New Polestar 3 gains huge upgrade with one big problem

I first drove the Polestar 3 in 2024, and it was a good electric car then. The new 2026 model looks the same as before, but it gets a stack of upgrades beneath the surface making it faster, smarter and easier to live with. You shouldn’t buy one just yet though – especially after one of the ‘improved’ features caused a system blackout during my test drive.

What’s new on the 2026 Polestar 3?

It’s virtually impossible to tell that the Polestar 3 has been updated just by looking at it. The unique front spoiler is still there, the split LED headlights are the same, and the signature finishing touches are still dotted around, like the Polestar lettering inside the taillights. However, there are plenty of notable changes beneath the surface.

key updates

• 800-volt architecture
• New rear motor
• Faster Charging
• Increased efficiency and range
• Smarter on-board computer

Perhaps the biggest change is the new 800-volt architecture. It comes with new inverters, motors, and cables, improving thermal management and allowing faster charging. You can now use DC fast chargers up to a peak rate of 350kw on Dual Motor and Performance models, allowing you to plug in and charge from 10-80% in just 22 minutes – 25% faster than before.

There’s a new in-house rear motor and dual motor models now disengage the front motor when not needed, like in the Polestar 2. Since all four wheels aren’t being driven all the time, it’s more efficient and squeezes more driving range out of a charge. That said, my Rear Motor test model only showed 220 miles of range at 99% charge compared to the quoted 374.

This motor also makes the Polestar 3 rear-wheel biased and delivers a jump in power up to 670 BHP (500kW) on the range-topping Performance trim. Engineers installed new anti-roll bars and tweaked the steering for better handling too.

2026 Polestar 3 performance specs

On top of the physical uplifts, Polestar swapped the core computing system from the Xavier unit to the NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Orin processor which is eight times more powerful than before. (Existing Polestar 3 owners can get a complimentary hardware change from an authorised service point). To get technical, the new processor has increased from 30 to 254 trillion operations per second! In theory this should make management of active safety system, battery performance, and sensor data more intelligent.

So why did the entire system black out during my test drive?

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The Blackout: what really happened?

During my test drive around Northumberland, through a mix of motorways, rural roads and even some forest trails littered with potholes and rubble, the Polestar 3 impressed me. The increased power and range gave me complete confidence in the long route, and the front motor provided extra traction on the light off-road sections while active air suspension absorbed bumps to prevent me getting thrown around the cabin. I was ready to write a glowing review… until the home stretch back to base.

On a road that disappeared into the horizon in the middle of nowhere – like Route 66 – all the screens inside the car went black, including the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. I didn’t know what speed I was doing, I had no touchscreen to change settings, and I wasn’t even sure if my indicators or hazard lights were working. Thankfully the car didn’t lose drive power, so I was able to keep going until I could safely pull over. The old faithful turn it off and on again reset the system to get me back without further issues. While it wasn’t dangerous, it was unnerving.

I mentioned it to the team when I returned, who said it may need a software update. Sadly, I’ve heard that excuse before with the Polestar 2 and Polestar 4. I suspect there may be an underlying issue with the Google-based system that needs fixed. However, Polestar insist the car will improve over time:

It resolved itself with a quick restart, but a total screen blackout isn’t something buyers should have to shrug off in a car at this price. So, is the Polestar 3 still worth it?

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How much does a new Polestar 3 cost?

Prices for the new Polestar 3 start from £76,540 for the rear motor version. Revised options and packs, such as Climate, Prime and Plus packs, are available too.

Should you buy a Polestar 3 in 2026?

More power, faster charging, increased range, better handling and a smarter computer. These are exactly the updates the Polestar 3 needed. I genuinely had a nice time driving around taking in the views of the countryside worry-free before the system blackout pulled everything into question.

While convenient over-the-air updates deliver fixes without visiting a service centre, it could also be seen as a patch for cars they wanted to get out quickly. With a starting price of £76,540, it shouldn’t be the case. It will be even less acceptable if it continues in the pricier Polestar 5.

My advice: the updates themselves are worth having, but I’d wait for more owner reports before buying the updated Polestar 3, rather than being among the first to find out whether Polestar’s OTA fix lands.