Mr Viral
Ever since the Polestar Precept concept broke cover back in 2020, the design caught plenty of attention. Now Polestar are ready to get serious and make it a reality in the form of the Polestar 5.
The four-door performance-focused Grand Tourer is aiming to disrupt the big players in the luxury EV space. Thankfully this isn’t a watered-down version of a great idea, Polestar have retained all the good bits, although the looks, features and performance, certainly come at a premium price.
“Polestar 5 is bringing the future to our present. Our vision for Polestar’s design, technology, and sustainability direction is no longer a dream but a reality our customers can buy.
With its pure Scandinavian design inside and out, unique platform, powerful motors, sophisticated chassis, cutting-edge technology, and consciously sustainable materials, the Polestar 5 is a guiding star for the industry and the perfect Polestar flagship.”
Michael Lohscheller, Polestar CEO, said it best:
This car is a huge moment for Polestar. Their growing lineup of the Polestar 2, 3 and 4 will now be crowned with a flagship, their halo car. This should deliver the best blend of design, performance, and sustainability, rolled into this one incredible machine.
Let’s take a closer look at what makes the Polestar 5 a little bit special.
Exterior Design
Personally I love the design, it looks fast sitting still which is always a great feature. It measures five metres long, which gives it great presence, but with a minimalist, modern aesthetic that is quintessentially Scandinavian.
Polestar says the design was inspired by aviation, with an aerodynamic surface that stretches over a wing-like profile. The low nose is flanked by the brand’s signature dual blade headlights, which come with Pixel LED technology as standard.
One of the most impressive feats is the close relationship between the wheel and the bonnet line. This was made possible by the car’s unique platform and a segment-first front suspension design, giving it a truly performance-oriented stance. The sleek roofline and glasshouse match the wing-like profile, and the gloss black or Shade cladding along the lower doors visually reduces the car’s height, making it appear even more athletic.
The rear-seat experience has not been compromised by the car’s low, sweeping roofline. Polestar has cleverly moved the rear header structure behind the occupants’ heads and has used a digital rear-view mirror and virtual rear window, just like the Polestar 4.
The result is a spacious feel for all occupants, enhanced by the largest panoramic glass roof of any Polestar to date, measuring just over two metres long and 1.25 metres wide.
The rear of the Polestar 5 features a specially designed aero-efficient lightbar, a rear vent detail, and an integrated diffuser to improve airflow. All of these design elements, combined with flush frameless glass and retractable door handles – it seems Polestar finally got the message and went back to the flush handles something we seen in the original Polestar 1. This enables an incredibly low drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.24 for the Dual motor model.
“It was a dream to design Polestar Precept, and even more satisfying to see it realised as a production reality with Polestar 5. I’m proud of everyone who worked so tirelessly to ensure our vision remained absolutely true to the concept. I can’t wait to see customers have as much fun with this car as we had creating it.”
Nahum Escobedo, Head of Exterior Design.
Interior Design
Inside the Polestar 5, the driving position is deliberately low and reclined, a 9″ driver display mounted directly to the steering column, and a 9.5″ head-up display for a truly focused driving experience.
You’ll also find a seat configuration designed around 4 occupants, and technically there’s a bonus space between the rear passengers (technically described as 4+1). The fifth seat position can be created by simply raising the central armrest. The “foot garage,” a cutout in the battery behind the front seats, provides additional foot space and a more natural seating position for occupants in the rear.
The performance GT features front seats, created in collaboration with Recaro, offer a low hip-point with excellent bolstering for a performance feel, without sacrificing that famous Swedish comfort.
The interior is offered in a Charcoal MicroTech or optional Bridge of Weir Nappa leather in Charcoal or Zinc. The Nappa leather is a natural by-product of the food industry and is chrome-free, with added ventilation and a luxury massage function.
The Polestar 5’s rear-seat passengers certainly aren’t forgotten, with control over their comfort with a four-zone climate system, along with heating, ventilation, and massage functions for their individually reclining seats.
If you know anything about Polestar’s sustainable objectives, you’ll know they’re crazy about leveraging sustainable materials and that focus continues throughout the Polestar 5 interior. The front seatbacks feature Polestar’s signature weave developed with BComp. This bio-based alternative to carbon-fibre is made from flax, up to 40% lighter than plastic, and uses 50% less fossil fuel-based materials.
Other notable materials include NFPP powered by BComp’s powerRib solution in the lower door sections, showcasing the natural structure of the material.
When it comes to storage, there’s a 365-litre rear luggage space uses the same bio-based material for its inner lining, while the 62-litre front luggage space uses AutoNeum’s UltraSilent material, saving a significant 5kg in weight and supporting a mono-material strategy for easier recycling.
The Polestar 5 also incorporates recycled materials from its other vehicles. The carpets are made from Econyl, a recycled material from fishing nets and other waste, the headlining is recycled PET, and a knitted second deco wraps around the upper doors.
Tech, Performance and Platform
The car is packed with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), including the SmartZone which houses 11 vision cameras, a driver monitoring camera, a mid-range radar, and 12 ultrasonic sensors. Pilot Assist, which can adjust the vehicle’s speed and position at up to 150 km/h, is also included. The Polestar 5 also has eight airbags and interior radars to deploy the correct safety measures in an accident.
The center console houses a lockable storage compartment and a circular audio controller for the 14.5″ portrait centre display we’ve seen before in the P2. Personally I like a horizontal display, or I’d even take a rotating one and let the owner decide on the orientation, particualrly when the OS supports it.
The infotainment system runs a Polestar-specific Android Automotive OS with Google built-in, taking the best features from the Polestar 3 and 4. The screen can be customised with four dynamic tiles and a shortcut tile for your most-used functions.
Audio is handled by either a 10-speaker Polestar High Performance Audio system or an optional Bowers & Wilkins 21-speaker system with Tweeter-on-Top technology and a massive 1,680 Watt power output. Laser-line ambient lighting and Active Road Noise Cancellation create a truly serene cabin experience.
Underpinning the Polestar 5 is a brand-new, hot-cured bonded aluminium platform that forms the basis of the Polestar Performance Architecture (PPA). This bespoke platform is both lightweight and rigid, giving the Polestar 5 a torsional rigidity higher than some two-seat sports cars. The structure uses 13% recycled aluminium and 83% aluminium from smelters using renewable electricity, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.
A 112 kWh lithium-ion battery from SK On is massive, more than 30kWh above a Model 3 Performance. This has been integrated into the structure of the vehicle, and innovative engineering decisions, such as the compact front double wishbone suspension and lightweight brakes, have been made to deliver exceptional driving characteristics.
When you have great acceleration, braking becomes very important.. this is handled by Brembo four-piston callipers, and bespoke Michelin tyres on wheels ranging from 20 to 22 inches complete the performance-focused package.
“Our R&D teams worked tirelessly to develop the Polestar Performance Architecture from the ground up, and it’s paid dividends in how this performance focused GT drives. Alongside the in-house developed rear motor, 800 V electrical architecture, and innovative engineering decisions, it makes Polestar 5 an incredible all-round Grand Tourer.”
Lutz Stiegler, Polestar CTO, put it this way:
Powertrain And Punch
Polestar has developed an in-house electric rear motor that contributes up to 450 kW and 660 Nm of torque to the total output of the Polestar 5 Performance model. The Performance variant delivers a total of 650 kW and 1,015 Nm of torque, allowing it to rocket from 0-100 km/h in just 3.2 seconds.
That is a quick number, however I do see an issue. While you can argue Tesla play in the premium, not luxury end of the market, an $80,900 (before ORC) Model 3 Performance can beat the P5, with a 0-100km/hr time of 3.1 seconds. This makes it difficult to allocate a premium to the performance of the Polestar, so perhaps it’s the range benefits of that larger battery.
The Polestar 5 Dual motor, with 550 kW and 812 Nm, is no slouch either, completing the same sprint in 3.9 seconds. Both versions are electronically limited to 250 km/h.
This incredible performance is thanks to an 800 V electrical architecture, the first of its kind on a Polestar. This allows for super-fast charging at up to 350 kW on a suitable DC charger, with a 10-80% charge taking as little as 22 minutes.
An external charging indicator on the C-pillar provides a quick glance at the state of charge. The rear motor can also disconnect for increased efficiency, giving the Polestar 5 Dual motor a WLTP range of up to 670 km, while the Performance model achieves up to 565 km.
While 565km tops Tesla’s equivalent M3P of 528km (WLTP), it does so by just 37km. For a significantly larger battery pack, I would have expected far more, suggesting the aerodynamics and efficency are still down on the industry leader.
Options
Polestar understands that a flagship model needs a level of personalisation to truly make it your own, and they have curated a list of options that let you dial up the luxury and style.
From the stunning Nappa leather that elevates the interior to a new level of sophistication to the head-turning matte paint finishes, these choices allow you to craft a Polestar 5 that perfectly matches your vision.
Nappa Upgrade
Bridge of Weir leather in Charcoal with Charcoal accents and black ash deco – A$11,800
Bridge of Weir leather in Charcoal with Zinc accents and black ash deco – A$12,400
Bridge of Weir leather in Zinc with Zinc accents – A$13,000
Colours
Magnesium – A$0
Space – A$3,000
Storm – A$3,000
Snow – A$4,000
Matte Magnesium – A$10,000
Matte Storm – A$10,000
Wheels
21-inch Pro wheels – A$3,000
21-inch Blade graphite wheels – A$5,000
21-inch Blade wheels – A$5,000
22-inch Performance wheels – A$6,000
Price And Availability
Orders for the Polestar 5 will commence online in Australia from 8 September 2025. The Polestar 5 Dual motor starts from A171,100, and the Polestar 5 Performance starts from A$193,100.
For more information, head to https://www.polestar.com/au/polestar-5/
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