Polestar 5 2026 Review
Times are tough for expensive, flagship EVs, but the bespoke bonded aluminium-platformed Polestar 5 shows the towering heights a carmaker can reach when it throws everything at one special carWhile EV demand continues to grow for mainstream models, expensive and high-end electric cars have not tended to result in much commercial success for brands brave enough to chance them. Regardless of that hostility, Polestar doubled down on its new flagship ‘5’ anyway. The result is a fantastic driver’s EV that, perhaps crazily, does not share its platform with any other model in the Geely Group, other than the delayed ‘6’ convertible.
How much does the Polestar 5 cost?
The striking 2026 Polestar 5 sedan is rolling out now in Europe and will launch in Australia this spring in a two-variant line-up comprising a 550kW/812Nm ‘Dual Motor’ grade ($171,100 plus on-road costs), though initial deliveries will all be of the 650kW/1015Nm ‘Performance’ ($193,100 + ORCs) model.
There is no true ‘base model’ Polestar 5 with RWD or reduced spec. So dual-motor AWD, four-piston Brembo brakes, double-wishbone suspension, matrix LED headlights, glass roof, power-adjustable bucket seats, a 14.5-inch touchscreen and 9.0-inch cluster, and executive rear seating all standard.
Developed in the UK by a crack team of engineers lured in from Aston Martin and McLaren among other brands, the five-door Polestar 5 might have been too far down the development road when it became clear times would get tough for top-end EVs... so Polestar has decided to launch it anyway.
Splashing out on the Performance is largely unnecessary given how rapid the Dual Motor proved on a brisk drive in France, though the grade adds supercar-spec four-corner BWI MagneRide dampers for some extra bandwidth, plus 21-inch wheels and gold callipers.
The Polestar 5 is not cheap, but the cost of entry is sharp compared to a $222,000 Porsche Taycan 4S with 440kW. But as with so many Polestars, buyers must add options to make the car feel complete.
The sumptuous Bridge of Weir nappa leather ($11,800) and the crisp 21-speaker Bowers and Wilkins stereo ($8800) are both impressive upgrades. Exterior paint? Silver is free; black or grey are $3000, white $4000, and a pair of mattes command a punchy $10,000. Still, you’re saving $25K on that less powerful Porsche.
What’s good about the Polestar 5?
A month is a long time in the car industry. We tested the Polestar 5 in early May 2026 and thought it had reasonably appealing optics. At that stage, the much-maligned Mercedes-AMG GT EV and Ferrari Luce were yet to be revealed. Now, the 5 looks like the belle of the ball.
The Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT have their own appeal, but the styling of the Polestar 5 (initially unveiled as the 2020 Precept concept car) has held up over the six intervening years.
Except for the decision to dispense with rear glass in favour of a digital rear-view mirror, the 5’s lines are classic and approachable. It looks low, thanks to clever packaging of the 106kWh (usable) NMC battery, and at 2015mm, it’s incredibly wide. It is especially striking from the rear end.
Nobody’s going to be laughing at you in a Polestar 5. It’s an expensive flourish of a car, but it is one that has a desirably high-end design to support its positioning. The same continues inside if you spend the extra money to fit leather where you’d want it.
The cabin design is familiar from the Polestar 3 SUV currently on hiatus in Australia. The vertical touchscreen is a bit dated, but the software looks mature and works well. Though we are not fans of the unlabelled steering wheel buttons.
A collaboration with Recaro has yielded phenomenal seats front and back, which provide the kind of comfort long associated with Polestar’s sibling Volvo, but with the side support that becomes handy when pushing higher lateral g-forces.
Speaking of, the Polestar 5 is easily one of the best-driving EVs out there today. And possibly one of the world’s finest GT cars. Our launch drive, which took in France’s demanding Route Napoléon, made clear that this car is in league with the Porsche Taycan as a properly dynamic electric sedan.
At its heart is the bonded aluminium platform developed for this car. The material is so stiff that the suspension can breathe without fighting structural flex. That created a fantastic base for the engineers to reduce compromises and widen the 5’s dynamic bandwidth.
In layman’s terms, the stiffness means that the 5’s suspension can be softer and more compliant without sacrificing accurate steering or supreme body control. That allows for supple ride quality while delivering flat cornering dynamics.
These characteristics exist in both the Dual Motor, with passive steel suspension and fixed-rate dampers (with impressively balanced single-mode tune), or the Performance’s electromagnetically adaptive setup that has marginally more capability in bumpy corners.
The Polestar 5 stops positively, with a nicely tuned blended regenerative braking system and good pedal feel. It accelerates crisply and linearly: the powerful rear motor was designed in-house to avoid the need for a two-speed gearset, as used by the Taycan. Later, an even faster BST-badged version could appear.
What’s not so good about the Polestar 5?
The pricing means that this car sits well above the threshold for EV incentives in Australia.
But if you are considering a purchase in this class, it’s probably because the Polestar 5 appeals to the heart, rather than the head.
Those thinking rationally will wonder why the cargo capacity is so poor despite the Polestar 5 being so large. The complex rear suspension forces a small 365L boot, supplemented by a 52L frunk. At least the back seat is huge.
Even if you aren’t worried about practicality, the deal could possibly be clinched more tightly if the steering had more fizz. Like many Polestars, the rack feels distant, particularly in contrast to the Taycan’s brilliant feedback.
We have some concerns around tech in Polestar cars as well. To test the 5, we had to sign a document acknowledging the software was pre-production. Having encountered a bug requiring a full restart, we can only hope it’s ready to go at launch.
Absent and not immediately on-radar is a more versatile alternative to the Polestar 5, a go-fast SUV version. That said, the company acknowledges that a super-SUV model could be spawned from the platform. In the meantime, the slightly less advanced Polestar 3 will have to do when it re-enters Australia later in 2026.
Large Polestars often deliver middling efficiency. We managed to get 20kWh/100km from the Long Range, equating to 530km of real-world range. That's 20 percent down on the claim. Still, it recharges from 10 to 80 percent in just 22 minutes thanks to its 800-volt architecture. Impressive.
While the official claims indicate the Performance has less range (565km vs 670km), Polestar certified the top grade in its sportiest mode so that it can remain in the drive mode selected by its owner on startup. The Long Range has to default to eco-mode.
Should I buy a Polestar 5?
That’s a tough question to answer. With cars like the Polestar 5 and its rivals, we leave the realm of rational purchases and enter a world of emotional decisions.
Critics often cite residuals as reasons not to buy a car like this. While EV depreciation is much-debated, big GT cars have always bled value, regardless of propulsion. If not losing money is the goal, buy a limited-run supercar…or a RAV4.
We can imagine the Polestar 5 being suitable for a well-heeled buyer that already understands EVs, and the ways you must adjust your behaviours around their needs. Maybe you already charge at home and are familiar with how to top-up on a road trip.
If the price is not a concern and you’re already inclined to EVs, the Polestar 5 will make for an incredibly rewarding mode of transport. Its ride and handling traits are up there with the Porsche Taycan despite offering sharper value. And aesthetically, it might even be more beautiful.
Certainly, the Polestar 5 will be exclusive. And that’s just the way the brand wants it: far from being a volume-selling model, this is a statement of capability from a brand that has plenty to prove.
2026 Polestar 5 at a glance:
Price: from $171,100
Available: Q3 2026
Powertrain: Two permanent magnet synchronous motors
Output: 550kW/812Nm (Long Range), 650kW/1015Nm (Performance)
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 112kWh NMC
Range: 670km (Long Range) or 565km (Performance)
Energy consumption: 15.8kWh/100km (Long Range) or 18.7kWh/100km (Performance)
Safety rating: Unrated
Related: Polestar 5 luxury saloon makes its global debut
Related: SPY PICS: Polestar 5 spotted testing in Oz months before public debut
Related: Polestar almost ready to release the BST
- Bespoke platform allows a supple ride and flat cornering at the same time
- Both models are brilliantly brisk, and the Long Range is enough for most
- Classically handsome styling a welcome relief against weirder-looking EVs
- Cheaper than Taycan, but still very expensive for a relatively new brand
- Vertical touchscreen and overreliance on touch controls are behind trend
- For such a large and heavy GT car, storage space is at a real premium
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