Subtle it isn't. Be prepared for great handling, quick acceleration, and lots of attention when you're behind the wheel of the Slingshot.PolarisI've been reviewing Polaris' Slingshot three-wheeler year over year for the better part of a decade now, and despite incremental annual changes, every time they ask if I want to review a "new" model-year version, I never hesitate to say YES!Why? Because there are few vehicles on the planet outside of six-digit supercars that combine pure driving excitement, an outrageous form factor, and ego-stoking attention-getting like the stylistically silly, completely impractical, and hoot-in-your-helmet fun-to-drive Slingshot.2026 Polaris Slingshot Signature Edition OverviewProgrammable LED interior lighting brings some bling to the 2026 Signature Edition Slingshot.While it mostly looks and operates like a car, it's important to note that in most places, the Slingshot is classified by its maker, Polaris, the DOT and many state transportation agencies as a three-wheeled motorcycle. In Oregon, that means you have to wear a helmet while driving it. Check with your local authorities on how they classify (and license) the Slingshot, which, like a motorcycle, does not have doors, a roof or some things you might expect on a car, including ABS brakes or anti-collision tech.Special badges and colors let everyone know your Slingshot is a limited edition.This year's review Slingshot is the $36,999 Signature Edition, an up-spec limited-production trim that includes a Golden Steel and Black Crystal two-tone, "color-shifting" paint scheme that Polaris says "changes with light movement." It also includes black badging along with the usual complement of triple headlights, LED taillights and a brightly lit rear fin for added effect. The Signature trim package includes programmable interior LED lighting in the footwells and elsewhere (but not externally), plus a powerful 700-watt Rockford Fosgate Stage 3 Max six-speaker audio system with Bluetooth, speakers in the footwells, and speakers right behind the driver and passenger heads! Things might get loud!The central touchscreen is configurable and also rain-proof, as is the rest of the interior.Polaris' Ride Command system governs the crisp 7-inch center touchscreen display (above), which features Apple CarPlay and full GPS operability. An ' 80s-flavored backlit LCD panel sits between tach and speedo gauges behind the steering wheel, and drivers can select options to show speed (in digits), RPMs (also in digits), air temp, coolant temp, and more, along with a gas gauge. A backup camera complements the two rearview mirrors; there is no in-cabin rearview mirror as on a car. Also not present: Any HVAC-style heat or AC; the weather you're driving in will largely determine if you are hot, cold, wet, or dry. There is a short windscreen as standard, but with early Slingshots, that wasn't always the case, bringing the experience closer to a motorcycle. The windscreen doesn't rise above eye level, so I strongly suggest wearing a full-face helmet to avoid snacking on bugs or dodging errant debris kicked up by nearby vehicles. Big Brembo brakes with red branded calipers haul the Slingshot down from speed, but again, there's no ABS, so dropping anchor will result in tires sliding, especially in the wet. Traction control is available, but you can turn it off with a cabin switch, like most cars.Lots of LED lighting and sharp angles make the Slingshot stand out night or day.AdvertisementAdvertisementPolaris offers the Slingshot in six trims, but all share a common platform and form factor. That common platform centers on Polaris' own ProStar 2.0-liter, 8,500 rpm four-cylinder engine that makes 204 horsepower. That may not sound like much in comparison to many performance cars, but this isn't a car, and at 1,650 pounds fueled, the power-to-weight ratio is forever in your favor, granting a 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds. Your basic Miata is nearly 800 pounds heavier. Top speed is governed at 125 mph.My zero-mile review Slingshot came with a five-speed manual gearbox (highly recommended), but an auto with paddle shifters is also available. It has two drive modes: Comfort and an amped-up "Slingshot" mode, with the performance option tightening throttle response and a few other motor metrics. The front suspension is independent, with double wishbones and forged aluminum control arms paired with coil-over springs. Out back, a single monoshock is mounted to the massive single-sided swingarm that carries the solo rear wheel shod in a wiiiide 305/30R20 Kenda meat. It has useful storage cubbies behind the seats, but this is likely the wrong choice for a Costco run.Driving ExperienceThe windscreen is brief to say the least, but airflow goes right over your head. Bugs, not so much, so wear a helmet and at least sunglasses.Maximum enjoyment of a Slingshot requires a simple directive: Point it at the curviest road you can find and enjoy. While you might wonder whether the three-wheel format would be less stable than a car, rounding that first corner at speed should erase any doubt: The Slingshot corners like it's glued to the pavement. Steering is neutral, almost to a fault, and seems nearly telepathic. If you have ever spent time in a dedicated go-kart (not the kind at the amusement park), the experience is not dissimilar, and it feels equally rapid. You sit just inches from the pavement, which whizzes by so close you can nearly touch it because… no doors. Or side windows. Forward vision is excellent because there's no roof, A-pillars, or much of anything obscuring your view (the only model above the Signature Edition, called the Grand Touring, does include a roof of sorts). Despite the tall central fin on the back deck and the stout roll bars above the seats, turning your head to look behind the Slingshot gives a clearer view than expected. Plus, there's a backup camera for a wide-angle view during parking maneuvers.The driver's center panel is 80s LCD-tastic and configurable, plus there are two analog clocks for speed and RPMs.Clutch engagement is smooth, and I roll through town in Comfort mode. Eventually, I reach the Columbia River Gorge Historic Highway, a winding, climbing serpentine stretch of pavement that is a perfect playground for the Slingshot. I pop the motor into Slingshot mode and lean into the accelerator. The Slingshot surges forward as the tach swings toward redline, the exhaust emitting a guttural howl. Power builds quickly but plateaus after 7,500 rpm. By the time I shift to third, the Slingshot is edging toward triple digits. The curves ahead are posted at a third of my current speed, but the big Brembos scrub off velocity easily, and the Slingshot rails through corner after corner. I click off traction control, and on a pair of tight switchbacks, the fat rear tire breaks traction and howls as it spins and slides into the ascent under throttle. Good stuff. Great stuff.There may be only one wheel out back, but it has about two tires' worth of contact patch. A Gates carbon belt drives the final drive for quiet, low-maintenance operation.As I noted earlier, I've been reviewing Slingshots for many years, and to maintain optimal control when driven in anger, they are typically stiffly sprung to minimize body roll and other unwanted dynamics. But I noticed that the Signature Edition has much better small-bump compliance, resulting in a smoother ride. Indeed, when driven across Portland's sometimes crumbling pavement, especially downtown, big chuckholes still come through, but it was noticeably smoother over small irregularities. Getting an essentially super-flat riding machine to include a comfortable ride isn't an easy engineering feat, so props to the Polaris team for an improvement that makes the Slingshot almost civilized.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe other performance metric for the Slingshot (any variant, honestly) is the attention it gets. If you're a privacy-minded wallflower, this is probably the wrong vehicle for you (but hey, never say never if you're a performance driving enthusiast wallflower). Kids wave, adults stare, phone cameras come out, the questions come quickly. Get used to it. And yes, most everyone will call it the Batmobile, as the resemblance certainly warrants it.Conclusions - Who Is The Slingshot For?Triple headlights and a hood scoop amplify the Slingshot's cinematic presence; the rear view also unusual.Anyone dismissing the Slingshot (in any form) on practicality grounds is missing the point by a light year or two - the Slingshot makes a Miata seem like a spacious minivan. It is, and always has been, about the driving experience, and this year it feels better than ever.This is a vehicle for anyone craving intense driving dynamics from an unusual, innovative machine that blends a car's stability with much of the excitement and exposure of a motorcycle. Sure, you can commute with it (and good on ya if you do), but the Slingshot is really a tool for exploring the curviest lines on the map on a nice day with no looming deadlines or other distractions.There really isn't any practical reason to own one, but I can think of a long list of rationalizations to write the check, with On My God It's Fun To Drive at the top. When it comes to summertime fun machines, that's often the only rationalization that is required. Highly recommended.AdvertisementAdvertisementThank you for reading. Subscribing to Forbes.com lets you leave comments and supports contributors like me. You can also follow me on Facebook and LinkedIn.This article was originally published on Forbes.com