The luxurious new Polestar 5 electric saloon will arrive in Australia mid-2026 in two variants with pricing for both coming in under $200,000 before on-road costs.
The first car to be developed as a unique Polestar model, the 5 was revealed to the world in Munich this evening.
Pricing for the Polestar flagship will start in Australia at $171,100 for the Dual Motor and rise to $193,100 for the Performance. All pricing is plus on-road costs.
That means the Polestar 5 will line up in the vicinity of a swathe of luxury BEVs including the Audi e-tron GT, BMW i5, the Mercedes-Benz EQE and the rival it is most focussed on, the Porsche Taycan.
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At this stage there is no sign of a cheaper single motor Polestar 5, although that addition makes sense.
“Polestar 5 is bringing the future to our present,” declared Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller.
“Our vision for Polestar’s design, technology, and sustainability direction is no longer a dream but a reality our customers can buy.
“The Polestar 5 is a guiding star for the industry and the perfect Polestar flagship.”
What’ll she do?
The Polestar 5 won’t be shy when it comes to performance compared to its luxury rivals. Both models come with a permanent magnet synchronous e-motor (ZF on the front, internally developed on the rear) on each axle driving the wheels via a single speed transmission.
The Dual Motor makes 550kW/812Nm and accelerates from 0-100km/h in a zesty 3.9 seconds, while the Performance punches out 650kW/1015Nm and claims a scorching 3.2 sec 0-100km/h time.
Both vehicles have a 250km/h top speed, which is getting up there for an EV.
The other side of the performance story is range and recharging where the 5 combines a 112kWh NMC battery pack (106kWh usable) from SK On with an 800V architecture.
The Dual Motor claims a 670km range (WLTP), while the Performance drops to 565km. Helping extend range, the rear motor of the Polestar 5 can disconnect for more economic running.
Claimed consumption averages (WLTP) are 17.6-18.3kWh/100km for the Dual Motor and 20.9kWh/100km for the Performance.
DC fast charging is up to 350kW, which equates to a 10-80 per cent refill in as little as 22 minutes. AC charging maxes out at 11kW, so a 0-100 per cent charge takes 11 hours.
Weights and measures
Developed at the Chinese-Swedish luxury brand’s British technology centre, the Polestar 5 is underpinned by a specifically-developed hot-cured bonded aluminium platform and is clothed in an aluminium body.
This is its marked difference from all other Polestar models – 2, 3 and 4 – that all draw their fundamental underpinnings from parent Geely’s components bin.
The Polestar 6 sports car is also supposed to sit on this bespoke architecture, although its delivery timing has been pushed back behind the 2028 compact Polestar 7, which is destined to be the brand’s cheapest and most popular car.
The Polestar 5 measures up at 5087mm long, 2062mm wide (including mirrors), a low 1425mm and has a wheelbase of 3054mm.
Despite its aluminium basis, the Polestars weigh around 2500kg, which is distributed in a BMW-esque 49:51 balance front-to-rear.
It is designed to take four passengers comfortably and five at a squeeze. Luggage space is 365L/1128L depending on whether the rear seats are folded. It also has a 62 litre frunk.
Design
Developed from the 2020 Precept concept car, the Polestar 5’s wing-shaped profile is inspired by Aviation design.
Its aerodynamic efficiency Cd number aided by a low nose, rear diffuser, flush-fitting glass and retractable doorhandles is 0.24 in the Dual Motor.
Polestar claims this swooping design doesn’t inhibit rear seat passenger headroom because the header structure has been moved rearward.
Like the Polestar 4 SUV, the Polestar 5 abandons a rear window and substitutes a digital rear view instead.
The 5 also has the largest glass roof ever fitted to a Polestar at just over 2.0-metres long and 1.25 metres wide.
Polestar 5 is available in six colour choices, including two matte paint options.
Ride and handling
Polestar has huge driving expectations for its new flagship, claiming higher torsional rigidity than a two-seat sportscar or supercar.
It has intentionally slung the driving position low and positioned the steering wheel upright and close to emphasise its performance focus.
Key dynamic tools include compact double wishbone suspension front and rear, lightweight two-piece alloy-belled front disc brakes with Brembo four-piston callipers and a steering rack placed ahead of the front axle. The battery pack is also an integral part of the 5’s structure.
The Dual Motor comes with passive twin tube dampers while the Performance upgrades to semi-active BWI MagneRide dampers.
Standard wheel sizes are 20-inch staggered on the Dual Motor and 21-inch staggered for the Performance. Michelin EV Sport tyres developed specifically for the wheel combinations are standard.
Inside
Polestar says the 5 has a “4+1” cabin but then claims if the rear armrest is raised it becomes a “practical five-seater”.
Front seats designed with Recaro come with power adjustment, heating, ventilation and massage.
The rear outboard seats follow the same design form as the front buckets and offer the same comfort features, including power recline.
Standard interior technology includes a 14.5-inch centre infotainment display running a Polestar-specific Android Automotive operating system, a nine-inch digital instrument cluster mounted on the steering column and a 9.5-inch head-up display.
Comfort equipment includes four-zone climate control and 10-speaker audio. A Bowers & Wilkins 21-speaker system with active noise cancellation adds $8800 (more on options below).
Safety
The Polestar 5 has what the brand calls a Smartzone in its low nose including sensors, radar, and forward-facing parking camera.
In total, the Polestar 5 has 11 vision cameras, one driver monitoring camera, one mid-range radar and 12 ultrasonic sensors.
Its Pilot Assist function adjusts the vehicle’s speed and position in its chosen lane, at speeds of up to 150 km/h.
The Polestar 5 also comes with eight airbags and uses interior radars to detect the number, position, and type of occupants to deploy the correct safety measures in the event of an accident.
Greenery
It wouldn’t be a Polestar without a strong emphasis on recyclability and renewables.
Natural fibre materials are used throughout the interior include Microtech vegan upholstery for seats and a bio-based alternative to carbon-fibre made from flax that is up to 40 per cent lighter than plastic and uses 50 per cent less fossil fuel-based materials.
A recycled material called Econyl is used for carpets and recycled PET for the headlining and wrappings in upper door sections.
Polestar 5 consists of 13 per cent recycled aluminium and 83 per cent aluminium from smelters utilising renewable electricity, substantially lowering its CO2e footprint compared to standard sourcing.
Options
And it wouldn’t be a Polestar without a swathe of options, some of them eye-wateringly expensive.
Paint options range from $3000 to $10,000. Only one colour (Magnesium) is standard.
Bridge of Weir leather trim comes in three variations priced up to $13,000.
Wheel options up to 21-inch for the Dual Motor and 22-inch for the Performance can add between $3000 and $7000.
A semi-electric towbar is $3200. Polestar says the 5 can tow up to 1880kg.
