Speaking to Polestar 3 design lead Nahum Escobedo at the large SUV’s Australian unveiling, it became clear the company doesn’t care much for trends, fads or gimmicks. So while Chinese company Geely may own Polestar’s majority shareholder, Volvo, the brand’s ethos remains decidedly Scandinavian.

One battle for the design team was balancing aero efficiency with visual presence. To give the Polestar 3 a high bonnet line without rounding its edges, Escobedo and…