Polestar 3 beats out Mercedes-Benz S-Class to win KAJA's 'Car of September'

The Korea Automobile Journalists Association (KAJA) announced Friday that it has named the Polestar 3, Polestar's flagship SUV, its Car of September.

KAJA's Car of the Year selection committee evaluates new and partially updated models launched each month and announces a monthly winner. The seven assessment categories are design and emotional quality, driving performance and energy efficiency, safety and advanced driving technology, infotainment and connected systems, space utilization and practicality, price competitiveness and product value, and overall product quality and purchase appeal.

Four vehicles launched last month were nominated for Car of September: the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the Volvo EX90, the Polestar 3 and the Hyundai Motor Company all-new Avante. After a competitive evaluation, the Polestar 3 took the title with 54.3 points out of a possible 70.

The vehicle scored 8.3 out of 10 in design and emotional quality and in driving performance and energy efficiency, and 8 points each in safety and advanced driving technology and in overall product quality and purchase appeal. It received 7.7 points in both space utilization and practicality and price competitiveness and product value.

Won Seon-ung, chair of the Car of the Year selection committee, praised the Polestar 3 as "a flagship large electric performance SUV that combines powerful driving performance capable of handling circuit driving with outstanding aerodynamic design." He added that "the sophisticated combination of a 106 kWh large-capacity nickel-cobalt-manganese battery, a 350 kW ultra-fast charging system, rear-wheel torque vectoring and dual-chamber air suspension simultaneously demonstrates exceptional on-road refinement and high-limit circuit performance, establishing a clear presence in the premium electric SUV market."

Won went on to say that "the distinctive design identity expressed through the front wing and SmartZone, the Bowers & Wilkins sound system, and the minimalist yet refined Scandinavian interior meet the expectations of a diversified EV customer base that demands both high performance and premium sensibility."

KAJA has been selecting and announcing a Car of the Month since 2019. Last month, the BMW iX3 took the honor. Vehicles named Car of the Month advance directly to the first round of final judging for the Korea Car of the Year (K-COTY), bypassing both the first-half and second-half preliminary rounds.

Meanwhile, the Polestar 3 recently won the overseas category of the Judges' Choice Electric Vehicle of the Year at the EV Awards 2026, held at COEX in Seoul.

Now in its fifth year, the EV Awards 2026 is South Korea's flagship EV awards program, hosted by the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy and co-organized by the Korea Battery Industry Association, COEX and the Korea Automobile Environment Association.