Design that turns heads, corners that surprise: a drive in the Polestar 3

The Polestar 3 weaves through cones at more than 70 kph at Yongin Speedway in Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. Despite a body weight approaching 2.5 tons, the vehicle showed minimal body roll and remained stable throughout. [Polestar]

Threading through cones at more than 70 kph, the 2.5-ton body barely lurched or pushed wide. Coming out of the slalom section and pressing the accelerator, the rear wheels drove the car forward with authority. The proportions were those of a full-size SUV; the behavior was closer to a sports car.

On Tuesday, this reporter spent about three hours behind the wheel of the Polestar 3 — Polestar's flagship electric SUV — at Yongin Speedway in Gyeonggi Province. After laps on the circuit, slalom and gymkhana runs, and a stretch of public road, the strongest impression left was not simply that of a "fast electric SUV." The Polestar 3 first catches the eye with its low, sharp design, but the moment it enters a corner it reveals a second face — one that belongs to a sports car.

Seen in person for the first time, the proportions are immediately unlike those of a conventional large SUV. The body stretches 4,900 mm in length and 1,970 mm in width, yet stands only 1,615 mm tall. Viewed from the side, the silhouette sits long and low to the ground. The front hood is cut with a "front wing" vent to channel airflow, while a large rear aero wing and aero blades are positioned at the back. Rather than adding decorative elements, the designers used airflow itself as a styling device.

In person, the low roofline and wide stance read even more dramatically than in photographs. The vehicle carries the bulk of a large SUV without looking sluggish. The Swedish Gold seatbelts and Brembo calipers on the Performance trim add accents without feeling overdone.

The front end of the Polestar 3, photographed at Yongin Speedway in Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. The low-set nose, front wing on the hood and T-shaped LED headlights combine to give the vehicle an aggressive, aerodynamic look. [Jeong Gyeong-su]

Corners that make you forget 2.5 tons — braking surprises more than acceleration

The Polestar 3 Performance produces a maximum output of 680 hp and peak torque of 870 Nm. It reaches 100 kph from a standstill in 3.9 seconds, with a curb weight of 2,520 kg. On paper, it is easy to picture it as simply a heavy body being shoved forward by a powerful motor.

On the track, however, what stood out was not straight-line acceleration but cornering behavior. Even through a hairpin and into a sequence of consecutive corners, the body showed little tendency to push wide or settle late. During rapid left-right direction changes in the slalom, the sensation was less of piloting a tall SUV and more of a low-slung body tracking faithfully beneath you.

The rear-biased setup plays a significant role. The Performance model distributes output at roughly 299 hp to the front axle and 381 hp to the rear — a split of approximately 35:65 in favor of the rear wheels. Front-to-rear weight distribution is tuned to close to 49:51. Pressing the accelerator while unwinding from a corner, the sensation is clearly one of being pushed from behind rather than pulled from the front.

The Polestar 3 weaves through cones at more than 70 kph at Yongin Speedway in Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. Despite a body weight approaching 2.5 tons, the vehicle showed minimal body roll and remained stable throughout. [Polestar]

The Dual Motor and Performance trims both come standard with dual-chamber active air suspension, adjustable across three modes: standard, agile and firm. In fast direction changes it kept the heavy body in check; back on public roads it absorbed bumps and surface imperfections smoothly. The air suspension did much of the work in bridging the gap between "track-capable SUV" and "comfortable luxury SUV."

The braking performance is equally impressive. Every trim of the Polestar 3 — from the entry-level rear-motor variant upward — comes standard with four-piston Brembo brakes. After building speed on a long straight and braking for a downhill corner, the 2.5-ton-plus body shed speed faster and more composedly than expected. The progressive feel of the pedal, with braking force building in proportion to pressure, was natural and confidence-inspiring. The explosive 680-hp acceleration was anticipated; the braking performance that reins in all that mass with equal conviction was the more pleasant surprise.

The rear of the Polestar 3, photographed at Yongin Speedway in Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. Features include a full-width rear lamp strip and a rear aero wing shaped around airflow management. [Jeong Gyeong-su]

680 hp is thrilling — but the 544-hp dual motor is more than enough

Driving each trim in turn made the differences in character clear. The Rear Motor produces 333 hp, the Dual Motor 544 hp and the Performance 680 hp. Prices are 77.9 million won ($55,100), 85.9 million won and 99.9 million won, respectively.

On the track, the Performance is by far the most exhilarating. Straightening the steering wheel out of a corner and pressing the accelerator hard, the 2.5-ton body launches forward in an instant.

The trunk of the Polestar 3, photographed at Yongin Speedway in Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. Standard cargo capacity is 597 liters, expandable to a maximum of 1,411 liters with the second-row seats folded. [Jeong Gyeong-su]

On public roads, however, the calculus shifted somewhat. The Dual Motor's 544 hp left nothing to be desired in everyday driving. It reaches 100 kph in 4.7 seconds and comes standard with the dual-chamber air suspension. If anything, adding the 7 million won Plus Pack to the Dual Motor felt more appealing than spending an extra 14 million won on the Performance.

The Plus Pack includes a Bowers & Wilkins audio system, a head-up display, active road noise cancellation and soft-closing doors.

The Bowers & Wilkins system — 25 speakers, 1,610 W — exceeded expectations. Switching on Abbey Road Studio mode and playing a track, the vocals seemed to arrive from just beyond the windshield with striking clarity, and the sound built layers front-to-back and side-to-side rather than simply filling the cabin with volume. A Producer mode lets the listener adjust clarity and spatial depth to personal taste. It ranks among the most impressive in-car audio systems encountered to date.

The driver's seat of the Polestar 3, photographed at Yongin Speedway in Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. A 9-inch driver display and 14.5-inch portrait-orientation center display anchor a minimalist interior in which physical controls have been reduced to a bare minimum. [Jeong Gyeong-su]

Generous legroom, low roofline — minimalism has clear trade-offs

The interior, like the exterior, favors restraint over flamboyance. The Nappa leather seats felt premium in both texture and color, and the 2,985 mm wheelbase translates into generous second-row legroom.

The low, sleek design does come with trade-offs, however. The low roofline means second-row headroom is not as generous as the legroom. Passengers taller than around 180 cm may find the overhead clearance a concern. The rear window is also on the small side, though the restricted view did not feel particularly limiting from the driver's seat.

The control layout, which takes minimalism to an extreme, will divide opinion. Nearly all functions are consolidated into the 14.5-inch portrait-orientation center display, and in effect the only physical control in the cabin is the volume dial on the center console.

The second-row view inside the Polestar 3, photographed at Yongin Speedway in Gyeonggi Province on Tuesday. The panoramic glass roof, portrait-orientation center display and Swedish Gold seatbelts are among the standout interior details. [Jeong Gyeong-su]

The lack of split-screen support made it cumbersome to adjust vehicle settings while a map was displayed. During the drive, asking the voice assistant to open the front windows drew a response that the function is unavailable for safety reasons. The clean look is undeniable, but burying frequently used controls inside the touchscreen is a genuine inconvenience while driving.

Polestar describes itself as an electric vehicle brand built for "true drivers." Rather than competing in the autonomous driving race, the company says its goal is to build cars that are enjoyable to steer. For a brand that traces its roots to a racing team founded in 1996, that direction makes sense.

The Polestar 3 is the company's attempt to make that case in its largest SUV yet. The low, refined design draws the eye first, but what lingers longer in the memory is the way the car conceals 2.5 tons of weight through a corner and the confidence with which the Brembo brakes scrub off speed. For drivers who want the practicality and luxury of an SUV without giving up the pleasure of driving, it is well worth a closer look.

kwater@heraldcorp.com