BMW M3 vs Polestar 5
What's the difference?

BMW M3

$124,800 - $199,990

2023 price

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Polestar 5

$171,100 - $193,100

2026 price

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Maserati Quattroporte

Mazda 6

Mercedes-AMG E63

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz C43

Mercedes-Benz C63

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Summary

2023 BMW M3

2026 Polestar 5

By Andrew Chesterton

By Jack Quick

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 6, 3.0L

Electric motor type

Permanent Magnet

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Vehicle type

Battery Electric

Fuel Efficiency

10.4L/100km (combined)

Electric range

670 km

Energy consumption

17.6 kWh/100km

Battery capacity

112.00 kWh

Seating

Likes

Brutal acceleration
Surprisingly compliant in the city
Boot space for days

Breath-taking exterior design
Plenty of power
Beautifully balanced between sport and comfort

Dislikes

Carbon pack a little (a lot) silly
Thirsty as all get out
Design a little polarising (though I like it)

Screen-heavy minimalism isn’t practical while driving
Too much glossy piano black
Big turning circle

2023 BMW M3 Summary

There’s no point waxing too lyrical here, because the facts surrounding the M3 Touring are more than exciting enough.

It’s a (kind of) family friendly wagon with oodles of space and practicality. It’s also an unhinged performance weapon with a thumping 3.0-litre twin-turbo-petrol inline six-cylinder engine.

And it has been years — decades, even — in the making. So, has it been worth the wait? Let’s strap in and find out.

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2026 Polestar 5 Summary

It’s finally here.

The Polestar 5 electric grand tourer (GT) has officially launched in Australia six years after the original Precept concept was revealed.

Thankfully many of the concept’s design cues have carried over to the production model and it continues Polestar’s history of offering GT cars - its first was the limited-production Polestar 1 which was only sold in left-hand-drive markets.

Like all current Polestars, the Polestar 5 is all-electric and competes against the likes of the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT.

We’ve already driven the Polestar 5 overseas, but this is the first time we’re experiencing it on local soil. Read on to see how it fares.

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Deep dive comparison

2023 BMW M3 2026 Polestar 5

Verdict

Long live the mighty wagon. The BMW M3 Touring is treat to look at, and an even bigger treat to drive.

If you want one, act fast. We waited a long time for a wagon-shaped M3, and with electrification increasing in the automotive industry, this will likely be your last chance.

Verdict

The Polestar 5 is utterly gorgeous. It's essentially a concept car come to life.

It perfectly balances sportiness and comfort, like a GT should, though the screen-heavy minimalism might not be everyone’s cup of tea.

If you’re after something faster and with more physical switchgear, there’s the Porsche Taycan, but it’s considerably more expensive.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

BMW M3 vs Polestar 5 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

BMW M3 vs Polestar 5
What's the difference?