Test Polestar 5 Performance: Focus on details

Test Drive Report Test Polestar 5 Performance: Focus on Details

2026-06-05 From Martin Westerhoff/SP-X | Translated by AI 4 min Reading Time

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The 650-kilowatt Polestar 5 Performance is the sportiest electric car yet from the young brand. During a test drive, the model proves to be dynamic and detail-oriented.

Polestar is bringing its sportiest electric car yet, the "5 Performance," to the market.(Image: Polestar) — Polestar is bringing its sportiest electric car yet, the "5 Performance," to the market.
(Image: Polestar)

This is no ordinary press test drive, where meticulously curated routes might help mask a car's weaknesses. We're driving a leg of a four-week European road trip, from Sweden to the Sahara. This segment takes us from one Spanish metropolis to another, from Barcelona to Valencia. Instead of taking the coastal highway, the route with the Polestar 5 Performance leads into the mountainous, sparsely populated hinterland. Far from urban charging infrastructure and the safe havens of well-developed fast-charging networks, the electric grand tourer must prove whether it should be feared by the EV elite.

Polestar Performance Architecture

The Polestar 5 Performance has everything on paper to compete in the league of spacious electric sports cars. Although the Swedish brand belongs to the large Chinese Geely Group, the sporty four-door explicitly does not share its technical foundation with models from Lotus or other sister brands. It is built on a specially developed platform made of bonded aluminum—the Polestar Performance Architecture. This saves weight while making the body torsionally rigid. Drivers will notice that this car surprises with well-thought-out details within the first few kilometers.

A striking design detail only becomes apparent at second glance: The Polestar 5 Performance has no rear window. The engineers moved the roof crossbeam behind the heads of the rear passengers to create ample headroom despite the flat roofline. The view to the rear is provided by a digital rearview mirror with a camera in the back. The system delivers a razor-sharp image even under a bright blue sky and intense sunlight.

In front of a red traffic light, there is an enormous brightness contrast between the shaded interior of the car behind us and the sunlit road. Nevertheless, the faces of the occupants are clear, sharp, and distinct—better than any mirror glass could capture.

Scandinavian Minimalism in the Interior

In the high-quality interior, we take a seat on Recaro seats. They offer a first-class compromise between ergonomics, high lateral support, and comfort. Polestar includes a multi-level massage program that effectively prevents back muscle tension during long journeys.

The cabin design showcases Scandinavian minimalism, unfortunately extending to the glove compartment, which doesn’t exist at all. However, the arrangement of the instruments demonstrates additional attention to detail. Instead of a fixed display integrated into the dashboard, the Polestar 5 features a compact 9-inch display mounted directly on the steering column. When the driver adjusts the steering wheel's height or depth, the screen moves with it. This eliminates any conflict between ergonomics and readability.

The central 14.5-inch display controls the vehicle functions. The high-resolution graphical system, based on the proven Android Automotive operating system with fully integrated Google services, may appear somewhat unconventional at first glance, but after a short adjustment period, it proves to be intuitive and self-explanatory. Using it, we program our first stop: the Reial Monestir de Santa Maria de Poblet. The historic monastery provides a brief respite before the journey continues further up into the mountains.

Unfortunately, No All-Wheel Steering

There, the infotainment system has a surprise in store. On a remote road, the Google navigation suddenly announces that the battery charge won't be sufficient to reach the destination. The software suggests a charging stop in the nearby village of Falset, just six kilometers away. There, public 60-kilowatt charging stations are available. While the Polestar 5, thanks to its 800-volt architecture, charges at fast-charging stations with up to 350 kW, in this inaccessible region, the station serves as a lifeline for completing the rest of the journey.

Back on the road, the GT gets to show what it’s capable of. Two electric motors deliver 650 kW (871 hp) and 1,015 Newton meters of torque. The sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) is achieved in 3.2 seconds. Even more impressive, however, is how agile the 2,500-kilogram (5,511 lbs) vehicle maneuvers through tight mountain passes. A key factor here is the balanced 50:50 weight distribution between the front and rear axles.

The chassis with adaptive dampers, whose active valves control the flow, keeps the body stable. The car drives agilely, the ESP remains discreet in sport mode and allows the rear-biased power distribution its leeway. The steering reacts directly and can also be adjusted in resistance in three levels.

In tight hairpin bends, the steering manages without requiring hand repositioning. However, in this segment and with a length of over five meters, at least an optional all-wheel steering would be desirable. Competitors like the Mercedes EQS or the Porsche Taycan offer such a system, which also provides significant advantages when maneuvering.

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There is also a More Affordable Alternative

For those who don't need maximum power, the Polestar 5 Dual Motor offers an alternative. This variant delivers 550 kW (737 hp) and 812 Nm of torque and comes with a significantly lower starting price of €119,900 (approx. $128,800) compared to the €142,900 (approx. $153,500) Performance model. Additionally, the entry-level version boasts a higher WLTP range of up to 670 kilometers (416 miles), compared to the 558 kilometers (346 miles) of the more powerful Performance variant.

Gallery

The four-door gran turismo is built on a specially developed aluminum platform.(Image: Polestar)

In the interior, Polestar relies on Scandinavian minimalism.(Image: Polestar)

Two electric motors deliver 650 kilowatts and provide 1,015 Newton meters of torque.(Image: Polestar)

Passengers sit two in the back.(Image: Polestar)

At the end of our journey, the Polestar 5 rolls into Valencia. After the challenging leg from the Mediterranean through the rugged and unforgiving Catalonian mountains, we step out feeling relaxed. With an empty weight of 2.5 tons, the GT reaches weight dimensions comparable to those of a large SUV—yet it delivers high driving dynamics. Polestar impressively demonstrates that the competition should indeed take this sports car seriously.

Polestar 5 Performance – Technical Data:

Four-door grand tourer of the luxury class (4+1 seats); Length: 5.09 meters (16.7 ft), Width: 2.02 meters (6.6 ft) (with exterior mirrors: 2.06 meters (6.8 ft) ), Height: 1.42 meters (4.7 ft), Wheelbase: 3.05 meters (10.0 ft), Trunk volume: 365–1,128 liters (approx. 12.9–39.8 cu ft) (plus 62 liters frunk (approx. 2.2 cu ft) )

Two electric motors with 650 kW (871 hp), Torque: 1,015 Nm, (approx. 748 lb-ft) 0–100 km/h: 3.2 s, V_max: 250 km/h (155 mph), Consumption: 21.2 kWh/100 km, Battery size: 112 kWh (gross) / 106 kWh (net), Range: 558 km (346 miles) (WLTP), Charging capacity: 350 kW (DC), 11 kW (AC), Charging time: DC: 10–80 percent in approx. 22 minutes. Price: from 142,900 euros (approx. $153,500)