2026 Polestar 3 Rear Motor review

Three versions, and what each step buys

Rear motor ($116,700 RRP). One 245kW, 480Nm motor driving the rear wheels, a 92kWh battery, 603km WLTP range and a claimed 0-100km/h of 6.5 seconds. It rides on passive dampers and coil springs and 20-inch Aero wheels. It is the most efficient of the three at 17.6kWh/100km and the lightest at 2,315kg. Its towing limit is 1,500kg.

Dual motor ($131,100 RRP, +$14,400). A second motor for all-wheel drive and 400kW and 740Nm combined, a bigger 106kWh battery, the longest range of the three at 647km, 350kW peak DC charging and 2,200kg towing. Polestar lists dual-chamber active air suspension as an upgrade on this version, with the Plus pack.

Performance ($146,700 RRP, +$15,600). 500kW and 870Nm, 0-100km/h in a claimed 3.9 seconds, the active air suspension as standard, Polestar Engineered chassis tuning, 22-inch forged wheels on Pirelli P Zero tyres and Swedish gold detailing on the brakes, belts and valve caps. Range drops to 601km.

About the packs

Polestar groups extra equipment into the Pilot pack (360-degree cameras with 3D view, Pilot Assist, lane change assist, Park Assist Pilot), the Climate pack (heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, heated wipers) and the Plus pack (head-up display, a 25-speaker Bowers & Wilkins system, soft-close doors, a power steering column with memory). Our rows record the head-up display, 360-degree camera and Bowers & Wilkins audio as standard on all three versions, while Polestar's specifications page still describes those items by pack. Check the build sheet for the exact car you are quoted before you sign.

The rivals

The Volvo EX90 shares a lot of engineering with the Polestar 3. The Plus Twin Motor is $124,990 RRP with 300kW, 521km of range, a 22kWh/100km claim, 300kW DC charging, 2,200kg towing and, the big one, seven seats. If you need the third row, that is your answer; if you do not, the Polestar Dual motor goes 126km further on a charge for $6,110 more.

The Kia EV9 GT-Line AWD is $121,000 RRP with 283kW, 505km of range, seven seats, 2,500kg towing and Kia's seven-year warranty, against Polestar's five. Its DC peak is 240kW. The BMW iX xDrive45 M Sport is $142,900 RRP with 300kW, 602km of range, a 500-litre boot and 175kW DC charging, so it costs about the same as a Performance and charges much more slowly on paper.

Polestar's own Polestar 4 Long Range Dual Motor is $86,350 RRP with 400kW and 590km of range. It is smaller and charges at 200kW, but it is $44,750 cheaper than the Polestar 3 Dual motor.

Drive-away, cost per week and tax

Our drive-away estimate for the Rear motor is about $123,060 in Victoria and $120,670 in Queensland, and about $154,320 and $151,870 for the Performance. On our weekly model the Rear motor is from $558 a week in Victoria and $555 in Queensland, counting repayments, charging, rego, CTP and tyres. Servicing and insurance are left out because we hold no figure for either. Every version is above the $91,661 fuel-efficient luxury car tax threshold for 2026-27 (ATO), so the RRP includes luxury car tax and the car does not qualify for the electric car FBT exemption on a novated lease.

Range and energy use

Polestar quotes WLTP range targets of 603km for the Rear motor, 647km for the Dual motor and 601km for the Performance. The energy-use claims are 17.6, 19.1 and 20.6kWh/100km at their best; Polestar prints ranges up to 21.6, 23.4 and 23.4kWh/100km depending on wheels and options. WLTP is measured at an average 46.5km/h, so sustained highway driving will cut into those ranges.

What a year of charging costs

At 15,000km a year the three use about 2,640, 2,865 and 3,090kWh on their best claims. Charged at home on Victoria's default offer (27.47c/kWh), that is about $725, $787 and $849 a year. On Queensland's reference rate (27.97c/kWh) it is about $739, $801 and $864. A cheaper off-peak or solar tariff brings those down; public fast charging pushes them up.

Charging

All three use an 800V lithium-ion battery: 92kWh with 14 modules in the Rear motor, 106kWh with 16 modules in the Dual motor and Performance. On an 800V DC charger the Rear motor peaks at 310kW and the twin-motor cars at 350kW, and Polestar quotes 22 minutes from 10 to 80% for all three. On a common 400V charger the peak drops to 120kW and 10 to 80% takes 30 minutes (Rear motor) or 32 minutes (twin-motor). At home, the 11kW onboard charger fills the battery from empty in about 10 hours, Polestar says. The plug is CCS2.

Warranty and battery cover

The car is covered for five years, and our rows hold that with no kilometre limit. The battery is covered for eight years or 160,000km, and Polestar's page says it will repair or replace the battery in that period if its state of health drops below 70% of original capacity. Both warranties stay with the car if you sell it.

Servicing and roadside

Polestar says the 3 generally does not need a service for up to two years or 30,000km. At 15,000km a year that is one visit every two years. We hold no capped-price servicing figure, so we cannot give you a five-year total; ask the service centre for one. Roadside assistance runs for five years, 24/7.

Resale

We hold no resale figure for the Polestar 3, so check used prices for one- and two-year-old examples before you budget.

The ANCAP result

ANCAP gave the Polestar 3 five stars in 2025, with 90% for adult occupant protection, 94% for child occupant protection, 79% for vulnerable road users and 79% for safety assist. The child occupant score is the standout.

What is fitted

Polestar's page lists nine airbags (front, side, inner-side and curtain), five exterior cameras, two infrared driver-monitoring cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors and a front radar. The standard assists include adaptive cruise control, blind-spot information with steer assist, lane-keeping aid, oncoming lane mitigation, road sign information, run-off road mitigation, rear collision warning, cross-traffic alert with brake support, and collision avoidance for cars, cyclists and pedestrians, including at intersections. The driver monitoring system tracks the driver's eyes for drowsiness and inattention.

Pilot Assist, lane change assist, curve speed assist, Park Assist Pilot and the 360-degree cameras with 3D view belong to the Pilot pack on Polestar's page. Our assist table records the 360-degree camera as standard on all three.

Child seats

There are ISOFIX and i-Size mountings on the two outer rear seats and three top tethers, plus electric child locks and a passenger airbag cut-off switch for a rear-facing seat up front.

Boot and frunk

Polestar quotes 484 litres to the rear seatbacks, including a 90-litre underfloor compartment, 597 litres to the roof, and 1,411 litres with the 60/40 rear seats folded. The cargo floor is 1,016mm long with the seats up and 1,879mm folded, and 1,094mm wide between the wheel arches. There is a ski hatch and a small 23.8-litre front boot, which holds a charging cable and not much else.

For a 4,900mm SUV, 484 litres is modest. The BMW iX quotes 500 litres. Check your pram's folded size against those floor dimensions with the boot tool below.

Size, garaging and clearance

At 4,900mm long and 1,968mm wide before the mirrors, this is a car to measure your garage for. The garage check below tests it against common sizes. Ground clearance is 202mm on the twin-motor cars and 208mm at the front of the Rear motor, and the turning circle is 11.8m.

Seats and climate

Five seats. The front seats have 10-way electric adjustment, powered lumbar support, a manual cushion extension and heating. A Nappa leather upgrade adds 12-way adjustment, massage, ventilation and powered side bolsters. The standard trim is a bio-attributed MicroTech synthetic, and wool is a single option. Climate control is three-zone with a rear touch panel and a heat pump.

Screens and software

A 14.5-inch centre touchscreen runs Android Automotive with Google apps built in, alongside a 9-inch driver display. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both supported, and over-the-air updates are standard. Polestar's Connected services plus, which gives Google Maps, Google Assistant and other third-party apps, comes with the first 12 months included and is renewable after that.

Charging ports and keys

There is a 15W wireless charging pad in the front armrest and four USB-C ports, two front and two rear. Your phone works as a digital key on Apple, Samsung and Google devices, and the car stores up to six driver profiles.

Sound

Polestar's page lists a 300-watt, 10-speaker system as standard and the Bowers & Wilkins system, with 25 speakers, 1,610 watts and Dolby Atmos, with the Plus pack or as a single option. DAB+ digital radio is standard.

The Polestar 3 Rear Motor has 106 kW for every tonne of kerb weight, 480Nm of torque, a claimed 0-100km/h of 6.5s. It weighs 2,315kg and turns in 11.8m. These are the figures that shape how quickly a car gets moving and how easily it parks.

Power and weight

The Rear motor makes 245kW from 2,315kg, about 106kW per tonne. The Dual motor makes 400kW from 2,490kg, about 161kW per tonne, and the Performance 500kW from 2,525kg, about 198kW per tonne. Those kerb weights are Polestar's lowest figures; options can add up to 85kg on the Rear motor, 110kg on the Dual motor and 80kg on the Performance. Top speed is 210km/h for the Rear motor and 230km/h for the others. The brakes are Brembo with 400mm front discs on all three.

Towing and load

The Rear motor is rated to tow 1,500kg braked with a 150kg tow-ball limit; the Dual motor and Performance tow 2,200kg with 220kg on the ball. All three are rated for 750kg unbraked, and Polestar offers an automatic folding towbar. The gross combination mass is 4,315kg for the Rear motor and 5,190kg and 5,225kg for the twin-motor cars. Gross vehicle mass minus kerb weight leaves 500kg of payload in each, so five adults and luggage will take most of it. Expect a trailer to cut range well below the WLTP figure, and plan charging stops around it.