Polestar Polestar 3 vs Kia EV9

The Polestar Polestar 3 starts from $99,900 before on-road costs, while the Kia EV9 opens at $97,000. That makes the Kia EV9 the more affordable entry point by $2,900.

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 $109,890 and $106,700 respectively.

Both models qualify for Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) exemption, which is a significant advantage for salary-sacrificed novated leases. Depending on your tax bracket, this can save $5,000-$15,000+ per year compared to an equivalent ICE vehicle.

Both the Polestar Polestar 3 and Kia EV9 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 90% for the Polestar Polestar 3 and 84% for the Kia EV9.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Polestar Polestar 3 packs more ADAS features with 10 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 6 in the Kia EV9.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 8 in the Polestar Polestar 3 and 7 in the Kia EV9. The Polestar Polestar 3 adds a 360-degree camera that the Kia EV9 misses.

The Polestar Polestar 3 features a 14.5-inch touchscreen paired with a 9-inch digital dash, while the Kia EV9 gets a 12.3-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Polestar Polestar 3 stands out with head-up display, panoramic roof, ventilated seats, Bowers & Wilkins audio and ambient lighting that you will not find on the Kia EV9. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Polestar Polestar 3 uses a Electric Motor producing 245kW and 480Nm of torque, sent through a single-speed fixed gear to a RWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.5 seconds.

The Kia EV9 responds with a Electric making 160kW and 350Nm, paired to a automatic driving the rear wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 9.4 seconds.

The Polestar Polestar 3 has the clear power advantage at 245kW vs 160kW. In the real-world sprint, the Polestar Polestar 3 is 2.9s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

Battery: 92kWh (Polestar Polestar 3) vs 76.1kWh (Kia EV9), giving WLTP ranges of 604km and 519km. DC fast charging peaks at 310kW (Polestar Polestar 3) vs 240kW (Kia EV9).

The Polestar Polestar 3 measures 4,900mm long on a 2,985mm wheelbase, 110mm shorter than the Kia EV9 at 5,010mm (3,100mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Kia EV9 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 597L in the Polestar Polestar 3 and 333L in the Kia EV9, giving the Polestar Polestar 3 a 264L advantage. The Kia EV9 seats 7 vs 5.

For towing, the Kia EV9 leads with a 2,500kg braked capacity vs 1,500kg. That 1,000kg 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 (Polestar Polestar 3) vs 7 years / 999,999km (Kia EV9). The Kia EV9 has longer coverage.