What’s the difference between the Polestar 2 and Polestar 3?
Australia is about to receive its second Polestar offering, the Polestar 3. It's larger, has more space, and is more expensive, but what else differentiates this new SUV from its smaller sibling? Here's everything you need to know.
Polestar was previously – and briefly – the high-performance offshoot of Chinese-owned, Swedish car maker Volvo, but it was spun off in 2018 as a standalone electric brand.
Australia missed out on its first offering, the Polestar 1, but launched locally with the Polestar 2 in early 2022.
The Polestar 2 is proving popular in a growing electric sedan segment, selling 2058 units in the running tally for January to November sales.
The brand's newest offering, the Polestar 3, is set to enter Australia in mid-2024.
If you're unfamiliar with the brand, or perhaps you're seriously considering a Polestar, you'll want to find out which one is best suited to your individual requirements. Here's everything you need to know about the two vehicles in the Polestar line-up.
How much does the Polestar 2 cost?
The Polestar 2 range kicks off with the Standard Range Single Motor starting from $67,400, and tops out at $85,400 for the Dual Motor with Performance Pack. Both prices exclude on-road costs.
How much does the Polestar 3 cost?
The Polestar 3 offers two models – the Long Range Dual Motor, which starts at $132,900, along with the Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack, which kicks off at $141,900. Both prices exclude on-road costs.
How big is the Polestar 2?
The Polestar 2 sits in the medium passenger car class, rivalling the Tesla Model 3. It measures 4606mm long, 1985mm wide, 1479mm high, and sits on a wheelbase of 2735mm.
How big is the Polestar 3?
The Polestar 3 sits in the medium SUV class, rivalling vehicles such as the BMW iX. It's 4900mm long, 1968mm wide, 1614mm high, and sits on a wheelbase of 2985mm.
How big is the boot in the Polestar 2?
The Polestar 2 has a cargo capacity of 405L, and with the rear seats folded, you get 1095L of cargo space. In comparison, the Tesla Model 3 offers 594/682L.
How big is the boot in the Polestar 3?
The Polestar 3 has 484L of cargo space, which extends to 1411L with the rear seats folded. For comparison, the BMW iX gets 500/1750L.
How many seats does the Polestar 2 have?
The Polestar 2 is offered with five seats.
How many seats does the Polestar 3 have?
Even though the Polestar 3 is based on the EX90 platform (a seven-seater), it is equipped with five seats.
Is the Polestar 2 all-wheel drive?
Yes. Both Dual Motor models are all-wheel drive, while the Single Motor variants are rear-wheel drive.
The Long Range Dual Motor packs dual motors and an 82kWh battery pack. It's capable of 310kW/740Nm and has a claimed 0–100km/h sprint time of 4.5 seconds.
With the added Performance pack, it spits out 350kW/740Nm and boasts a 0–100km/h sprint time of 4.2 seconds.
Is the Polestar 3 all-wheel drive?
Yes. The Polestar 3 is all-wheel drive. Both models are equipped with one electric motor at each axle and a 111kWh battery pack. The Long Range Dual Motor is capable of 360kW and 840Nm, with a claimed 0–100km/h sprint time of 5.0 seconds.
With the added Performance Pack it boasts 380kW/910Nm and a claimed 0–100km/h sprint time of 4.7 seconds.
What's the driving range in the Polestar 2?
The driving range in the Polestar 2 is dependent on the variant. The Standard Range Single Motor offers 546km, the Long Range Single Motor gets 655km, the Long Range Dual Motor has 593km, and adding the Performance Pack provides 568km. All driving ranges are claimed and may differ depending on conditions.
What's the driving range in the Polestar 3?
The claimed driving range of the Long Range Dual Motor is 610km, while the Performance Pack brings that figure down to 560km.
Does the Polestar 2 have a spare wheel?
No. The Polestar 2 doesn't come with a spare wheel. It's equipped with a temporary tyre repair kit.
Does the Polestar 3 have a spare wheel?
No. The Polestar 3 doesn't come with a spare wheel. It's equipped with a temporary tyre repair kit.
Is the Polestar 2 safe?
The Polestar 2 was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2022. It scored 92 per cent for adult occupant protection, 87 per cent for child occupant protection, 80 per cent for vulnerable road user protection, and 82 per cent for safety assistance.
As standard, the Polestar 2 is equipped with front and rear parking sensors, side parking sensors (new, previously optional), a 360-degree camera (new, previously optional), autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian/cyclist detection, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring (new, previously optional), rear cross-traffic alert (new, previously optional), traffic sign recognition, cruise control (non-adaptive), tyre pressure loss warning, and eight airbags (including a front-centre airbag).
Is the Polestar 3 safe?
The Polestar 3 is yet to be tested by ANCAP. It has, however, received a 10/10 from How Safe Is Your Car based on its active and passive safety features.
As standard, the Polestar 3 gets a rear-view camera, 360-degree surround-view camera, front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, tyre pressure monitoring, driver monitoring system, and "up to" nine airbags (including dual front-centre airbags).
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