Polestar 5 vs Porsche Taycan: which one wins the numbers game?
Lucas Cochrane
1 Jun 2026
A new challenger for the performance EV throne has revealed itself in the form of the Polestar 5. Can it beat the reigning Porsche Taycan? We’ve compared the figures to find out.
To keep things fair, we’ve gone for a comparison that matches the two on price. Technically, you could spend £189,200 on a Taycan Turbo GT and bag yourself a 1034hp, Nurburgring-devouring missile. But that would command an £85,000 premium over the priciest Polestar 5. So we’ve opted to compare with the more reasonable, and much closer in price, Taycan 4S. And anyway, that's the one that we'd recommend. I mean, who needs over 1000hp?!
Okay yes, the Polestar 5 Performance does cost £9,000 more than the Taycan 4S. But, if you opt for the Black Edition of the latter, it brings you up to £102,000. Close enough!
Marginal price differences aside, the Polestar 5 Performance is packing heat. More or less the same money bags you straight line performance somewhere between a Taycan GTS and a Turbo, which start at £118,200 and £135,200 respectively. 884hp slingshots the Polestar to 62 in what Polestar higher-ups call a conservative 3.1 seconds.
The Polestar 5 Performance also gets ‘MagneRide’ suspension which uses electromagnetism to adjust its stiffness on the fly. Nicola reckons it gives the Polestar ‘a perfect balance of comfort and precision’ and is definitely worth the upgrade.
The interior of the Polestar feels just as well put-together as the Taycan's, too. Polestar has opted for its own range of sustainable materials which still feel great and have the added bonus of being up to 40% lighter than the plastic equivalent. Admittedly, that doesn’t make a huge difference in a 2.5-tonne car, but... well, every little helps.
Perhaps owing to that hefty weight figure, the Polestar 5 Performance isn’t nearly as efficient as the Taycan 4S which can extract 50 more miles from a battery that’s 8% smaller. The Polestar does make up some ground with a slightly higher charging speed which can get you from 10–80% in 22 minutes with the requisite charging station.
You might here us car writer types talking about the ‘sweet spot’ in a car's range, and the 4S is certainly that when it comes to the Porsche Taycan. It blends the practicality and long range of the lower trims with a taste of the blistering performance of the higher end trims. All for a reasonable price, too. At least in the world of Taycans...
Last time we drove one, we loved how it seems to iron out the road on longer drives while the incredibly sweet and taut chassis kept handling tight and fun when you wanted something a bit more thrilling. All-wheel drive models (which includes the 4S, of course) also get the option to spec ‘Porsche Active Ride’ for ‘an unprecedented bandwidth between comfort and driving dynamics.’ in Porsche's words.
The Taycan’s interior is as strong as Porsche interiors have always been. Everything feels very well screwed together and the finishings are as nice to touch as they are to look at. The 2024 update brought with it the option for a passenger display too.
The Porsche's range and charging are still impressive despite the model being 6 years old in 2026, not least thanks to the improved range that came with a hefty update in the last couple of years. While the likes of BMW are pushing range figures north of 500 miles, 400 miles of range in a near-600hp car is nothing to sniff at. Plus, that 320kW of rapid charging capacity can shoot the Taycan 4S from 10-80% charge in a mere 18 minutes.
So which one should I go for - the Polestar 5 or Porsche Taycan?
Both cars are phenomenal in their own rights. However, it is impossible to deny the value proposition that is the Polestar 5 Performance. If you’re looking for power-per-pound, the Polestar is a no-brainer. The interior is just as nice as the Taycan too, and the Google-built-in infotainment has the potential to be a bit more intuitive than Porsche’s system as well.
However (and I never thought I’d say this) the Porsche works out to be the more practical option. At least in terms of range, efficiency and charging. The Polestar’s sheer heft really hurts its efficiency and leaves the Porsche to pull away. Plus, if you need extra space, Porsche still offers the Sport Turismo and Cross Turismo estate shapes for just £1,000 more.
Regardless of which team you choose, it’s pretty tough to feel bad about buying either. So it really comes down to what you prioritise: Performance or practicality? Miles per kWh or smiles per mile? Decisions, decisions…
Whichever you go for, let us know what you think of the new Polestar 5 in the comments on our YouTube review!
