2026 Polestar 5 Sports Gorgeous Styling and Packs 872 Horsepower
Based on the 2020 Precept concept, Polestar’s new flagship arrives as a low-slung sedan, with a specifications sheet befitting a range topper.
Polestar revealed the 2026 Polestar 5, which joins the Swedish automaker’s lineup as its new flagship model.
It’s offered in two trims, the first sporting a stout 738 horsepower and the second touting a whopping 872 ponies.
The 5 supports DC fast-charging up to 350 kW, with range estimates expected to land around 330 miles for the standard car and 300 miles for the Performance trim.
When Polestar launched its first car in 2020, it didn’t start with a low-cost, high-volume model. Instead, the automaker went all out and released a 619-horsepower coupe with a sticker price well over $100,000. Unfortunately, that model was discontinued shortly thereafter, leaving Polestar without a proper halo product. That changes now, with Polestar pulling back the curtains on the 2026 Polestar 5, the Swedish automaker’s new flagship.
Polestar
The new model is based on the 2020 Precept concept. Unlike the Polestar 1, which was only offered as a coupe, the 5 is a sleek four-door sedan. Despite having a set of rear doors, the design isn’t dissimilar from the 1’s. It’s long, low, and muscular, with lines that combine to give it a spectacular silhouette.
Polestar
Despite the streamlined proportions, Polestar went to clever lengths to achieve grand-touring levels of comfort in the cabin. Take, for instance, the battery, which is located under the floor of the car and features a cutout that starts behind the front seats. The result is a back seat that sits lower and provides more headroom. According to Polestar, the 5 is designed primarily as a four-seater, though the rear seat’s center armrest can be lifted to provide space for a fifth person in a bind.
Plentiful Power
The new Polestar comes in two trims: Dual Motor and Performance. Both models come with two motors and all-wheel drive but differentiate themselves with varying degrees of indulgent power. The standard Dual Motor trim comes with 738 horsepower and 599 pound-feet of torque. Thanks to a stronger rear motor (603 hp), the Performance trim notches things up even further. The top variant makes a combined 872 horsepower and 749 pound-feet of torque.
Polestar
Given the huge horsepower figures, Polestar’s official zero-to-60 mph estimates come across as conservative. The standard Dual Motor version is rated at 3.8 seconds, with the Performance model listed at 3.1 seconds. Polestar limits both versions to 155 mph.
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The 106-kWh (usable) NMC lithium-ion battery under the 5’s floor works double duty, as it also helps form the structure of the aluminum platform. The system runs on 800 volts and can accept DC charging speeds up to 350 kW. According to Polestar, that means charging from 10 to 80 percent in as few as 22 minutes. Based on the 5’s WLTP ratings, the EPA estimates are expected to land around 330 miles for the standard car and 300 miles for the Performance version.
Polestar
According to the company, the Polestar 5 will be available at launch in 24 of the 28 markets it competes in, though the United States is not one of them. Pricing and availability for the U.S. are scheduled to be released at a later date, but we wouldn’t advise holding your breath. In Germany, pricing for the two models comes in at the equivalent of about $140,000 to $168,000, respectively, and with Polestar building the model in China, tariffs could make the already expensive model too costly to justify selling in the United States.
More on the Polestar 5
2026 Polestar 5 Prototype Drive: Grand Ambitions
2026 Polestar 5: What We Know So Far
Polestar 5 Prototype Impresses in Fast-Charge Test
Headshot of Jack Fitzgerald
Jack Fitzgerald
Associate News Editor
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
