Polestar 5 vs BMW 740i

What's the difference?

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.

While the new 7 Series won’t visually appeal to everyone, nor is it at the forefront of spirited driving dynamics, it’s hard to argue that it isn’t fit for purpose.

Its rear theatre screen and lounge layout might seem gimmicky at first, but it’s difficult to think of a more comfortable way to be transported on wheels short of putting a chassis under your loungeroom. Even then, you’d have to ask someone for a massage.

This is one of those cases where a car becoming larger isn’t such a bad thing, and BMW should feel like it’s achieved, seemingly, what it set out to do in building an electric limousine that doesn’t fall short in range or dynamics.

If BMW can bring this level of refinement down to its more affordable models, its electric future is looking promising.

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

There’s no way around it. The exterior of this car is exquisite. It truly is a concept car that has come to life.

The front end is particularly fascinating as the split LED headlight set-up emphasises just how low-slung and wide this grand-tourer is.

Something surprising about the Polestar 5 is while it’s less than 1.5-metres tall, it’s more than five metres long, which makes it longer than a Toyota LandCruiser, for example.

While the tail-light set-up is stunning and angular, the rear section of the Polestar 5 is its most awkward.

Like the Polestar 4 Coupe, this car doesn’t have a rear window and that means there is a big slab of body coloured panel instead. It makes the overall silhouette rather back-heavy, especially when finished in lighter colours.

Inside, the design is virtually identical to a series of other existing Polestar models. It’s intentionally minimal with a major focus put on the large central touchscreen.

While the interior looks and feels premium, like other Polestars, it doesn’t make this flagship offering feel as special.

It doesn’t help that there are large sections of glossy piano black on the steering wheel, centre console and rear-seat armrest section. These are all areas that get used a lot, meaning fingerprints and grime will show quickly.

BMW freely calls the new 7 Series “monolithic” in its press material, and it’s hard to argue. The seventh-generation of its luxo limo is bigger in every dimension, and with a higher bonnet and bootlid, the car is convincingly imposing even when parked. Even more so in black.

From the front, the 7 Series clearly has a new face compared to its predecessor, with split headlights now an indicator of BMW’s luxury oriented models - the incoming XM SUV features the same.

Its LED daytime running lights feature Swarovski crystals, while the grille surround illuminates while the vehicle is parked and on. It’s currently unable to be illuminated while driving to comply with Australia’s laws.

It’s perhaps less elegant and more aggressive than previous generations, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be those who approve. It’s certainly emotive, especially when compared to the side and rear of the car.

The side profile of the 7 requires quite a few steps back from the car to really take in - it’s almost 5.4 metres long - though it's hard to hide the size of a car that allows its rear passengers to almost lay down.

From the rear, the 7 Series is probably at its most uninspiring, which is a reverse from the interior where the front feels more minimalistic than some of its rivals like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

BMW has used crystalline geometric shapes throughout the cabin, and the front ‘interaction bar’ is perhaps the best example.

In keeping with the minimalism, its screen sits in an almost freestanding style out from the dash, with no physical buttons seen around it.

The Polestar 5’s front seats are supremely comfortable and almost limitlessly adjustable, meaning they’re perfect for long-distance driving. Even if you do get a sore back, there’s a great massage function.

While the steering wheel is a lovely unit to hold and twirl, the buttons on it just aren’t intuitive, unless you’re shown what they do. They are touch-sensitive pads that are blank and don’t have any iconography on them.

Instead, the button's purpose is shown on the digital instrument cluster when you hover on them. There’s a considerable amount that can be adjusted from the steering wheel, but failing this you’re forced to use the touchscreen as physical switchgear is few and far between.

Sure the prominent, portrait-oriented 14.5-inch touchscreen multimedia system runs Google Built-in and has Google Gemini, but clicking through menus, especially while driving, for key functions isn’t intuitive. I’d love more physical buttons.

In terms of storage up front, there isn’t as much as you’d expect. There are two cupholders, a small centre console slot with a wireless charger, as well as a tiny centre armrest storage slot. There’s no glovebox.

As standard the Polestar 5 comes with a 4+1 seating configuration, meaning that while there is a small centre rear seat, the emphasis is put on the two outer seats. They’re almost like separate bucket seats and offer electric adjustment.

At a leggy 182cm tall, there’s adequate legroom for a car that’s more than five metres long. Headroom isn’t bad either, especially given there’s a panoramic glass sunroof and the fact the car is only 1.5-metres tall.

Many of the second-row controls are on the fold-down centre armrest. They’re touch-sensitive and rather finicky to operate.

Despite this car’s length, there’s only 365 litres of boot space, which is tiny for a car of this size. Thankfully there’s a sizeable underfloor section in lieu of a spare wheel.

At the front there’s a 62-litre storage compartment that’s big enough for charging cables among other odds and ends.

If the word ‘practicality’ brings to mind simplicity, the 7 Series might require you to have a bit of a mental reset. If it means plenty of space and a long list of elements to keep you comfortable, you’d be closer to the money.

While it’s visually restrained in some ways, the space accessible to the driver is thought out reasonably well, as you’d expect from a car costing more than a quarter-million.

The front seats certainly aren’t the main event, but the Merino leather and cashmere wool combination seats are far from uncomfortable, with the heating, cooling, and massage functions accessible from the central multimedia screen.

The controls for those, as well as functions like the climate control, are easily accessible, though could probably be even easier with a physical climate control panel. 

Controls for the individual vents, and even the glovebox are found along the BMW interaction bar, which can (frustratingly) reflect light thanks to its crystalline design, meaning it’s hard to see while driving on a sunny day.

Similarly, while the centre console where the main control dial for BMW’s 'iDrive' isn’t far removed from previous versions, it’s less tactile and requires a look sometimes to see what’s being pressed. Here, too, sunlight can reflect (this time off the dial) and make it more distracting.

Fortunately, the steering wheel controls remain physical buttons, and they’re laid out in a way that previous BMW owners or drivers will find familiar. 

The 7 Series also now leans more heavily on voice activation, so if the lack of physical climate controls or the multimedia screen is a little distracting, much can be achieved by actually asking the car with a “hey, BMW… ”.

There’s a large storage unit in the centre console, as well as two cupholders and a phone charging platform in front of the multimedia controls.

The rear seats, especially the one behind the front passenger, are where the 7 Series begins to feel its worth. If you’re buying one with the intention of being the driver 100 per cent of the time, you’re missing a trick.

The ability for the front passenger seat to shift forward and maximise legroom while the rear seat reclines into a lounge position is nothing new, limousine sedans have been able to do this for years, but the 7 Series takes it to another level.

Not only is there plenty of space for even the tallest of humans to stretch out, but the positioning and angle of the huge 31.3-inch theatre screen is great, even if it impedes the driver’s rear view, and the ability to use it as a touchscreen for some functions means less need for the handy but sometimes fiddly door-mounted control screen.

If you plan on playing games, the controls (and the fact you’re likely in a moving car) can make it a little difficult, but the small control panel is overall easy to use and well-placed.

The cushioned armrest that folds down in place of a middle passenger is comfortable, features a phone charging pad and pop-out cupholders, as well as a storage space under the armrest.

Finally, the boot space in the BMW 7 Series is far from small, with the electric i7 offering 500 litres (VDA) of space, while the 740i boasts 540 litres thanks to its lack of battery.

Given we’re in the realm of models where the price difference between two variants could pay for an entire new city car, what value means shifts a little bit.

The BMW 7 Series comes in two variants for the seventh generation, starting at $268,900 for the petrol-powered 740i, and $297,900 for the electric i7. 

Previously, it was possible to get into the BMW 740i for $198,900 after BMW lowered the price of the sixth generation car.

However, the new 7 Series is larger and has more packed into it, with both variants highly specified and mostly differing in price due to their drivetrains and some more minor creature comforts.

The 740i starts with an already impressive list of standard features, with 20-inch M alloy wheels, remote start, a tyre pressure monitor, rear-wheel steering, 'crystal' headlights and an illuminated grille surround, a panoramic glass roof, heated seats and a massage seat for the driver with Merino leather, a 20-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system, as well the option to select the M Sport or M Sport Pro pack at no extra cost.

The more expensive i7 xDrive60 gains, on top of that, 21-inch wheels, active roll stabilisation, automatic opening and closing doors, multifunction seats with heating, cooling, and massage in the rear, plus a 39-speaker sound system and the impressive 31.3-inch theatre screen.

The i7 also comes with a BMW third-gen wallbox, home and public charging cables, and a five-year ChargeFox subscription. It also gains a six-year service package over the five included with the 740i.

If the i7’s extra features are tempting, but its drivetrain isn’t, 740i buyers can opt for a 'Connoisseur Lounge' pack for $27,900 which adds the auto doors, multifunction seats, rear theatre screen, and a 40-speaker sound system.

All Launch Edition versions of the Polestar 5 come with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive set-up.

The entry-level Dual motor has total system outputs of 550kW and 812Nm, which aren’t small numbers. It’s enough to send this car from 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds.

However, stepping up to the Performance boosts the total system outputs to an outlandish 650kW and 1015Nm. The 0-100km/h sprint is claimed to take just 3.2 seconds.

If you’re after raw speed though, the Porsche Taycan is quicker again, but it’s considerably pricier.

The BMW 740i is powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder petrol engine, as is the way with many of BMW’s larger cars. It’s also a mild hybrid, incorporating a 48-volt electric starter/motor combination.

The 740i makes 280kW between 5200-6250rpm, and 520Nm between 1850-5000rpm, which is transferred to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The electric i7 xDrive60 is the flagship model, with its dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain good for 400kW and 745Nm, allowing for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.7 seconds - 0.7s faster than the 740i.

Every Polestar 5 Launch Edition comes with a sizeable 112kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

Thanks to this, the Dual motor is claimed to offer up to 670km of WLTP range, whereas the Performance offers up to 565km. Real-world range will likely be much less, especially if you lean into this car's performance potential.

An 800V electrical architecture allows the Polestar 5 to DC fast charge at rates up to 350kW. A 10-80 per cent charge is claimed to take 22 minutes.

AC charging, however, is capped at 11kW, which is surprisingly low given more an more cars are capable of 22kW. A 0-100 per cent charge is claimed to take 11 hours.

BMW Australia hasn’t yet specified local figures for fuel consumption or energy efficiency for either variant of the 7 Series at the time of our review, but the international specifications for both i7 xDrive60 and 740i give a relatively accurate guide.

BMW claims the electric i7 has a power consumption of between 19.6 and 18.4kWh/100km, which means its 101.7kWh battery allows a range of between 591 and 625km according to the brand.

It’s claimed to charge from 10 per cent to full in less than 5.5 hours with a 22kW AC wallbox, or in 34 minutes to reach 80 per cent using DC fast charging at 195kW.

The petrol powered 740i will use between 7.0 and 8.0 litres per 100km, according to BMW, which equates to between 183 and 159g/km of CO2.

During the Australian media launch of the Polestar 5 we only got to experience the flagship Performance grade. We’ll have to wait for another time to sample the entry-level Dual motor.

In terms of electric-motor power, there’s plenty of it. In fact, there’s probably too much. I only went full throttle once while driving and it was enough to terrify my passenger.

The amount of power on offer is the kind you’d tap into every now and then when you have new passengers onboard.

Unlike many EVs, the acceleration in the Polestar 5 Performance is linear and builds, rather than snapping your neck backwards.

There are three regenerative braking modes to select from, including two that are versions of one-pedal driving. My preference is the standard mode as it feels more natural to use both the accelerator and brake pedals in a GT.

The suspension set-up in the Performance trim is unique as there’s MagneRide adaptive dampers. The Dual motor, on the other hand, has a passive damper set-up.

There are a series of modes to select from and in practice the adaptive dampers help keep this 2.5-tonne beast in check. It’s surprising how comfortable this car can feel with the large 21-inch alloy wheels.

Adding to this, the steering wheel, even its firmest setting, is surprisingly easy to twirl. As a result, this makes the Polestar 5 a great balance of sportiness and comfort, just as a GT should.

While many of this car’s driving attributes defy its weight and heft, its turning circle does not. There’s no rear-axle steering and the fact it’s more than five metres long doesn't do it any favours. Prepare for many three-point turns.

In terms of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), the Polestar 5 is naturally a quiet car given it’s an EV. However, with the Bowers & Wilkins sound system, there’s noise cancelling which makes the car even quieter, especially on the move.

BMW hopes for two things for the new 7 Series: one, that it’s the best car to be driven in, and two, that it’s the best car to drive.

While one of those things could be argued to be true, we suspect there are some engineers in BMW’s M department who would be frustrated at the thought of a more-than 2.6-tonne limo being called better to drive than a car half that size with a manual gearbox.

But, perhaps unsurprisingly, the BMW 7 Series is rather refined from the driver’s seat, especially on roads where the speed limit is high and the corners are long.

The two variants Australia has available, the i7 xDrive60 and the 740i, differ in their drivetrains as mentioned above, and the dynamics of each are slightly different. 

The all-wheel drive electric i7, despite its extra heft (the 740i is almost 600kg lighter) the EV feels more nimble thanks to its immediate torque delivery and higher outputs give it more flexibility in dynamic driving.

The lower centre of gravity, even with the extra weight, helps the electric i7 hold its own against the turbo six-powered 740i.

Both variants come standard with BMW’s rear-wheel steer system, or ‘Integral Active Steering’, which is vital to providing the agility needed for keeping the 7 Series in shape on tight roads, where it tightens the turning circle below 60km/h, though its 3215mm wheelbase does a lot to keep it feeling stable.

Above 60km/h, the rear-wheel steering improves stability further by turning slightly with the front wheels as opposed to against them, allowing for smoother flowing cornering and highway lane changes.

In either case, the 7 Series is easy to drive, with the steering able to be set to Comfort regardless of the drivetrain’s intensity (Sport and Comfort are the only options), which leaves the wheel feeling lighter.

The ride, whether from the front or the back, is impressive, even when being chauffeured through rough backroads. 

The 7 Series, despite not being engineered specifically for Australia’s sometimes shockingly pockmarked roads, manages to soak up impacts before they transfer from the tyre into the seats, and that goes for the sound and road noise, too.

Unfortunately, our launch test drive was hampered by some roadworks out of BMW’s control, so stay tuned for a more in-depth drive soon.

The new BMW 7 Series hasn’t been crash tested by ANCAP, nor does it seem likely it will be, given the small number that are likely to be sold here. 

But the car itself isn’t short on safety features, and BMW has a good recent history of scoring the maximum five stars for its cars.

The 7 Series features front and side airbags for driver and front passenger, curtain airbags for both front and rear seats, crash sensors, and a tyre pressure indicator.

Of course, the standards like active cruise, AEB, and sensors for collision warnings are all standard, plus BMW also offers active roll stabilisation as an option, which uses 48-volt motors to steady the car and account for the road surface and body roll through corners.

The Polestar 5 is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, whereas the high-voltage battery is covered for eight years or 160,00km. This is fairly standard for premium brands.

Every Polestar 5 comes with five years of roadside assistance and logbook servicing is required every 24 months or 30,000km.

At this stage Polestar hasn’t announced service pricing for the Polestar 5.

BMW offers a five year, unlimited kilometre warranty and that extends to both variants of the 7 Series.

BMW also offers servicing packs for its new cars, though the pricing for each group of models excluded the 7 and 8 Series and its M cars. 

Given the most expensive servicing pack listed is the BMW X7’s $2800 five-year, 80,000km pack, expect anything similar for the 7 Series to cost more.

In terms of when servicing is required, BMWs are condition-based, meaning the car’s own systems detect whether something like an oil change or part replacement is required, and provides that data to your BMW service centre to help calculate an estimate for work needed, ahead of time.