The Sleek, Stylish Polestar 5 Is Make or Break For the Brand
Polestar’s new flagship EV looks fast and boasts big numbers, but is it enough?
Edward LohWriterSep 08, 2025
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Polestar has officially revealed the Polestar 5, a four-door, five-passenger electric grand tourer positioned as the company’s new flagship. Developed from the Precept concept first shown in 2020, the production car stays close to the original design while introducing Polestar’s first in-house platform, its own electric motor, and a fast-charging 800-volt electrical system. It will be produced in China, at a new plant in Chongqing.
The launch comes at a pivotal time. Polestar recently changed CEOs, posted a billion-dollar loss in second quarter of 2025, and continues to face challenges gaining market share in the U.S. Per a recent company report, through the first half of 2025, 77 percent of Polestar’s sales were generated from Europe versus 8% from the U.S. The Polestar 5 is more than just a new model—it’s a test of whether the brand can translate its slick design and engineering promises into real traction with buyers.
Wind-Cheating Design and No Back Glass
The exterior of the Polestar 5 closely mirrors the Precept concept from 2020, although it loses the rear-hinged doors that allowed for the concept’s B-pillar-less cabin. The body features sleek surfacing, slim “dual-blade” headlights and a low nose with Polestar’s SmartZone camera and radar array. Frameless glass, retractable door handles, and an extended roofline contribute to a claimed drag coefficient of 0.24.
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To free up rear-seat space without altering the coupe-ish proportions, Polestar has used a digital rearview mirror and virtual rear window setup—as on the Polestar 4 SUV—moving structural elements rearward. A large panoramic roof further improves the cabin’s sense of space and makes up for the lack of rear glass. Six exterior colors will be available, including two matte gray finishes.
In person, the Polestar 5 is striking and sexy, especially up front, with sharply sculpted character lines that run from the outer edge of the headlights through the A-pillar. The only line out of place to our eye is the C-pillar trim that extends from the small triangular rear windows.
Room For 5 and Mother Nature
Inside, the Polestar 5 offers a 4+1 seating arrangement. The Recaro-developed front seats are low-set and notably bolstered, while the rear seats can recline individually and feature heating, cooling, and massage. Raising the center armrest creates a third rear seat in a pinch, although the cabin is clearly optimized for four occupants, each of whom have their own climate-control zone.
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The interior makes heavy use of sustainable materials, including a flax-based carbon-fiber alternative; carpets made from Econyl, a synthetic material sourced from fishing nets; and a headliner made using recycled plastic. These materials are said to reduce weight and virgin fossil-based plastics, and it follows the recent trend among luxury brands of offering material choices beyond the traditional. Upholstery options include synthetic MicroTech or Bridge of Weir Nappa leather sourced from food industry byproducts.
The driver sits low and faces an upright steering wheel. A 9.0-inch digital instrument cluster is mounted to the column, complemented by a head-up display. A 14.5-inch portrait touchscreen runs Android Automotive OS with Google built-in, continuing Polestar’s reliance on Google services for navigation and infotainment.
All-New PPA Platform
The Polestar 5 debuts the company’s new bonded aluminum Polestar Performance Architecture (PPA), a platform designed to be lightweight yet rigid and comprised of sustainably sourced alloys, whatever that specifically means. Polestar claims PPA’s torsional stiffness exceeds that of some supercars, but didn’t specify which models or whether they are contemporary.
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The suspension consists of a compact control-arm front setup (that allows for the low nose) and Brembo brakes shared with the Polestar 3, although Polestar says the stoppers are lighter here by 26 pounds. The standard Dual Motor 5 utilizes passive dampers, while the Performance variant adds adaptive magnetorheological dampers. Wheel sizes range from 20 to 22 inches and are wrapped in Michelin tires.
“800 Club” Power and Charging
Two versions will be offered at launch. The Dual Motor model makes 748 hp and 599 lb-ft of torque, with a 0–60 mph time of 3.8 seconds. The Performance model produces 884 hp and 749 lb-ft, cutting the sprint to 3.1 seconds. Both are limited to 155 mph. The 112-kWh (106 usable) battery uses lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide (NMC) chemistry and supports 800-volt charging at up to 350 kW, with a 10–80 percent recharge possible in as little as 22 minutes. Official range estimates have not been announced, but given the performance focus and battery size, expect competitive numbers against rivals like the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT.
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Technology and Safety
Driver assistance is handled by 11 cameras, radar, ultrasonic sensors, and interior monitoring, some of which are mounted together as a “SmartZone” array of sensors in the nose of the car, as first seen on the Polestar 3. All of these cameras and sensors inform Pilot Assist, the advanced driver-assistance system imported from group-mate Volvo that enables lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control up to 93 mph. Active noise cancellation and an available 21-speaker, 1,680-watt Bowers & Wilkins system are among the other premium tech features.
The Bigger Picture
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On paper, the Polestar 5 checks many boxes that would help it stand out: powerful motors, fast charging, a clean design, and extensive use of sustainable materials. It also represents the launch of the company’s first fully in-house-developed platform and drivetrain, marking a step toward independence from Volvo and Geely’s shared components.
The bigger question is whether this will be enough to move the needle. Polestar remains a niche player in the U.S., where its lineup has struggled to build awareness against Tesla and other EVs from established brands. The most glaring weakness of the Polestar’s admittedly-slick looking flagship sedan is that it’s a sedan and not an SUV.
Still, the Polestar 5 shows ambition. If pricing lands competitively and the driving experience delivers on the promises of the sheetmetal, powertrain, and architecture, this car could serve as a turning point and establish Polestar as a serious contender in the performance EV segment. Given Polestar’s success in Europe, particularly the U.K., we were told by CEO Michael Lohscheller that the 5 will launch there first. After it goes on sale in 24 of Polestar’s 28 current markets, the car should come to the U.S., Canada, Korea, and China, albeit not necessarily in that order. We look forward to sliding behind the wheel for our first drive.
Edward Loh
I used to go kick tires with my dad at local car dealerships. I was the kid quizzing the sales guys on horsepower and 0-60 times, while Dad wandered around undisturbed. When the salesmen finally cornered him, I’d grab as much of the glossy product literature as I could carry. One that still stands out to this day: the beautiful booklet on the Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX that favorably compared it to the Porsches of the era. I would pore over the prose, pictures, specs, trim levels, even the fine print, never once thinking that I might someday be responsible for the asterisked figures “*as tested by Motor Trend magazine.” My parents, immigrants from Hong Kong, worked their way from St. Louis, Missouri (where I was born) to sunny Camarillo, California, in the early 1970s. Along the way, Dad managed to get us into some interesting, iconic family vehicles, including a 1973 Super Beetle (first year of the curved windshield!), 1976 Volvo 240, the 1977 Chevrolet Caprice Classic station wagon, and 1984 VW Vanagon. Dad imbued a love of sports cars and fast sedans as well. I remember sitting on the package shelf of his 1981 Mazda RX-7, listening to him explain to my Mom – for Nth time – what made the rotary engine so special. I remember bracing myself for the laggy whoosh of his turbo diesel Mercedes-Benz 300D, and later, his ’87 Porsche Turbo. We were a Toyota family in my coming-of-age years. At 15 years and 6 months, I scored 100 percent on my driving license test, behind the wheel of Mom’s 1991 Toyota Previa. As a reward, I was handed the keys to my brother’s 1986 Celica GT-S. Six months and three speeding tickets later, I was booted off the family insurance policy and into a 1983 Toyota 4×4 (Hilux, baby). It took me through the rest of college and most of my time at USC, where I worked for the Daily Trojan newspaper and graduated with a biology degree and business minor. Cars took a back seat during my stint as a science teacher for Teach for America. I considered a third year of teaching high school science, coaching volleyball, and helping out with the newspaper and yearbook, but after two years of telling teenagers to follow their dreams, when I wasn’t following mine, I decided to pursue a career in freelance photography. After starving for 6 months, I was picked up by a tiny tuning magazine in Orange County that was covering “The Fast and the Furious” subculture years before it went mainstream. I went from photographer-for-hire to editor-in-chief in three years, and rewarded myself with a clapped-out 1989 Nissan 240SX. I subsequently picked up a 1985 Toyota Land Cruiser (FJ60) to haul parts and camera gear. Both vehicles took me to a more mainstream car magazine, where I first sipped from the firehose of press cars. Soon after, the Land Cruiser was abandoned. After a short stint there, I became editor-in-chief of the now-defunct Sport Compact Car just after turning 30. My editorial director at the time was some long-haired dude with a funny accent named Angus MacKenzie. After 18 months learning from the best, Angus asked me to join Motor Trend as senior editor. That was in 2007, and I’ve loved every second ever since.
