Polestar 5 review

An international media car launch. For us, they usually go like this: fly somewhere, drive the same route every other journalist has driven, fly home. But with the new Polestar 5, things were a bit different. 

You see, to demonstrate the 5’s ability as a grand tourer, Polestar decided on a lengthy 3500-mile-plus road trip. It began in Gothenburg, Sweden, and ended near-enough a month later in the Sahara Desert in Morocco. Different journalists were flown out for different legs, and our’s took us from Sitges, Spain, into the surrounding mountains before finishing down in Valencia. 

What exactly is a Polestar 5, you ask? Well, it’s Polestar’s flagship model, and it’s an all-new, all-electric saloon car that rivals the Audi E-Tron GT, Hyundai Ioniq 6 N and Porsche Taycan. You might also consider it a rival to combustion-engined alternatives like the BMW M3. 

That’s right, the 5 has some tough competition. Read on to find out if Polestar’s big swing is a success. 

What’s new?

- May 2026: We drive the Polestar 5 for the first time
- September 2025: The production-ready Polestar 5 is revealed
- February 2020: Polestar debuts the Precept, the concept car that would later become the Polestar 5 

How fast is it and which motor is best?

The Polestar 5 is really fast. There are two versions to choose from, named Dual Motor and Performance, and even the former is capable of taking your breath away. The jump up to Performance feels quite minimal out in the real world. Call it a hop, rather than a leap. 

We’d stick with the Dual Motor, albeit not for the reason above – read on to the range and cost sections of this review.

Being electric, power comes on instantaneously; the 5 feels punchier than the BMW M3. Sure, the Audi RS E-tron GT and Porsche Taycan Turbo are quicker still, but we’re talking about a slim margin, plus those cars are much more expensive. 

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

The Polestar 5 is an easy car to drive quickly – and not just in a straight line. The steering is precise, body lean is minimal and the whole car feels well balanced. 

The Performance has some added tricks up its sleeve, namely adaptive suspension and a more rear-biased power delivery. The former means the car feels a bit more planted (in its firmest suspension setting) and the latter means you’ll be pushed out of tight corners more aggressively. With all that said, the difference between the two versions is minimal. 

The same goes for ride comfort. The Dual Motor is comfortable, especially on the motorway, but the Performance has a little bit of extra cushioning (in its softest suspension setting). 

Overall, the Polestar 5 is good to drive, but of course, our favourite performance cars are truly great to drive. The BMW M3 currently ranks highest, and the 5 can’t match that level of agility and overall driving fun. 

How about electric rivals: the Audi E-tron GT, Hyundai Ioniq 6 N and Porsche Taycan? Well, again, the Polestar 5 loses the fight. These rivals are keener to change direction, plus they have tighter body control. And with the E-Tron GT and Taycan, you don’t need to put up with a rougher ride: actually, they ride a bit more smoothly. 

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

It’s very quiet. Even at motorway speeds, there’s barely any wind or road noise; you just notice a hint of electric motor whine as you glide along, as well as a bit of suspension noise over bigger bumps. 

Driving smoothly is a doddle, too. All of the Polestar 5’s controls are well weighted and the brakes are easy to judge. The pedal is firm and predictable, and there are three levels of regenerative braking to choose from – they range from no assistance to one-pedal driving. 

What’s the range and efficiency like, and how quickly can it charge?

Officially, the Polestar 5 Dual Motor can travel up to 421 miles between charges – expect around 350 miles in the real world. That matches the entry-level, rear-wheel-drive Porsche Taycan.

It’s worth noting that a rear-wheel-drive Polestar 5 is on the cards and, if that were to materialise, then we’d expect a bump in range (and a reduction in cost). 

For the 5 Performance, you’re looking at 347 miles – around 300 miles in the real world – which is quite the drop off. It’s a big reason as to why we recommend choosing the Dual Motor instead. 

Charging speeds are the same no matter the Polestar 5 you choose; both versions max out at 350kW. That’s a little faster than an Audi E-tron GT and the Taycan, but due to their smaller batteries, they’re capable of getting from 10-80% in a slightly faster time. 

“Being a keen driver, I’d have an M3 or Taycan. However, I still had good fun driving the 5.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

Scandinavian design is typically minimalist and the Polestar 5’s interior certainly sticks to the status quo. If you’ve experienced any other Polestar (particularly the Polestar 3) or a recent Volvo product, then it’ll all feel very familiar.

The 5 feels more plush inside than the Hyundai Ioniq 6 N, but it’s a closer call with the Audi E-tron GT and Porsche Taycan. We’d argue the 5 is a small step behind due to a couple of things: firstly, the plastic rocker panels on the steering wheel feel a bit cheap and flimsy, and secondly, build quality doesn’t quite feel as rock solid. 

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

While the Audi E-tron GT and Porsche Taycan sit you lower for a sportier driving position, the 5’s driving position is still comfortable. There’s plenty of adjustment in the steering wheel and seat, especially if you choose the optional nappa leather pack – that adds adjustable side bolsters. 

Visibility is less impressive, and not just because there’s no rear window – it was a bit jarring at first, sure, but after a while you do get used to the digital rear-view mirror. The bigger issues come down to the pillars; they’re quite thick and restrict your view out. 

At least every 5 gets 360-degree sensors and cameras to help with parking and manoeuvring.  

Are the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

Physical buttons are in short supply here. There’s a physical volume knob and… well, that’s about it. If you want to adjust the mirrors, you’ll need to find the function in the touchscreen and then use the steering-wheel-mounted rocker panels. It’s the same thing if you want to adjust the steering wheel itself. 

Now of course, the car has memory settings, so it’s not always going to prove a faff. However, you’re still going to be using the touchscreen to adjust drive modes, switch music playlists and more. On the plus side, it has clever Google enhancement for the sat-nav and voice assistant. On the not-so plus side, we found you had to be quite accurate with your button presses for it to register – not ideal when you’re driving. 

“The steering wheel buttons aren’t labelled (because they’re capable of controlling different things). It took me a little while to memorise what they could do.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

How much space does it have for people?

The Polestar 5 has enough room for four six-foot adults to fit comfortably; there’s more available space than there is in an Audi E-tron GT, Hyundai Ioniq 6 N and Porsche Taycan. In the back, leg room is more generous than head room, but you’d have to be above six-feet tall to be at risk of rubbing against the headlining.  

Speaking of the rear seats, there’s no hump in the floor like there is in the E-tron GT and Taycan, meaning it’s easier to fit a third person in. It’ll still be a squeeze, though, so you’re better off sticking to short trips (rather than 3500-mile-plus journeys) if you have five people in the car. 

When you’re just three or four people up, you can fold down the middle-seat to form an armrest. Mind you, this 40/20/40 split doesn’t actually extend to the boot, so the true split (found just behind the seats) is 60/40. 

As standard, the two outer rear seats are electrically adjustable and, if you opt for the nappa leather pack, they gain four-way adjustable lumbar support. 

How much room is there for luggage?

The 5 has a 365-litre boot and a further 52 litres under the boot floor. We managed to fit the charging cables and a medium-sized backpack under the floor, as well as a couple carry-on suitcases above it – with a decent deal of room to spare. 

In total, you’re looking at similar boot space compared with the Porsche Taycan saloon, but the Sport Turismo (the estate car version) has a bigger boot – 446 litres. Like the Taycan, the BMW M3 is also available as an estate – and an even roomier one at that (500 litres). 

The 5 also has a front boot (also known as a frunk). At 62 litres, it’ll take a carry-on suitcase but not much else. Every E-tron GT and Taycan has an 81-litre frunk, for perspective. 

“Part of the boot floor can flip up to become a handy boot divider, or it can be removed completely. I think that’s a neat, practical touch.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

The Polestar 5 is an expensive car, but then again, so is the Audi E-Tron GT, BMW M3 and Porsche Taycan (to similar degrees). The Hyundai Ioniq 6 N costs less, but then again, it feels like a cheaper car inside. 

To be more specific, the list price for the Polestar 5 Dual Motor comes in at around £90,000, while the Performance jumps up to about £105,000. Again, we’d suggest sticking with the Dual Motor.

As for standard kit, the Dual Motor gets 20in wheels, a 10-speaker sound system, heated front and rear (outer) seats, a heated steering wheel, panoramic sunroof and head-up display. There are standard-fit soft-close doors, too. 

The Performance has 21in wheels and a 21-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system, plus the performance-enchancing toys we’ve spoken about. 

Is it reliable and how long is the warranty?

We’ll have to wait and see how reliable the Polestar 5 proves to be. It wasn’t included in our 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey; Polestar as a brand didn’t feature either. 

If something were to go wrong, you’re covered by a three-year/60,000-mile warranty; the high-voltage battery and electric motors are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles. That’s about par for the course. 

How safe is it, and is it easy to steal?

The 5 hasn’t been safety tested by Euro NCAP yet, but the model does get plenty of safety aids, like forward collision warning, lane-keep assist, lane change assist, lane departure warning, rear collision warning and mitigation, as well as cross traffic alert with brake support. 

As for anti-theft measures, the key uses encrypted ultra-wideband technology to prevent relay attacks. Dynamic geofencing and real-time GPS tracking trace the vehicle instantly via the Polestar app. Additionally, interior radar sensors detect movement inside the cabin, triggering a high-decibel alarm to deter intruders. 

“If Polestar can do a rear-wheel-drive version with a lower list price, I think that’d widen the 5’s appeal.” – Oliver Young, Reviewer

Buy it if…

- You enjoy supercar-like acceleration

- You regularly carry rear passengers

- You do long journeys

Don’t buy it if…

- You want traditional, simple-to-use tech

- You want the sharpest handling performance car

- You need a huge boot

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