The best bits of Polestar 5 – according to the team who designed it

It’s rare that CDN gets to meet the entire design team behind a vehicle at once. But, at Polestar’s Gothenburg studio, the self-proclaimed ‘parents’ of the Polestar 5 gathered around their creation with pride. As designers from exterior, interior, CMF and UX/UI poured into the space, the atmosphere became electric. 

And there’s plenty to be proud of. The Polestar 5 won CDN’s People Award for Production Car of the Year 2025 (click here to enter for 2026!). As the team led CDN around the vehicle, each department revealed the details they are most proud of – from aerodynamic surfacing to the carefully curated interior materials. 

The exterior team immediately steered the conversation (no pun intended) to the rear of the car. For them, it best captures the balance of Scandinavian, product and graphic design that defines the Polestar 5. Thanks to camera technology replacing the rear window, the designers were able to create a continuous panoramic roof and a distinctive cross beam, boosting the car’s overall stance and presence.

Standing around the rear three-quarter view, the team explained how closely design and engineering worked together from concept to production to make these ideas feasible. Their approach was to create a think tank of good ideas from the concept that could feasibly be implemented into production.

That collaborative process also shaped the car’s aerodynamic character – another major point of pride for the team. Balancing competitive aerodynamic performance and the car’s character was the biggest challenge but, as a result, a low front end and definitive line runs around the car, which aids airflow while the sculptural body sides integrate aerodynamic features with lighting without relying on harsh edges. 

Head of exterior design at Polestar Nahum Escobedo reflected on the process: “We wanted to do something quite different that was going to showcase our design language for the coming years. Something that was futuristic but also something that people could see themselves having for years. The process was sometimes very challenging, very emotional but, at the same time, exciting.” 

Lighting became a recurring theme during the walkaround. Inspired by aeronautics, the aim was to create a constant sense of motion, even when stationary. The rear light signature mimics the burst of fire from a jet taking off – also doubling as an instantly recognisable Polestar graphic. 

Inside, the interior team guided CDN to the driving position, where the low and sporty seat combined with an upward-angled steering wheel are key elements of the driving experience. The two front seats, developed in collaboration with Recaro, work seamlessly with the spacious and comfortable lounge-like experience at the rear, accented by the extended panoramic roof.

The team described the Polestar 5 as fundamentally a two-plus-two-seater with an option for five, where the armrest can be raised for an extra seat. The rear seats can also recline or fold down to accommodate items like a bike. 

Materiality was another area the interior team was laser-focused on getting right. Sustainability plays a major role, with a partly bio-based ampliTex weave made from flax and polypropylene featured on the front seatbacks. Interior panels are made from linen weave and laminated with a thin foil to reduce CO₂ emissions and plastic use, while the carpets are made from 100% recycled materials. Animal welfare-traceable leather supplied by Bridge of Weir is used throughout the interior alongside MicroSuede – a fabric developed by Polestar – in the cabin roof headlining.

As the team noted details around the cabin, one recurring accent colour stood out: Swedish Gold. Used for the interior lighting, it is a subtle nod to the brand’s heritage. The team emphasised a meticulous attention to detail in material and colour selection, with a curated approach to personalisation: expert-selected options rather than extensive customisation. 

“We put a lot of work into colours and materials, we don’t leave anything undesigned," explains Maria Uggla, head of CMF design. "Even if you touch the interior handle, we’ve ensured it’s got the right level of softness. When we do new colours, we drive around with them, look at them in different lighting, tune them slightly and then look at them again. We never go in and pick anything from the shop – all of our development is from scratch.” 

The final stop on the Polestar 5 tour was the UX/UI experience. At the centre of the cabin sits a 14.5-inch touchscreen which hosts a cornucopia of features – including built-in Google functionality with Gemini voice commands and remote vehicle control.

The UX/UI team explained how simplicity guided the layout of the interface. Drivers can choose nine functions for the home screen to create direct, one-tap access to their most-used features. The bottom bar is dedicated solely to climate functions, while the navigation bar remains permanently fixed at the top.

Visual communication was another key focus. Rather than relying purely on text, the team has created moving illustrations to demonstrate exactly what each function does. One example shown to CDN was the home safety light feature, where an animation depicts the headlights remaining illuminated until the driver has entered their house. Each of these animations apparently took up to a year to complete.

So, after guiding CDN through every line, material, graphic and animation on the car, could the team settle on one favourite design element of the Polestar 5? Not quite. For them, the answer was simple: everything.