Polestar 5 News

Best new cars coming to Australia in 2026

The electric car onslaught will continue in 2026 with the announcement of more than 20 new models in Australia.

This tech upgrade could be a game changer.Chinese-owned Swedish EV brand Polestar will introduce advanced AI voice assistant Google Gemini to its cars. The Gemini update was first seen in a public demonstration on the Polestar 5 at the start-up and technology event in Finland, Slush.Google’s Gemini is a generative artificial intelligence chatbot that can engage with users in conversation. The technology will allow users to have more natural conversations with the car to brainstorm aloud, ask follow-up questions and learn, according to Polestar. It will replace the current Google Assistant in all Polestar cars. Gemini builds on Google Assistant as it is more than a voice assistant, but can answer unique questions.Gemini is normally found in Google’s suite of smart speakers, and will eventually supersede the Google assistant available in older examples. Polestar's head of User Interface and User Experience Sid Odedra said the change will enhance driving experience. “Our collaboration with Google is a great example of how we continue to evolve the digital experience in our cars,” Odedra said. “Gemini brings the next generation of AI voice interaction into the car, and we’re excited to give a first look at how it will enhance the driving experience.”The first look at this new tech was on the Polestar 5, which was recently made available for order in Australia.It is available in dual motor and performance specs, with the latter producing 650kW and 1015Nm, and priced at $193,100, before on-road costs. Gemini will be introduced across Polestar’s line-up with a 2026 Google update.Polestar sells three other variants in Australia, which are the Polestar 2 sedan, Polestar 3 four-door coupe and Polestar 4 SUV.Polestar has seen a modest boost in Australian sales in 2025, rising nearly 39 per cent, up to October 2025 compared to this time last year, equating to over 2000 sales for the year so far. It is expected that a Polestar 6 two-door sports car, that was revealed in 2022 will go into production, after a medium SUV in the Polestar 7 launches. 

Australians have been obsessed with SUVs for over a decade, but there are signs the infatuation is coming to an end and you can put it down to electric cars.

Polestar’s flagship two-door sports car will still go into production, but its launch has been delayed as the company prioritises higher volume models.The Polestar 6 will be a production version of the two-door electric roadster concept revealed back in 2022. It’s yet to be seen in production guise and now it sounds like the world might not get a glimpse for at least a couple more years.Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller told Australian journalists the Chinese-owned Swedish EV brand is focussing on the Polestar 7 medium SUV ahead of anything else in its portfolio, given how big the segment is.“The 6 absolutely comes later, because after the 5, we need to do the 7 in terms of the volume. I want to make Polestar broader, more accessible for people, right, also in terms of price point. And then once we have successfully done this, we will look again at the Polestar 6,” he said.Slotting into the line-up under the freshly revealed Polestar 5 four-door grand coupe, the Polestar 6 will eventually compete with the likes of the upcoming next-generation electric Porsche 718 and the MG Cyberster.The Polestar 7, meanwhile, is yet to be seen, but it will tackle electric mid-size SUVs like the BMW iX3, Audi Q4 e-tron, Zeekr 7X and Tesla Model Y.Lohscheller denied the suggestion the company would need to improve its financial situation before launching a niche model like the Polestar 6.“No, it is a priority, and we will do it, but the sequence matters, right? You can't do everything at the same time. A small company like ours, need to set clear priorities, and that's what leadership is all about. And that's my role, to give guidance and leadership.”He said the main priorities for Polestar include a shift from online car sales to an ‘active selling model’ and expanding its global retail network by 75 per cent before the end of 2026, followed by entering a volume segment.“Second, I go into the volume segments, that's why the Polestar 7 has to come as quickly as possible, right? And that's the priority compared to a Polestar 6. And once we have then gone through this, then we will do the Polestar 6. And of course, everybody loves the Polestar 6. No question. Everybody wants to have it. But we need to walk before we run here.”The production version of the Polestar 6 hardtop convertible will use Polestar’s bespoke bonded aluminium platform that features 800-volt electric architecture found in the related Polestar 5.When the concept was revealed in 2022, Polestar said it would be good for performance figures including up to 650kW of power and 900Nm of torque from a dual-motor powertrain, with a 0-100km/h sprint time of 3.2 seconds.The four-door Polestar 5 Performance grade revealed at the start of September pumps out 650kW/1015Nm and Polestar confirmed it achieved the blistering 3.2-second 0-100km/h sprint time.

Polestar has just launched its flagship model, the Polestar 5, after a lengthy gestation.

Don’t believe the rumours! The Polestar 2 will live on and is confirmed to get a second generation.The boxy electric sedan is Polestar’s best-selling model and went on sale in 2020 globally before landing in Australia in late 2021.In recent times there’s been speculation about the future of the Tesla Model 3 rival, with some suggesting that it would not live on to see another generation, and others saying it would be replaced but it would adopt the Polestar 8 moniker.Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller clarified the future of the model in an interview with Australian journalists at the IAA Mobility show in Munich.“Yes, new generation, yeah. And that's important, because we have set it up so successfully, right? It has… 180,000 customers at the moment, right? And there will be a Polestar 2 successor for sure, for sure.”Lohscheller also confirmed that the car that will replace the Polestar 2 will indeed be called the Polestar 2.He said if the vehicle was going to change in concept then it would make more sense to adopt a new moniker.“If it was a new car, then we could argue, is that a Polestar 8, but that's not the case, right? And that maybe indicates that we obviously want to keep the Polestar 2 customers, right?”When asked by CarsGuide if the next-gen Polestar 2 would retain its sedan-like liftback body style, Lohscheller would neither confirm nor deny it.“We leave that open. But there are arguments for it. Because obviously, I mean, we call it now, really a fastback,” he said.“I want to have those current Polestar 2 customers back.”“I think we did a great job. And I want to keep them in the family.”Polestar head of design Philipp Römers was also non-committal about whether it would retain its sedan shape.“Let's see. We have some ideas of course, also there. I mean, we always have to do something special and evolve it further, you know. And again, the car was born as a Volvo. So we have to evolve it and separate it more from the Volvo,” he told Australian journalists.“It has to look as like a true Polestar, you know. Be surprised, we have some good ideas, you know?”He said the freshly revealed Polestar 5 could also provide some inspiration for the next-gen 2’s design.“Polestar 5 is such a brand ambassador. And of course, there is a big pool of inspiration also for these kinds of cars.”Römers said there were a number of aspects of the current model he wants to capture for the new version.“That it has character, that it is good looking, that it's timeless. Also that it feels like you want to drive it, you know? And these are the elements which we definitely would keep.”In terms of timing, Polestar is yet to confirm when the next Polestar 2 will be revealed. The current focus for the brand is on the coming Polestar 7 compact SUV which is set for release in early 2028 so the 2 should surface after that.In the meantime, expect more significant updates to the car in the last part of its life cycle.

Polestar 5 takes the performance four-door fight to the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT.

Polestar has been on a sales rebound in 2025 after a disappointing result in 2024, but its most affordable upcoming compact SUV model is still years away.

Ever since it was flagged earlier this year as an ‘indirect replacement’ for the company’s original EV model, the Polestar 2, by CEO, Thomas Ingenlath, widespread speculation has kicked off over whether the Polestar 7 will even again be a Tesla Model 3-style sedan-esque liftback competitor.