Land Rover Defender 90 vs Polestar 3

The Land Rover Defender 90 starts from $98,400 before on-road costs, while the Polestar 3 opens at $99,900. That makes the Land Rover Defender 90 the more affordable entry point by $1,500.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $108,240 and $109,890 respectively.

The Polestar 3 qualifies for FBT exemption as an electric vehicle, which can dramatically reduce the effective cost for novated lease buyers. The Land Rover Defender 90, as a petrol model, does not qualify.

Both the Land Rover Defender 90 and Polestar 3 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 85% for the Land Rover Defender 90 and 90% for the Polestar 3.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Polestar 3 packs more ADAS features with 10 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 7 in the Land Rover Defender 90.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 6 in the Land Rover Defender 90 and 8 in the Polestar 3.

The Land Rover Defender 90 features a 11.4-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.3-inch digital dash, while the Polestar 3 gets a 14.5-inch display and 9-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Land Rover Defender 90 stands out with Apple CarPlay that you will not find on the Polestar 3. The Polestar 3 counters with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, head-up display, panoramic roof, ventilated seats, power tailgate, Bowers & Wilkins audio and ambient lighting. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Land Rover Defender 90 gets leather upholstery while the Polestar 3 offers synthetic leather.

The Land Rover Defender 90 uses a 3.0 i6 Diesel Mild Hybrid producing 183kW and 570Nm of torque, sent through a 8-speed automatic to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 8 seconds.

The Polestar 3 responds with a Electric Motor making 245kW and 480Nm, paired to a single-speed fixed gear driving the rear wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 6.5 seconds.

The Polestar 3 has the clear power advantage at 245kW vs 183kW. In the real-world sprint, the Polestar 3 is 1.5s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Land Rover Defender 90 measures 4,323mm long on a 2,587mm wheelbase, 577mm shorter than the Polestar 3 at 4,900mm (2,985mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Polestar 3 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 397L in the Land Rover Defender 90 and 597L in the Polestar 3, giving the Polestar 3 a 200L advantage.

For towing, the Land Rover Defender 90 leads with a 3,500kg braked capacity vs 1,500kg. That 2,000kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Running cost data is not yet available for both models. We will update when figures are confirmed.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Land Rover Defender 90) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Polestar 3). Both match on warranty length.