Polestar 5 review

Our opinion on the Polestar 5  

The Polestar 5 is a brilliant GT car, and a fitting flagship for the brand. It’s fast, fun and luxuriously appointed, with bags of head and legroom no matter where you’re sitting. If you can, we’d suggest upgrading to the Performance model; not for the added straight-line speed, but the brilliant MagneRide adaptive dampers, which transform the car’s ride and handling. In this guise, the 5 is a true Porsche Taycan troubler.

About the Polestar 5 

Polestar separated from Volvo back in 2017. It launched its first standalone product – the plug-in hybrid Polestar 1 – in 2019, before the mass-market Polestar 2 EV sent the maker skyward the following year. As sure as night follows day, we didn’t have to wait too long for the Polestar 3 and Polestar 4; the 5 we’re driving here is culmination of all this progress, and – as you’ll soon discover – a fitting flagship for the brand.

Designed as a rival to the fledgling Porsche Taycan and Lotus Emeya, you’d be right to wonder why Polestar even bothered with the 5 in a market that has seemingly turned its nose up at big, heavy, freakishly fast four-door electric cars. Yet five minutes behind the wheel draws it into much clearer focus. The engineering might that has been channeled into this smart, sleek, saloon car, is nothing short of a marvel.

Two versions are available at launch, although even the entry-level Dual motor packs almost 740bhp for 0-62mph in less than four seconds. Upgrading to the Performance model brings a slug of extra power, plus a lower ride height and a set of MagneRide adaptive dampers. But more on those in a moment.

First things first: the Polestar 5, no matter which version you go for, is incredibly quick. Two models are available at launch, and both get two electric motors for all-wheel drive. The base car is badged ‘Dual motor’ but with 737bhp, there’s nothing particularly basic about it; 812Nm of instant torque and grip in spades makes this an alarmingly fast car no matter what you compare it with.

Above this sits the flagship ‘Performance’ version. But the changes aren’t limited to a (not-so) modest power bump; this 871bhp range-topper also gets MagneRide adaptive dampers, a lower ride height (-6mm) and bigger wheels. There are also some styling tweaks to ensure everyone knows you’ve not scrimped on the spec.

It’s immediately clear how much time and effort has been put into making the Polestar 5 drive and ride just right. The performance is accessible, backed up by super-sharp steering, immense stability and control and even a reasonable level of comfort – especially on top-spec cars with the adaptive dampers.

The brakes are strong, and the recuperation can be adjusted via the central screen through various strengths; the weakest isn’t a complete coast, but gives a feel akin to engine braking and works well on faster roads. The strongest offers a genuine one-pedal driving experience and is excellent around town.

This being a £80k-plus grand tourer, there’s loads of passive and active safety kit – including Polestar’s Pilot Assist pack and all the trick features that come with it. In our experience, the lane-keep assist is a bit keen to interfere on tight and twisting country roads, but it’s easy enough to switch off.

Performance, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed 

You’ll not be left wanting for straight line speed, no matter which Polestar 5 you go for. Even the base car does 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds, pinning you to your seat with even the briefest flex of your right foot. Polestar hasn’t followed in sister-brand Volvo’s footsteps, meaning you can keep accelerating right up to 155mph. And in our experience, that won’t take long at all.

If that’s not enough – and believe us when we say, it really is – then you can upgrade to the Performance model. This adds an extra 134bhp and slashes the 0-62mph time to just 3.2 seconds. But this version is about more than just pinning it out of every bend – something we’ll come to in just a moment.

Town driving, visibility and parking

You might worry that without a rear window, you’d constantly be worrying about visibility, and cars in your blind spot. In reality, you barely notice it. Being set quite far back, the digital rear-view mirror works well and doesn’t require a great deal of acclimatisation, while over-the-shoulder visibility is actually very good. The big glass roof – the longest ever fitted to a production Polestar, no less – floods the cabin with light and helps with the sense of space.

Then there’s the extensive array of parking cameras, which cover almost every conceivable angle. Particularly useful is the top-down view, which is crystal clear and offers an uninterrupted view of all that’s around you. For a car that measures more than five metres long, it’s surprisingly unintimidating to drive.

Country road driving and handling 

This is where the Polestar 5 really comes into its own – and in particular, the Performance range-topper. While the standard car is a riot to drive, with buckets of straight-line speed, sharp steering and strong brakes, the Performance model adds an extra layer of fluidity, thanks to its MagneRide adaptive dampers.

The witchcraft that happens beneath the sustainably crafted metalwork boggled our brains. In their softest ‘Standard’ setting, the MagneRide dampers smother broken roads and pock-marked tarmac – even on the very largest 22-inch wheels. The car doesn’t feel lost or floaty in this mode either, although switching through to ‘Nimble’ or even ‘Firm’ does have a noticeable effect on body control. Having this duality really adds to the driving experience; honestly, it’s a shame you can’t add these trick dampers to the base car.

Go without, and you’ll notice a bit more fidget to the Polestar 5’s ride, and the tendency to – only occasionally – drop or crash through potholes. Yet regardless of spec or wheel size, this is not what you’d ever consider an uncomfortable car.

Motorway driving and long-distance comfort 

You’d expect a car of the Polestar 5’s calibre to be an excellent long-distance mile-muncher, and in the most part, that is true. However, we noticed quite a bit of road noise from the wide-section rear tyres – especially on the Performance model we tried, which was fitted with the biggest 22-inch wheels.

“The Polestar 5 does enough to show the Porsche Taycan a clean pair of heels, although the MagneRide dampers are a must if you can stomach the extra cost” - Richard Ingram, Deputy Editor   

Electric range, battery life and charge time 

On paper, the Polestar 5 offers a strong range and charging speeds. However, if you want to utilise even a fraction of the performance on offer – as we expect many buyers will – then you won’t come close to those claims.

Our Polestar 5 Performance test car was showing a quoted range of 250 miles at 96 per cent state of charge – compared with the WLTP-rated range of 347 miles. After a varied route taking in some low-speed urban areas, a short stint down the A1 and prolonged high-speed A and B-road driving – a route of roughly 65 miles – we finished with 65 per cent charge and just 160 miles remaining.

Of course, if you rein things in and resist that gut punch every time you want to join a motorway or pass a slower-moving car, you should see your average efficiency climb. Either way, a real-world range of 250 miles (or more if you opt for the standard Dual motor model) needn’t be sniffed at – especially when you consider the super-quick charge times the car is capable of.

A 350kW maximum beats almost everything in this segment, with the exception of a Lotus Emeya. However, while Polestar says the car can replenish its 112kWh (94kWh usable) battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 22 minutes, a Porsche Taycan can do the same job four minutes faster. This probably comes down to the charge curve, maintaining peak speed for longer.

Insurance groups 

Insurance groups for the Polestar 5 haven’t been announced, but we expect both models to attract the priciest group 50 rating – in line with rivals in this segment.

Tax

Every version of the Polestar 5 costs comfortably more than £50,000 and therefore commands the maximum VED road-tax pricing of £640 per year. Being an EV, however, it’s liable for the lowest four per cent Benefit-in-Kind contribution for the 2026/27 tax year, rising to five per cent the year after.

Depreciation

Residual values for the Polestar 5 are pretty poor. Expert data suggests the base Dual motor model will retain just 41 per cent of its original purchase price after three years or 36,000 miles. The Performance variant is even worse.

That said, with the exception of a few choice models, the Porsche Taycan fares even worse – as does the Lotus Emeya. The Audi e-tron GT is the worst of the bunch; some models will be lucky to recoup 30 per cent of their value after 36 months. Buying any of these cars outright would be financial suicide; financing or leasing is much more sensible.

Nothing on the road looks quite like the Polestar 5. Almost unchanged from the ‘Precept’ concept car, the 5 looks like it’s travelling at 100mph even standing still; it cuts an incredibly striking profile, and turns heads wherever it goes.

Even in entry-level Dual motor guise, the sleek shape, big wheels and sharp rear end give it a look that makes a Porsche Taycan look decidedly dated. Upgrade to the Performance model and the larger rims, lower ride height and gold brake calipers give it even more presence; enough to make Lotus Emeya buyers green with envy. Don’t be put off by the lack of a rear window, either; the digital rear-view mirror works well, and visibility isn’t significantly compromised.

The cabin otherwise feels lavishly trimmed and well equipped, with plenty of high-end features that help justify this car’s £80k-plus price tag. Yet, while that might sound like a lot of money, the Polestar undercuts a base Porsche Taycan, and even looks like decent value for money when you start comparing top-end trims. 

Interior and dashboard design

The Polestar 5 has a clean, minimalist dashboard design that feels super-slick and stylish, if a little lacking in consideration of how it all actually works. There are no physical controls to compliment the main screen, for example, which means you’re delving into the display every time you want to adjust the door mirrors, or turn off the safety systems. Thankfully, it all works pretty well – as you’ll discover in the Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo section below.

But where the 5 fails in some respects when it comes to usability, the cabin ambience is first rate. The seats are sculpted, and in our car came lined in sumptuous Bridge of Weir leather – giving the car a true upmarket feel. The yellow seatbelts in Performance models add a flash of colour, but it’s the glorious two-metre-long panoramic roof that really boosts the wow factor: it’s the biggest glass roof ever fitted to a production Polestar.

Materials and build quality

Perceived quality in the two cars we tested was first rate. There were absolutely no squeaks or rattles, and all of the trim felt solid yet supple to the touch. The tech worked well – even if it’s not the simplest or most user-intuitive – and overall the Polestar 5 feels befitting of its £80k-plus price.

Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo 

It’s hard to mark down a system that has so much functionality – especially one that, on the whole, works really well. However, with every last feature buried in the screen, seemingly simple tasks take longer than they should. 

Key safety systems, for example, are on the display – as you might expect. The same is true for the drive modes, regenerative-braking settings and more. But having to delve into the screen to make minor adjustments to the door mirrors or steering wheel is plain annoying. Even some seat tweaks require you to first fiddle with a switch, before fine-tuning your desired position on the screen.

Otherwise, though, the Android-powered infotainment system operates swiftly and intuitively. Google Maps is included and works intelligently with the car’s data to show remaining charge not only on arrival, but if you were to turn around for the return journey as well. If you prefer to link your phone, there’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.

Behind the steering wheel sits a slim, hi-res screen displaying speed and charge data, as well as mapping and route information. Brush the touch-sensitive, haptic steering-wheel buttons and their operation will also flash up on the instrument cluster – we’d prefer proper switches, but they do the job.

“The design and build quality is first rate, but there are some ergonomic flaws to the Polestar 5’s cabin which could prove frustrating over time” - Richard Ingram, Deputy Editor 

The Polestar 5 is best viewed as a spacious four-seater GT; the fifth seat is token, and anyone forced to sit there will have to perch uncomfortably with their knees almost around their ears.

But while it might not be very comfy for passenger number five, everyone else will be perfectly happy. There’s loads of room to stretch out, and the view out – despite the lack of a rear window – is pretty good. Storage, both in terms of cubbies in the cabin and outright boot space, could be better.

Dimensions and size

At more than five metres long, the Polestar 5 is a big car – 124mm longer than a Porsche Taycan. And yet it doesn’t really feel like it on the road; the 5 shrinks around you, even without trick tech like rear-wheel steering to make light work of tight parking manoeuvres.

Seats & passenger space

You might be surprised with just how practical the Polestar 5 is for those sat inside. The super-long wheelbase means there’s acres of space to stretch out in the back, and unless you’re particularly tall, there’s enough headroom as well. By removing the rear window, Polestar has managed to keep the header rail nice and high, yet it never feels dark thanks to the huge, standard-fit panoramic roof.

Technically a five-seater, Polestar actually refers to the 5 as a ‘4+1’ – the middle seat is small and perched quite high, so only really of use on short journeys. If you do find someone willing to sit there, you’ll miss out on the chunky fold-down central armrest, which hides the rear-seat climate controls.

Boot space 

The Polestar 5 is plagued by the same saloon body shape as all of its main rivals, which makes loading big and heavy items a bit of a challenge. The opening is narrow – almost like a letterbox – and the capacity of 365 litres is comparable to something like a Volkswagen Golf. The seats fold to reveal 1,128 litres of cargo space, though the same limitations apply. A 62-litre ‘frunk’ is useful for carrying the charging cable, or a couple of soft bags.

Towing

While the Porsche Taycan is not officially rated to tow a trailer, every dual-motor Polestar 5 is capable of pulling an 1,800kg braked trailer. If this kind of thing matters, a Lotus Emeya is better still: certain models can haul up to 2,250kg.

“The Polestar 5 is better at carrying people than their luggage; the spacious cabin is countered by a compromised, supermini-sized boot” - Richard Ingram, Deputy Editor 

Polestar didn’t chart in our most recent Driver Power satisfaction survey, but sister brand Volvo finished an admirable (and mid-table) 14th – suggesting that prospective 5 customers can rest easy that they’ll be looked after long into their ownership journey.

Safety is another grey area, although only because Euro NCAP is yet to test the flagship GT. Every other model – the Polestar 2, 3 and 4 – was awarded a full five-star score when subjected to the stringent and ever-evolving test procedures.

Backing up its safety credentials are 11 ‘vision cameras’ and one mid-range radar, plus 12 ultrasonic sensors – feeding a driver-monitoring system and various other active safety set-ups. We found the lane-keeping aid to be a bit intrusive, but it can be easily switched off using the central touchscreen.

• Best buy: Polestar 5 Performance

If you can afford it, the Polestar 5 Performance is our top pick. While the added straight-line speed is largely surplus to requirements, the MagneRide adaptive dampers transform the ride and handling. If you’re spending £80k-plus on a four-door GT, what’s a little bit extra per month?

Polestar 5 alternatives 

The Polestar 5’s most obvious rivals include the Lotus Emeya and Porsche Taycan, plus the Audi e-tron GT. Other outliers include the more luxury-orientated BMW i7 and Mercedes EQS, and maybe even the forthcoming Jaguar Type 01. 

Amongst these, the Polestar looks pretty decent value for money – something that’s only likely to improve as more affordable, single-motor models start to appear. 

Polestar 5 pictures

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