If you think EVs have gotten far too predictable these days, the new Polestar 5 wants to prove otherwise. Here comes a four-door all-electric grand tourer that began life as the Precept concept back in 2020 and has now made the leap to production, and thankfully, not much has been lost in translation.
Debuting at the ongoing IAA 2025 in Munich, Polestar has also announced pricing, which starts at €119,900 (about $129,000) for the Dual Motor version and €142,900 (about $154,000) for the Performance model. At those levels, Polestar is taking on models like Porsche’s Taycan, Audi’s e-tron GT, and even the Tesla Model S Plaid. The question is, does it deliver enough to justify the price?
But here’s what makes this moment significant: we finally have something that the Polestar name truly stands for. For those who remember, long before Polestar became its own brand, it was Volvo’s in-house performance division, similar to what AMG is to Mercedes. Both Polestar and Volvo now sit under China’s Geely Automotive, much like Genesis operates independently from Hyundai.
After the split, Polestar gave us the gorgeous but short-lived hybrid coupe Polestar 1, before moving on to EV crossovers with the Polestar 2, 3, and 4. While those models built credibility for the Swedish brand with strong sales figures, the 5 is the first car that appears like a proper flagship, positioned to go head-to-head with established electric performance sedans from both Europe and America.
On paper, the specs are impressive. The aforementioned Performance model produces 871 horsepower and 749 pound-feet of torque and can hit 60 mph in about 3.2 seconds and tops out at 155 mph. The Dual Motor version is not far behind, with 738 horsepower, 599 pound-feet of torque, with the dash to 60 mph happening in 3.9 seconds.
Both versions ride on an 800-volt architecture, meaning they can charge from 10 to 80 percent in about 22 minutes at a 350-kilowatt DC fast charger. The 112 kWh battery pack (106 kWh usable), besides being a substantial one, is also structural. Range is competitive, with Polestar estimating around 416 miles for the Dual Motor and 351 miles for the Performance under the European WLTP cycle. Expect EPA numbers to be lower, but even if they land closer to 375 and 320 miles, still be healthy numbers for long-distance driving.
Polestar engineered the pack to reinforce the car’s bonded aluminum chassis, reducing weight while boosting rigidity. That platform, known as the Polestar Performance Architecture, is a major talking point because Polestar claims that it is lighter than steel and delivers torsional rigidity higher than many two-seat supercars. But just to give you some context about Polestar’s EV performance, recently, Polestar made headlines when it set a new Guinness World Record for the longest Electric SUV Trip on a single charge, where a Polestar 3 covered 438 miles on a single charge.
Coming back to the Polestar 5, the suspension and braking hardware also convey the target audience and intent of this fastback EV, with the front using a compact double wishbone design, paired with Brembo four-piston calipers and lightweight 400 mm discs. The Performance model adds MagneRide adaptive dampers that can adjust 1,000 times per second.
But by far, the styling is the highlight of the Polestar 5. Its sharp lines and the availibility of six colors, including two matte finishes, truly exude that Scandinavian design aesthetic. Upfront, you have Polestar’s signature dual blade headlight signature, complete with Pixel LED tech as standard. The car stretches more than 16 feet long yet sits only 55 inches tall, giving this low-slung four-door coupe the ideal proportions of a proper GT. Aerodynamic efficiency was key here: a virtual rear window and digital mirror setup (first seen on the Polestar 4) help deliver a drag coefficient of just 0.24. A two-meter panoramic roof, frameless glass, and aero-efficient lighting round out the look.
Step inside, and the minimalist theme continues with an increased focus on sustainability, because Polestar employs eco-friendly materials like flax-based composites called ampliTex, NFPP bio-based plastics, Econyl recycled carpets, and PET-based fabrics in the cabin. Unlike rivals that hide eco-materials under traditional finishes, Polestar leans into them, letting textures show through as part of the design. Add in Recaro-developed seats with heating, ventilation, and massage, and the cabin appears to be both progressive and genuinely comfortable.
As for tech, you get a 14.5-inch portrait-style center screen running Android Automotive with Google built in, a partnership that has been in place from the very early days of the Polestar brand. What that means for you is native Google Maps, Assistant, and Play Store support, without needing to connect your phone. If you’re an audiophile, Bowers & Wilkins offers a high-end 21-speaker system with 1,680 watts. Safety and driver assistance are just as comprehensive, with 11 cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors, radar, and a driver monitoring camera. The SmartZone sensor suite is lidar-ready, which means the car is also future-proofed for advanced driver-assistance upgrades.
If you are indeed shopping in this space, the Polestar 5 offers something interesting: a European-designed EV GT that prioritizes sustainable materials without sacrificing power. However, there’s a catch for U.S. buyers: it isn’t coming stateside at launch. As the Polestar 5 is built in Chongqing, China, the car would face import tariffs of more than 100 percent, making it economically impractical to sell here for now.
While the brand has previously showcased a pre-production version of the Polestar 5 in Los Angeles, it says North American availability will be announced at a later date. Until uncertainty around trade deals settles, American buyers will have to wait it out. The question is, would you put your money on Polestar over Porsche, Audi, or Tesla if it were sold in the United States?
Source: Polestar
