This Striking, Ultra-Refined EV Does Away with a Surprising and Basic Car Feature

Polestar takes aim at its all-electric rivals with a stunning GT that’s packed full of forward-thinking tech.

Close-up of a modern car's rear light assembly featuring a sleek, angular design with bright red LED light strips. The car body is silver with smooth, sharp lines, and the background is a solid orange color.

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By Gray Van Dyke

Published September 9, 2025

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Updated September 9, 2025

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The car industry’s push for electrification has meant that many features we’ve become accustomed to seeing in our vehicles are now quietly being rendered obsolete.

It’s not just antiquated (albeit beloved) technologies like the manual transmission, either. I’m talking about practicalities like physical buttons, door handles and even mirrors.

Just take Polestar’s latest release, for instance.

Sleek silver electric sedan with a black roof driving on a road beside a rocky cliff, featuring modern aerodynamic design and large alloy wheels. — The Polestar 5 breaks cover as one of the most stunning EVs in recent years.

Though it’s positioned as the top model in the lineup, the Polestar 5 avoids the ‘complications’ of a rear window altogether. Moreover, the car itself isn’t just a cheap party trick — it boasts some seriously impressive specs.

Stunning design, shocking speed

If the appearance of the Polestar 5 looks somewhat familiar, chances are that’s because it bears a strong resemblance to the brand’s Precept concept. Impressively, the car has managed to make it to production with very few changes around the exterior

Sleek silver Polestar 5 electric sedan with a panoramic tinted roof, sharp angular rear design, continuous LED taillight strip, and large multi-spoke alloy wheels with yellow brake calipers. — Impressively, the Polestar 5 shares a lot in common with the Precept concept.

So, along with a low nose and some sharp dual blade headlights, it also sports a sweeping profile with a wing-like Kamm-style rear end.

It’s worth noting that Polestar was only able to achieve the rear roofline by ditching the rear glass altogether. Instead, the Polestar 5 relies on the brand’s largest panoramic glass roof to date in conjunction with a digital rear-view mirror (aka a camera).

Close-up of a rearview camera integrated into the back of a vehicle, positioned just below a thin, horizontal red LED brake light strip. The camera is housed in a small black casing centered on a smooth, matte gray surface. — The Polestar 5 doesn’t feature a rear window. Instead, it relies on a camera to act as the rear-view mirror.

Suffice to say, it pays off on the road — between the flush, frameless glass and the retractable door handles, the Polestar 5 boasts a Cd of just 0.24.

As such, when you consider the performance numbers, Polestar’s new EV proves to be as speedy as it is slippery. With up to 884 horsepower and 749 lb-ft of torque available from the Performance trim, the EV can hit 0-60 mph in a mere 3.1 seconds.

What’s more, Polestar has designed the Polestar 5 around an all-new 800-volt electrical architecture. Along with being able to charge at up to 350kW, this means that it can top up from 10 to 80 percent in as little as 22 minutes.

Sleek silver electric sedan with black accents, featuring modern aerodynamic design, large black and silver alloy wheels, and yellow brake calipers, parked on a road with a textured rocky wall in the background. — The Kamm-style tail gives the Polestar 5 a unique, integrated rear wing for improved aero.

A GT for the modern driver

Being a spacious grand touring car, the Polestar 5 isn’t only focused on performance; it’s also about providing a comfortable experience for the long haul.

Accordingly, the 4+1 interior boasts a set of supportive Recaro seats up front, an armrest with integrated climate control and massage functions in the back, along with some extra foot space for passengers by way of a cut out in the battery floor.

Interior of a modern car featuring light gray perforated leather seats with a yellow seatbelt, a large vertically oriented touchscreen display on the dashboard, a minimalist steering wheel, and a panoramic glass roof. The center console has a sleek design with a rotary control knob and an armrest. The dashboard includes a horizontal air vent and a wood-textured trim. — Along with the central 14.5-inch display, the Polestar 5 boasts a 9.5-inch HUD that sits atop the steering column.

On the tech side, the Polestar 5 incorporates a 9.5-inch heads-up display atop the steering column in conjunction with a 14.5-inch central display to allow for optimal viewing.

Moreover, it also brings trick features such as Active Road Noise Cancellation and a SmartZone Advanced Driver Assistance System that comprises 11 vision cameras, one driver monitoring camera, one mid-range radar and 12 ultrasonic sensors.

Rounded out by eco-conscious materials like a flax-based carbon fiber alternative, Econyl recycled fishing net fabric and lightweight plastic replacements (among others), the Polestar 5 is a vehicle that reinforces the notion luxury and sustainability aren’t mutually exclusive.

Rear view of a silver Polestar 5 electric car with a continuous horizontal red LED tail light strip and a black lower bumper against a plain light gray background. — The full-width light bar is a trend that still has room for fresh interpretations, as evidenced by the Polestar 5.

Pricing and availability

The Polestar 5 is available to order now — in both Dual Motor and Performance variants — in select markets around the world. Though it’s not currently on sale in North America, Polestar has stated that it will be announcing pricing and availability at a later date.

For perspective, in the UK, MSRP is set at £89,500 (~$120,000) for the Dual Motor Launch Edition and £104,900 (~$140,000) for the Performance Launch Edition. You can learn more about the Polestar 5 by checking out the Polestar website.

Sleek, modern electric sedan with a matte gray finish, sharp angular LED headlights, and large black and silver alloy wheels, shown from a front three-quarter view on a plain light gray background.

2026 Polestar 5

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About the Author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When he’s not chasing the latest industry news, he’s probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers.