Polestar 5 vs Porsche Panamera

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.

The Panamera is the ‘have your Porsche and drive it too’ model.

It encompasses the fun of the 911 while still being a comfortable daily driver that can easily fit a family of four. The cabin is sumptuously styled and not hurting for features, either.

Could the ownership costs and storage be better? Probably, but if you’re looking at this model, those items will probably be lower priorities for you.

For my little family of three, the base model Panamera is a win.

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.

This is more than just a new Panamera - it’s a new generation Panamera.

The outgoing model was sort of a mix between the 911 and Macan but didn’t really hit the mark with any of its borrowed elements.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but the redesign sees this model get an outward appearance that looks far more aggressive with a distinct profile that now sets it apart for all of the right reasons.

On the outside, the biggest changes include larger matrix LED headlights and a new front fascia that sits a bit higher with more pronounced curving in the bonnet.

The front gets extra air intakes but there are also larger 'air blade' vents behind the front wheel arches which help smooth the air flow around the wheels and add some extra sculpted sportiness to the car's sides.

The rear has been reshaped to look more like the 911 and isn't as pillowy as the outgoing model. There is a new long LED strip light running the width of the rear and an extra brake light for added dazzlement at night. The rear window now spreads to the width of the liftback lid which makes it appear frameless.

The optioned 21-inch alloy wheels look gorgeous in their painted bronze (or Neodyme) glory and feature the Porsche crest in full colour for added pizzazz. The bronze accent is also carried across to the quad exhausts.

All these factors make the exterior design look more cohesive than the previous model.

The interior has been reworked, too, and the dashboard now sports upgraded tech panels that makes the cabin feel cinematic. The optioned passenger display screen only adds to this effect.

Purists will pout, but like the new 911 the analogue cluster and turn-key operation have died a quiet death. You now get a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and push-button starter. Plus, the gearshift has been repositioned from the centre console to the dash.

The optioned Sports Chrono and Neodyme accent packages of our test model means the dashboard gets a race clock (superfluous for every day driving but fun to look at) and the door handles, steering wheel and dashboard feature the same bronze highlights.

The only elements that don't look the part are the shiny piano black panels mainly found in the centre console. They're too easily scratched/marked for a car at this price point.

The cabin may not be as flashy as its competitors but it's still sumptuous.

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.

The cabin feels spacious in both rows and the rear row can comfortably fit those who are above six foot (182cm) with a caveat.

Despite being optioned with the '4+1' seating, don't be fooled; the middle rear seat is nothing more than extra room for the out-boarders as the rear centre console takes up all legroom a middle seater might need. Not even a kid will be happy in the middle for long.

Amenities in both rows are good. The heating/cooling and massage functions on the front seats are great and the four-zone climate control means everyone can get comfortable.

Access to both rows is surprisingly good with doors that open widely but the rear footwell lip is high and the well narrow. So, if you have clunky boots on you may feel clumsy getting into position.

My seven-year old found the doors heavy to open and it took him a while to realise he didn’t have to slam the doors shut thanks to the soft-close feature.

Individual storage is better than you usually get in a sports car but all cubbies still fall on the shallower side. There are four cupholders, four drink bottle holders, a glove box, a middle console and two small net map pockets. There is also a dedicated phone cubby housing the wireless charging pad.

The boot aperture is wide and it’s super easy to reach things in the back thanks to the liftback lid but that sloping roofline means you lose out on height for larger items.

Stack bigger things right behind the back seat if you want to fit them. Capacity is below average compared to its rivals at 460L.

The rear row has a 40/20/40 split to open up storage options and there is a very deep cubby underneath the floor with the tyre compressor/repair kit.

Device charging options are great with a total of four USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad and three 12-volt sockets to choose from.  

The upgraded multimedia system looks fantastic and is user-friendly. The built-in satellite navigation is simple to use and the multimedia system, head-up display and instrument cluster can be highly customised.

The base Panamera model now comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Connecting to the CarPlay is easy and the connection remains seamless.

The optional passenger display panel allows the front passenger to control their climate and seat comfort, see a duplicate of the instrument panel or just watch a movie on a long trip.

The screen has a privacy filter, which means the driver can’t see what’s on it and is thus not a distraction. However, no one in my family bothered to use it.

There are four grades of Panamera on offer for the Australian market and the model on test is the entry-grade sedan, simply titled Panamera.

It feels silly calling a car priced at $236,990, before on-road costs, a 'base' model but here we are.

Our test model has $45,810 worth of optional extras but compared to its rivals the base price positions it towards the middle of the market with the Maserati Quattroporte GT being the most affordable at $219,000, then the Mercedes-Benz S450 at $241,275 and BMW 740i at $272,900. All prices before on-road costs.

As you’d expect, the standard equipment for the Panamera is long-winded and includes matrix LED headlights, four-point DRLs, ambient lighting, four-zone climate control, a dual sunroof, upgraded 12.3-inch touchscreen multimedia system, a new 12.65-inch digital instrument panel, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and built-in satellite navigation.

Comfort items include 14-way powered front seats with heating/cooling, as well as three-position memory functions. There is also a powered tailgate, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree view camera system and soft-close doors with a 'door brake' function.

The latter means the door holds the position you push it out too, minimising the chance of your kids hitting the neighbouring car, which is an awesome feature in a family car! 

Other technology includes a total of four USB-C ports, three 12-volt sockets, a wireless charging pad, digital radio, the Porsche app and over-the-air updates.

As for the optioned extras... there is Burmester high-end sound ($11,200), full-grade leather upholstery ($7470), dark bronze accents on the quad exhausts ($6470), 21-inch alloy wheels ($3400), the 'Sport Chrono Package' ($3340), 10.9-inch passenger display screen ($3140), wheels finished in 'Neodyme' bronze ($2500), a massage function on the front seats ($2200), a middle rear seat ($1750), an interior Neodyme accent package ($1190), a heated steering wheel ($1140), an air quality system ($890), an interior black trim package ($760) and comfort pillow accessories ($450). Phew!

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 base Panamera doesn’t have a hybrid powertrain like its siblings and sports the 2.9L V6 twin-turbo petrol engine of the outgoing model. But it’s been retuned and now produces 260kW and 500Nm – both figures up from the previous model.

The Sport Chrono Package means the 0-100km/h sprint improves from 5.1-seconds to a tummy-sucking 4.8-seconds and my son gave a whoop of delight whenever we had to get up to speed.

The Panamera has an eight-speed, dual-clutch auto transmission and is the only RWD for the Panamera line-up. It also sports a top speed of 272km/h. So, suffice it to say, the engine has the sports cred you expect from a Porsche.

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.

The official combined (urban/extra-urban) fuel-cycle consumption figure is 9.5L/100km, which is pretty low for a high-performance vehicle (and a big one at that) but after a lot of open road and urban driving my real-world usage came out at 10.9L/100km.

That's the result after not being skimpy with using the power, either, so it's not as thirsty as you might expect.

When it comes to times between fills, the Panamera might surprise you. Based on the official combined fuel cycle and large 90L fuel tank, expect a theoretical driving range of up to 947km (825km using our on-test figure) – which is a great driving range for a performance vehicle, let alone a family one.

The Porsche Panamera only drinks the best, so while the driving range is great you won't be able to fill 'er up with anything but premium 98 RON unleaded petrol.

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.

Some people might not understand the obsession or loyalty Porsche owners have towards their cars  but if you’re a fence sitter, get in the Panamera. It will make you understand because after driving one... you'll hear yourself say 'I get it'.

The base model has the goods with the engine outputs to ensure the driving experience remains fun and responsive.

The Panamera is no wild bronco, it's a cool customer. The composure for power delivery is unlike other performance sedans you may have driven. Acceleration is effortless without any twitchiness. You never feel out of control.

The air suspension means you hear the bumps more than you feel them but you still get excellent road feedback as a driver.

Passenger comfort is high, despite the cabin being quite loud with road and engine noise, because the seat and ride comfort remains well-cushioned. Fatigue and jostling are at a minimum.

The handling of the Panamera when it comes to cornering and steering feels dynamic and agile. I made a point of doing multiple mini roadies this week, simply for the joy of driving it.

While the Panamera is the most fun on a winding mountain road, it's a pleasant open-road cruiser as well.

The base Panamera has three driving modes - 'Normal', 'Sport' or 'Sport Plus' with a 20-second power booster available when you need extra oomph.

The Normal mode is sufficient for daily driving and the Sport Plus offers stiffer suspension and handling but the preference is to keep it in Sport mode.

Mainly because in this mode you get an awesome throatiness from the exhaust as well as the dynamics you expect from a sports car.

It’s a bit deceptive but the Panamera is massive and sits at 5052mm long and 2165mm wide - so, it definitely fills out a parking space!

However, the 360-degree view camera system is one of the best in the segment but you may still get choosy with where you park it.

No Porsche is rated with ANCAP and the Panamera is no exception but the base model still has an extensive safety list that includes 10 airbags, which is more than some people movers!

The standard safety kit includes AEB, forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring, driver attention alert, safe exit warning, rear occupant alert, tyre pressure monitoring, an active bonnet and a side impact protection system.

There's also rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree view camera system, front and rear parking sensors, park assist, an engine immobiliser and an alarm system with radar-based interior surveillance.

The base Panamera misses out on traffic sign recognition and rear collision warning, though.

The rear row has two ISOFIX mounts and three top tethers but only two seats will be able to fit across the row.

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.

Porsche offers the Panamera with a three-year/unlimited km warranty, which is less than its competitors. It's more typical to see a five-year/unlimited km warranty in this segment.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12-months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first and pricing varies per dealership.

The one I contacted (in Sydney) confirmed the first four years of servicing costs $8605 for an average of $2151.25 per workshop visit.

Worth noting the fourth year is a biggie at $4875, this major service including everything from an air-conditioning clean and transmission oil change to spark plug check/replacement and safety checks.

The Panamera is up there for service costs, even for the class but this kind of outlay comes with the territory when you're considering a car worth almost $300K.