Patrick George from insideevs tested the new Polestar 5 — an electric car vying for the role of Porsche Taycan killer. This is a completely different approach to the idea of a sports Grand Tourer — an engineering and philosophical manifesto of what a premium electric sedan of the 21st century should be. The 884-horsepower "Polar Star" was created from scratch, without the Volvo platform and without a single borrowing from Geely: for the first time in the brand's history, this is a completely independent project, reflecting Polestar's own DNA.
On the outside, the Polestar 5 impresses with its combination of minimalism and muscularity. Its design is almost unchanged from the Precept concept: elongated silhouette, short overhangs, hidden door handles, and a completely closed radiator grille. There is no rear window at all — instead, a high-resolution camera transmits the image to the mirror in the cabin. The optics with the signature "Thor's Hammer" motif and dynamic lighting give the car a futuristic but restrained look. All this creates an impression of monolithicity and technological purity, as if the body is carved from a single piece of metal.
Inside is a true hymn to Scandinavian minimalism. There are no unnecessary details here: only a large central screen, a "floating" multimedia tablet, and a laconic instrument panel. The materials are recycled aluminum, artificial leather, and microtextiles based on plant fibers. Polestar strives for environmental friendliness without compromising on premium quality. Ergonomics are verified to the smallest detail: seats with excellent lateral support, a wide range of adjustments, and an ideal driving position. There is more space in the back row than in the Taycan — even with a height of 185 cm, you don't feel cramped.
The main technological pride of the Polestar 5 is its completely new aluminum platform of its own design. It is lightweight but extremely rigid, which provides excellent handling. The Performance version, which participated in the test drive, is equipped with two electric motors (one on each axle), producing a total of 884 hp and 1100 N·m of torque. Power is provided by a 112 kWh battery (106 kWh usable), operating with an 800-volt architecture. The Polestar 5 accelerates to 100 km/h in 2.7 seconds, and the maximum speed is limited to 250 km/h.
The range of the base version is up to 670 km according to the WLTP cycle, and the Performance version is about 565 km. Charging from a 350 kW station allows you to replenish energy from 10 to 80% in just 22 minutes. The engineers deliberately abandoned air suspension, active stabilizers, and torque vectoring systems — here the focus is on "pure mechanics" and the ideal tuning of MagneRide shock absorbers. This makes the Polestar 5 a rare example of an electric car where the driver feels the road literally with their fingertips.
On the Millbrook track, the Polestar 5 proved that it can exceed the expectations of even the most skeptical engineers. Despite its weight of 2.5 tons, the car enters corners surprisingly easily, and the steering wheel transmits almost racing precision. The balance between the axle and the body is impeccable — the merit of the British team of engineers, among whom there are many former Lotus and McLaren specialists. The suspension elastically absorbs bumps, maintaining full control at high speeds, and the brakes with carbon discs work accurately and predictably.
The Polestar 5 impresses not only with its dynamics, but also with its atmosphere. This is one of the few modern electric cars where the drive feels "analog". Each acceleration is accompanied by a smooth but powerful increase in traction, and each arc gives that very feeling of involvement that is lost in many digital models. Even in Performance mode, the car remains predictable and confident — as if you are driving a classic GT, only without the sound of the engine.
The Android Automotive system with built-in Google works lightning fast: voice control recognizes commands in natural language, and the interface does not distract from the road. Polestar engineers emphasize that digital technologies should not distract attention from the main thing — the driving experience.
Production of the Polestar 5 is налажено in Chongqing (China), at a new environmentally friendly Geely enterprise with a closed aluminum recycling cycle. European prices start from 119,900 euros (approximately 140 thousand dollars), and the Performance version is estimated at 142,900 euros (about 167 thousand dollars). Sales in the USA are still in question: due to the 100% duty on imports from China, deliveries are economically unprofitable. However, the company plans to enter 24 key markets by the end of 2026.