easy to find some functions. At least the climate control and other important settings are fairly easily accessible across the bottom bar.

*Insurance quote from AA (0800 107 0680) for a 42-year-old in Banbury, Oxon, with three points.

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