Polestar Polestar 2 Ev Fwd MOT pass rate & common failures
Across 4 model years and 9,573 tests, the Polestar Polestar 2 Ev Fwd passes its MOT 90.7% of the time. All cars of a similar age fail 7.9% of the time, so this is 1.4pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are tyres, visibility and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
Tyres dominates the failure mix at 7.9% of all tests — 7.0 points clear of visibility, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are tread depth, headlamp aim and wipers — tread depth alone was recorded 188 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 6.7% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 13.4% once past 90-120k.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 19.4% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 3.6% of tests failed in 2023 against 9.8% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Polestar 2 Ev Fwd model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,579 | 90.3% | 9.7% | Tyres |
| 2022 | 5,452 | 89.9% | 10.1% | Tyres |
| 2023 | 1,541 | 94.4% | 5.6% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.9% | 759 |
| 2 | Visibility | 0.9% | 90 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 0.8% | 80 |
| 4 | Suspension | 0.6% | 57 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.5% | 49 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.2% | 17 |
| 7 | Other defects | 0.2% | 15 |
| 8 | Brakes | 0.1% | 13 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tread depth | 188 |
| 2 | Headlamp aim | 81 |
| 3 | Wipers | 63 |
| 4 | Shock absorbers | 52 |
| 5 | Washers | 38 |
| 6 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 29 |
| 7 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 28 |
| 8 | Registration plates | 20 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 19.4% | 1,855 |
| 2 | Other defects | 6.2% | 593 |
| 3 | Brakes | 3.8% | 359 |
| 4 | Visibility | 2.9% | 277 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.2% | 113 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.2% | 18 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 3,479 | 6.7% |
| 30-60k | 5,024 | 10.7% |
| 60-90k | 948 | 10.8% |
| 90-120k | 112 | 13.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 84 | 3.6% |
| 2024 | 1,925 | 7.6% |
| 2025 | 7,562 | 9.8% |
What to check before buying a Polestar Polestar 2 Ev Fwd
- Tyres (7.9% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Visibility (0.9% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Lighting & signalling (0.8% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Polestar Polestar 2 Ev Fwd?
90.7% of the 9,573 Polestar Polestar 2 Ev Fwd MOT tests in this dataset passed, a 9.3% fail rate, across model years 2021–2024.
What does the Polestar Polestar 2 Ev Fwd most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 7.9% of tests, then visibility (0.9%).
How much does mileage affect Polestar 2 Ev Fwd MOT results?
Fail rates run at 6.7% for cars in the 0-30k band and 13.4% for 90-120k, a 6.7-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 9,573 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.