Polestar 5 Performance 2027 Review

Six years after Polestar unveiled its striking Precept concept in 2020, the production version has finally arrived in Australia and it's every bit as dramatic as the original.

The 2027 Polestar 5 sits at the very top of the Swedish brand's line-up, with prices starting at $171,100 plus on-road costs for the Dual Motor version.

The flagship Polestar 5 Performance model tested here means you’ll need over $193,100. That puts it firmly in the territory of established European rivals including the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT, which is an ambitious move for a brand that's only been operating in Australia for five years.

Unlike the Polestar 2, 3 and 4, the new flagship rides on an entirely bespoke platform, appropriately named the Polestar Performance Architecture, which has been developed specifically for this car.

Its aluminium construction is designed to deliver exceptional rigidity and handling, forming the foundation of what Polestar describes as its first true grand tourer – otherwise known as a GT car.

For those unfamiliar with the term, a grand tourer is essentially a high-performance luxury car designed to cover long distances quickly and comfortably, rather than prioritising outright performance at the expense of everyday usability.

At just over five metres long and only 1.42 metres tall, the Polestar 5 certainly looks the part, with a long, low silhouette and sculpted bodywork delivering an aesthetic unlike almost anything else on Australian roads.

Buyers can choose from six exterior colours, although Polestar's interpretation of variety is largely different shades of grey, plus white. Anything except silver can add up to $10,000.

There are also six alloy wheel options ranging from 20 to 22 inches in diameter, while the Performance distinguishes itself with unique 21-inch alloy wheels, Swedish gold brake callipers, gold valve caps and full gold seatbelts.

These compare with the subtler gold detailing found in the standard Dual Motor version.

Inside, the familiar minimalist Polestar design language continues, with a 14.5-inch portrait-style infotainment screen running Google-based software, a 9.0-inch digital instrument display and four-zone climate control.

The Polestar 5 Performance also gains a Bowers & Wilkins sound system, along with MagneRide adaptive dampers designed to balance handling and comfort.

Sustainability remains a central part of the Polestar story, with the brand incorporating recycled aluminium, natural fibres and responsibly sourced leather throughout the vehicle.

According to Polestar, 35 per cent of the aluminium used in the car is recycled, while a further 83% comes from smelters using renewable electricity.

Both variants feature dual electric motors driving all four wheels through single-speed reduction gearing, although the outputs differ considerably.

The standard Dual Motor produces an already substantial 550kW and 812Nm, enough to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds, while the Performance version increases those figures to a jaw-dropping 650kW and 1015Nm, reducing the benchmark sprint time to just 3.2 seconds.

A massive 112kWh lithium-ion battery and an 800-volt electrical architecture is used in both versions, allowing DC fast charging at up to 350kW, with a claimed 10-80 per cent recharge taking just 22 minutes – impressive figures.

Surprisingly, AC charging is limited to 11kW, while the standard Dual Motor offers a substantial 678km of WLTP driving range compared with 558km for the Performance.

Our test car averaged 25.1kWh/100km, around 18% above the official figure, although that's perhaps not a major deterrent for someone shopping for a car with these performance specs.

Like all Polestars, the vehicle is fitted with a suite of active driver assistance systems, including autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane assistance and blind-spot monitoring, alongside multiple airbags and a network of cameras and sensors.

There are plenty of expensive cars that look good, but very few that make you stop and stare.

The Polestar 5 is one of them.

In fact, I'd go as far as saying the 2027 Polestar 5 is one of the most beautiful cars I've ever driven, with an almost architectural design that manages to make a five-metre-long liftback look more like a bespoke sports car than a conventional luxury vehicle.

Its proportions are particularly impressive, with a low roofline, beautifully sculpted surfaces and a distinctive rear end with its pointed taillight bar, all of which give the car an compelling road presence.

It's also a design that has unsurprisingly already earned recognition, including a Best in Class award at the 2026 Australian Good Design Awards.

Of course, the Polestar 5 has considerably more going for it than its appearance, particularly in Performance guise, where its 650kW and 1015Nm outputs translate into some truly extraordinary acceleration.

Interestingly, though, that performance isn't immediately apparent in everyday driving, with the Polestar delivering its power in a surprisingly smooth and measured way. It's only when you select Performance mode that you begin to appreciate just how ridiculously quick this car is, with an almost violent surge of acceleration that makes it one of the fastest cars I've ever been trusted to drive.

I've previously spent time behind the wheel of a Porsche Taycan, although that experience was largely confined to a racetrack, and the Polestar 5 certainly feels every bit as serious when you put your foot down.

What's particularly impressive, however, is how effectively it balances that performance with everyday comfort, feeling more like a refined luxury sedan than something capable of accelerating to 100km/h in a whip-cracking 3.2 seconds.

And while its straight-line performance is undoubtedly impressive, the speciality sedan is equally accomplished through the corners, particularly considering its size and weight.

At around 2.5 tonnes it's certainly not lightweight, yet there's an impressive level of composure and body control that makes it feel more agile than its dimensions would suggest.

Through winding Tasmanian roads, the Polestar 5 is beyond enjoyable to drive, with accurate steering, plenty of grip and a reassuring sense of stability that inspires a hell of a lot of confidence when carrying speed through corners.

Much of that comes down to its bespoke aluminium platform architecture and sophisticated suspension, with the Performance's MagneRide adaptive dampers continuously responding to changing road conditions.

The result is a car that strikes an impressive balance between comfort and body control, with a firm but well-controlled ride that rarely feels unnecessarily harsh, even over imperfect road surfaces.

Braking performance is another strength, with substantial Brembo stoppers providing potent deceleration required to manage a car of this weight and performance.

The integration between regenerative and conventional braking is particularly well judged, helping the pedal feel natural and predictable rather than overly sensitive or inconsistent.

It's this balance that makes the Polestar 5 such a brilliant car to drive, because rather than constantly reminding you of its enormous performance potential, it allows you to enjoy it when you want to, while remaining remarkably civilised the rest of the time.

In many ways, that's where the grand touring philosophy really starts to make sense, with the Polestar combining the appearance and acceleration of an exotic performance car with the comfort and composure of a luxury sedan. It’s an appealing blend.

For all the excitement surrounding the 2027 Polestar 5, I couldn't help feeling a little underwhelmed when I stepped inside, particularly after spending so much time admiring its exterior.

That's not to suggest the cabin is poorly executed, because the materials are lovely, the seats are beautifully finished and the minimalist Scandinavian design is exactly what we've come to expect from Polestar.

But therein lies the problem.

Having driven the Polestar 2, 3 and 4, there's a strong sense of familiarity about the flagship's interior, despite costing considerably more than the rest of the range.

The design language, infotainment system and overall presentation are all recognisably Polestar, which is certainly a testament to the brand's consistency. But it doesn't necessarily deliver the level of grandeur one would expect from a car approaching $200,000.

That's particularly noticeable when you consider just how much effort Polestar has gone to in making the 5 something entirely different from the rest of its range. It's built on a bespoke platform, with an exterior design unlike anything the brand has produced before… yet the interior feels remarkably familiar.

Admittedly, cars of a similar theme like the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT also share plenty of design elements with their respective model ranges but given how extraordinary the Polestar 5 looks from the outside, I personally would have liked to see a little more of that individuality carried through to the cabin.

There are also a few compromises that come with its striking design, including the absence of a conventional rear window, which has been replaced by a camera-based rear-view mirror. It's a combination we've already seen in the Polestar 4.

While it allows for a distinctive rear-end design, it does require some adjustment for drivers accustomed to a traditional mirror.

The Polestar 5 is a fascinating addition to the luxury electric car market, not least because it doesn't fit particularly neatly into any one category.

It has the appearance and acceleration of a performance car, the comfort and refinement of a premium sedan, and the long-distance credentials of a grand tourer.

There's no questioning the engineering achievement here, particularly given this is Polestar's first attempt at building a car on a bespoke performance architecture. That is until the Polestar 6 convertible comes along. 

It's extraordinarily quick, impressively composed and, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful cars on the road, which gives it a genuine point of difference. I mean, just look at it!

But what I find most interesting about the car is that its greatest strength isn't necessarily the extraordinary acceleration or even its breathtaking appearance, but the way it manages to make all that performance feel so effortless.

For something with more than 1000Nm of torque, it's remarkably civilised. Yet when you select Performance mode, there's an entirely different personality unleashed. Few cars can manage this transformation so seamlessly.

The Polestar 5 is unquestionably the most ambitious car the brand has produced (fact) and its most beautiful (opinion).

It might not deliver quite the same sense of occasion as some of its rivals but it's a seriously impressive first attempt at a dedicated grand tourer and proof that Polestar is capable of building something very special.

2027 Polestar 5 at a glance:
Price: $193,100 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Dual asynchronous electric motors
Output: 650kW/1015Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 112kWh lithium-ion
Range: 558km WLTP
Energy consumption: 21.2kWh/100km
Safety rating: Not tested

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