Polestar 3 vs BMW IX

What's the difference?

There’s some clever design work here and some gorgeous detailing that gives the Polestar 3 a bit of an edge compared with some of its less inspired opposition. It features a truly spacious interior and it’s more than just decent to drive with, frankly, astonishing performance in 500kW Performance form. Even the entry-level Rear Motor has plenty of oomph and could be argued to be the more intelligent choice.

But the interior layout with its melange of menu-driven functions to control basic, everyday functions is annoying and does the car no favours. Not to mention it’s simply not the Scandinavian way to place form before function.

Meantime the overall performance, dynamics and accommodation of the Polestar 3 place it pretty high on the totem of electric SUVs that actually move the game forward somewhat, and that’s largely down to that 800-volt architecture that brings faster charging and better range.

It doesn’t solve all the issues of modern car making, but as a step closer to Polestar’s ultimate aim of a climate-neutral motor vehicle, it’s a move in the right direction.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer with meals provided.

If anyone was worried that it would be too late to get a decent bit of value out of an entry-level iX, there's reassuring news.

With more power, range and features added to the model and the cost remaining close to its former sticker price, the iX has held up well despite now existing in a more competitive environment.

If you ignore the Scandi detailing, the Polestar 3 soon emerges as a fairly conventional looking family SUV. Again, the detailing is quite exquisite in places, and that’s what lifts this car a little above the pack. Interestingly, and even though there’s not a Volvo badge to be seen, the 3 retains the shouldered C-pillar design cue that Volvo made its own way back in the 1990s.

Inside, it’s all pretty minimal (in a luxe kind of way) with perforated trim materials, and seats designed with contrast colours to appear (we imagine) as though they’re floating in space.

The iX was a bit divisive upon its original launch, because it was one of the early adopters of BMW’s current ‘big grille’ era.

The good news for the iX is that many have adjusted their expectations on that front and it now feels pretty well at home in the brand’s line-up.

The addition of the 'Iconic Glow' grille surround might be a step too far for some, but overall the iX has aged well and its exterior design hasn’t changed much because of that.

The adaptive LED headlights have new DRL elements, and the M Sport pack is now standard, but if you were only casually familiar with the iX you’d have to be looking closely to spot the update.

The new colour palette for the iX also includes the pictured 'Arctic Race Blue metallic', though I’m personally a fan of the iX in all black, giving it a more monolithic look.

Inside, it’s a similar story - what was once perhaps ahead of its time is now the expectation in an electric SUV. Minimalism in terms of physical controls, but plenty of space.

Helping the feeling of spaciousness is the now-standard panoramic sunroof, though a lack of physical shade is one of the iX’s few interior let-downs. Instead, it can electrochromatically ‘shade’, which still lets in plenty of light.

At night, ambient lighting joins the glow of the iX’s rather large 14.9-inch multimedia touchscreen and 12.3-inch driver display.

The 'skateboard’ construction of many EVs (including this one) where the motors are placed between the wheels and the battery is completely under the floor, gives great scope for novel interior layouts.

In the Polestar’s case, that means a flat floor that really opens up the space, particularly in the rear seat. Speaking of which, while there are three seat belts in the back, the rear-seat cupholders – housed in the fold-down centre armrest - are only available with the centre-rear spot empty.

The interior, however, is vast and Polestar’s decision to make this a strict five-seater with no third row means there’s acres of stretching room. It’s airy and light, too, thanks to the panoramic sunroof and the minimalist arrangement of screens and controls.

But that does have a knock-on effect when it comes to actually using the vehicle. That relative lack of buttons and switches means the Polestar relies heavily on its centre screen as a control panel. And for our money, that’s too much reliance.

Let’s start with adjusting the mirrors – what should be an easy, simple and quick job. To do that in the Polestar, you first need to find the mirror/steering-column button on the centre screen (the two functions are on the same `circuit’). You then need to tap the mirror button, identify which mirror you want to adjust and then move to the toggles on the steering wheel to actually manipulate the mirror in question. That makes it a five or six button job when there was noting wrong with a small toggle on the driver’s armrest in so many other cars.

Then there’s the gear selector and cruise-control lever. Yes, they’re one and the same. Once you’ve selected Drive on the wand and the car is moving, the same lever becomes the cruise switch. You pull it down to engage cruise and then switch back to the steering wheel buttons to control the speed setting. Annoyingly, the lane-keeping assistance is hard-wired on when ever the cruise control is engaged, too.

But the proof that somebody has thought about this too hard comes in the form of a button on the centre screen (which you need to be on the correct page to find) to open the glove box! In a world where carmakers like VW are promising more buttons and less menus, this move by Polestar seems destined to be short lived. Let’s hope so.

Boot space is pretty substantial with 597 litres that includes a 90-litre storage area under the boot floor (where the CCS2 charge cable lives). Fold the rear seat down and that opens up to 1411 litres and there’s a storage space in the frunk that holds just shy of 24 litres of gear and has its own luggage cover. The rear seat is split 60/40 and there’s a ski hatch and a 12-volt socket in the cargo area, too.

The 800-volt architecture also has some practicality implications, too, starting with the potential for faster charging (up to 350kW). But 800 volts also makes for the same power output at lower current, meaning there’s less electrical resistance, so greater overall efficiency. The Polestar 3 is by no means the first to market with 800 volts up its sleeve, but it’s still a step up from the previous version with its more common 400-volt tech.

The space on offer in both rows of the iX is a huge plus, and it might even be enough to make you look past some of the small downsides to the electric Bimmer’s interior.

The iX’s clever two-level central console has the phone charger pad and drinks holders down out of the way and means you can put distractions (phone) and your tall bottles out of the way. There's a slot above for your phone to sit upright with a gap under for charging, too.

The storage bin under the armrest also has plenty of space as well as a little shelf for smaller items you don't want to go hunting for, but the iX’s control panel and dial are still reflective and, at certain times of the day, this means distracting light getting in your eyes. 

Speaking of distracting, I have found BMW’s multimedia software to be less intuitive and more complicated with each major update, and ‘OS 8.5’ is no different. At this point, using the brand’s touchscreen feels like operating an iPad on the move, with dozens of menu tiles to sort through.

But back to the physical space that is the iX’s interior - the big EV makes a lot of sense as a family car, especially if your kids are old enough to appreciate (and keep clean) the fit and finish.

Not only does the drive have a nicely adjustable and comfortable sports seat thanks to the M Sport pack, there's also heating and a massage function.

The front passenger gets the same, and the second row is borderline palatial. There's heaps of kneeroom, headroom, and even space under the front seats at their lowest setting to slot your feet.

The four-zone climate controls mean arguments are avoided, there is of course a central armrest, though even with it folded up and a person in the centre there's enough room in the back to be comfortable. 

Behind that, the iX’s 500 litres of boot space could probably be expanded but at the expense of rear legroom, so it's acceptable. There is space under the floor for cables, but no space saver spare, just a repair kit.

There's a switch that allows you to fold the seats down from the tailgate, but you can also manually fold the middle seat for a 40/20/40 split rather than the more expected 60/40.

The sole entry-grade iX is the xDrive45 M Sport, which brings with it more than the original base xDrive40, but also a price a few thousand dollars higher.

It starts from $142,900 but can quickly become much more expensive when you start ticking options boxes. But in this market segment, it's not that unusual, especially considering recent arrivals like the Polestar 3. 

Given it’s only a little more expensive than before, the extra kit and higher grade that now forms the iX entry-point is impressive.

The 'M Sport' pack is now standard as the name suggests, plus there’s M trim inside like the steering wheel, the M seats and silver design highlights.

The LED lights are now adaptive and the glowing grille surround has also been added.

There’s also now a panoramic glass roof as standard, rather than an option, plus the steering wheel is heated and there’s now a tyre pressure monitor.

Aside from that, there’s plenty that carries over, like the wireless phone charging, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 18-speaker surround sound by Harman Kardon, four-zone climate control and heated front seats.

There’s also an 'Executive Pack' which adds some comfort features like soft-close doors, privacy glass and front seat ventilation with rear seat heating. That one’s $6500.

Then there’s active steering, which brings the rear wheels into play for more manoeuvrability and stability for $3000.

Adaptive air suspension is $4000, while the most expensive option is a 30-speaker Bowers & Wilkins ‘Diamond’ surround sound system for $9500.

The three specification grades of the Polestar 3 all have different performance levels, and one – the entry-level car – has rear-wheel drive versus all-wheel drive on the other two.

In the case of the Rear Motor variant, the single electric motor is located between the rear wheels and drive through a single-speed transmission. Power for the Rear Motor is 245kW, there’s 480Nm of torque and Polestar claims a 0-100km/h time of 6.5 seconds.

The Dual Motor is the first of the all-wheel-drive variants and uses an extra motor on the front axle to achieve this. When both motors are running flat out, there’s 400kW of power, 740Nm of torque and a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.7 seconds.

With the same motors and layout – but a more aggressive `tune’ – the Performance variant features 500kW of power and a storming 870Nm of torque. Polestar says it will get you to 100km/h from rest in 3.9 seconds. When the extra performance of the second motor is not needed, the Polestar will automatically decouple that motor to improve efficiency.

The 3 uses brake-by-wire technology (where the brake pedal is electronically, rather than physically, linked to the brake hardware) and the Performance model gets adaptive air suspension versus the standard steel springs of the Rear Motor and Dual Motor versions.

A single-speed transmission is used across all Polestar 3s.

Proving that batteries are still not significantly lighter than they’ve ever been, even the single-motor version of the 3 weighs in on the wrong side of 2300kg.

The iX has, as the xDrive part of its name would suggest, a dual-motor electric set-up with all-wheel drive. 

Power and torque now total 300kW and 700Nm for the system in the xDrive45 M Sport, up from the 240kW and 630Nm on offer in the outgoing xDrive40.

BMW says the iX is now good to hit 100km/h from a standstill in 5.1 seconds, with its claimed top speed a nice, rounded 200km/h.

Polestar has fitted the new 3 with different drive modes aimed at maximising either acceleration or range (at the expense of each other). Even so, the range claims are based on WLTP testing and start with a claim of 604km for the Rear Motor, 635km for the Dual Motor and 593km for the Performance. The latter’s shorter range is explained by its fierce power and torque outputs which simply take more from the 106kWh battery pack. The Rear Motor’s range, meanwhile, is a function of its somewhat smaller, 92kWh battery.

Charging at home on an 11kW socket will take the battery on either variant from fully discharged to 100 per cent in about 10 hours. But part of the value of the 800-volt architecture can be seen in the Polestar’s ability to charge on a commercial fast-charger at up to 350kW. At that point, the 3 can go from 10 to 80 per cent charged in just 22 minutes, about 25 per cent faster than before.

The other side of the upgrade to 800-volt tech is an efficiency improvement during the WLPT test of about six per cent.

The iX’s 94.8kWh battery allows a range up to 522km, but relatively low efficiency because of the size and weight.

Its 20kWh/100km is on the higher side of power use for cars around this size and this is part of the reason its huge battery capacity results in a fairly average driving range.

Maximum power input for DC fast charging is, however, up from 150kW to 175kW with the update, which is good news for those long drives.

If the only Polestar 3 you ever drove was the entry-level Rear Motor version, you’d never think twice about the adequacy or otherwise of its performance.

Like all EVs, the step-off from a green light is a no-messing-about experience and it continues to wind out in a linear and spritely manner. Actually, spritely is underselling it somewhat as there’s more than enough oomph to get you motoring very quickly.

It is, of course, also silent and Polestar’s decision not to introduce a manufactured engine noise really pays off, we reckon. The only noise is a small amount of suspension bump-thump at very low speeds and some tyre roar on coarse surfaces.

So, you would perhaps think the Performance version will simply be more of the same. On paper, yes it is, but in reality, the sheer brutality of the power delivery overshadows everything else about it. Very, very few production cars will be able to stay with a Polestar 3 Performance in a straight line.

The shunt is immense and makes you wonder if you’re really in a road-registered car at all. Even snapping the throttle open and shut in a split-second sees the digital speedo add a full 10km/h to the tally. Holding the pedal down for any extended period will see you in either the next parish, or jail, before you’ve had time to think about the consequences.

Once you’ve got your head around that (and it will take time) you start to understand that the air suspension on the Performance model, while offering distinct modes, doesn’t really make the car ride any better than the Rear Motor with its conventional steel springs but smaller wheels and tyres (20 inch plays 22).

And even if the performance of the 3 makes the impression of kerb mass go away, the rest of the package is not so deceiving, and the car never shrinks around you even as speeds rise. The brake-by-wire system feels commendably neutral and natural, but the steering suffers, one imagines, at the electric-assistance calibration. It’s extremely remote at the straight ahead and seems neither keen to be deflected from that attitude initially, nor return to it as you exit a corner.

We’ll also take exception to the lane-keeping assistance which makes the steering feel even more alien due to its eagerness to keep a wide car in a narrow lane on the regional roads on which we mostly drove it. The constant gnawing away at the wheel by the electronics is both distracting and unnecessary.

The BMW iX was a relatively early entry into the catalogue of electric cars I’ve driven and because of that it had a couple of (in hindsight) unfair criticisms levelled at it.

For a start, it felt heavier than expected and its ride quality didn’t feel up to BMW’s standards - both things that plenty of electric SUVs have struggled with since.

But its drivetrain, design, and interior all impressed, aside from perhaps some of the aforementioned interior reflections.

Now years on, and the iX has aged well.

Some of the mechanicals and suspension also copped a tweak along with the entry iX now being a more powerful ‘45’. The result is a big electric SUV that holds up better than I remember.

‘Smooth’ is the key word that comes to mind in regards to a lot of the iX’s characteristics. While it’s still not perfect and feels heavy, the iX rides well in comparison to many SUVs on the market, including some of its close rivals.

Perhaps key to this is the fact its standard 21-inch wheels leave plenty of tyre to help the suspension soak up sharp edges on bumps, while we’re sure BMW’s handling engineers have learned more about getting the best out of a big, heavy electric vehicle in the last couple of years.

Road noise is well-muted as a result, and the shape of the iX doesn’t seem to lend itself to excessive wind noise. Even when you’re getting rather quick.

Despite being a 2525kg beast, its 5.1-second sprint to 100km/h is in the muscle car realm - the last of Holden’s V8 Commodores would do about that, for reference.

Its acceleration is also nicely progressive, rather than giving you an almighty but unnecessary jolt of torque right as you put your foot down. But once there’s traction and you’re rolling, the xDrive45 is impressive.

Meanwhile, its cornering and braking still reveal the heft behind the iX, it’s not something you can chuck around like a go-kart, but that’s also not really its area.

Anyone familiar with BMW’s steering characteristics will find the slightly higher force required for its weight (and thickness of the steering wheel rim) standard, though it’s still unnecessarily on the heavier side.

The BMW iX holds a five-star ANCAP rating, which it earned under slightly more lenient testing back in 2021.

Seven airbags, auto emergency braking with cyclist and pedestrian detection up to 80km/h, lane-assist, rear-cross traffic alert and intersection assist, plus a surround view parking camera all help immensely.

As with any EV, the Polestar 3’s running costs will be closely linked with the way you charge the vehicle. Charging at home from a solar array will bring day-to-day running costs down to almost nothing, but using commercial fast-chargers will bump that up significantly.

The 3’s warranty stands at five years/unlimited kilometres for the car itself, with eight years/160,000km of cover for the EV battery. But it’s not just total battery failure that’s covered: Should that EV battery fall below 70 per cent of its original capacity in that period, it will be replaced free of charge.

Service intervals are EV-typically long at two years or 20,000km, and Polestar can upload software updates over the air as they become available. There’s also five years’ worth of 24/7 roadside assistance for the 3.

Service pricing is $765 at year two and four and $721 at year six. That averages out to $375 a year for servicing which isn't bad at all.

Of course, Polestar is also concerned about the planet as well as its owners’ hip pocket, so the Polestar 3 picks up on company policies of sustainable and ethical sourcing of materials. That includes sourcing recycled textiles and plastics for some of the interior surfaces, recycled cobalt in the batteries and even recycled aluminium for various trim parts.

BMW offers a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with an eight-year/160,000km warranty on the battery.

BMW servicing takes place as needed rather than on a schedule, meaning you’ll be alerted via the car or app when a service is required in the near future.

For the iX a six-year all-inclusive service pack costs $3475, regardless of how many km you drive.

BMW has 54 servicing dealers listed in Australia, with each capital city covered and many more locations in the eastern states.