Polestar Polestar 2 Pilot Ev MOT pass rate & common failures
7,853 MOT tests on the Polestar Polestar 2 Pilot Ev (2020–2022) give it an 88.4% pass rate. All cars of a similar age fail 8.9% of the time, so this is 2.7pp worse than the group it competes with. Its most common failure areas are tyres, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
One area stands out: tyres, recorded in 7.5% of tests against 2.3% for the next-worst category.
At component level the recurring items are joints, tread depth and rear fog lamp — joints alone was recorded 195 times.
A 90-120k example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 20.8% versus 7.0%.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 20.8% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is worsening — 9.0% of tests failed in 2023 against 13.1% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
By model year
Every Polestar 2 Pilot Ev model year with a usable sample. Years with their own detailed report are linked.
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate | Most common failure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,711 | 87.6% | 12.4% | Tyres |
| 2021 | 5,137 | 88.8% | 11.2% | Tyres |
Most common failures (all years)
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.5% | 588 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.3% | 183 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 2.0% | 160 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.8% | 66 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.4% | 30 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 22 |
| 7 | Other defects | 0.2% | 16 |
| 8 | Brakes | 0.2% | 15 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 195 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 127 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 120 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 65 |
| 5 | Wipers | 49 |
| 6 | Washers | 22 |
| 7 | Registration plates | 21 |
| 8 | Tyre pressure monitoring system | 19 |
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 | 20.8% | 1,636 |
| 2 | Brakes | 4.8% | 373 |
| 3 | Other defects | 4.6% | 364 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.0% | 233 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.5% | 37 |
| 6 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.5% | 37 |
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 | 2,516 | 7.0% |
| 30-60k | 4,187 | 12.7% |
| 60-90k | 1,019 | 17.5% |
| 90-120k | 120 | 20.8% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,032 | 9.0% |
| 2024 | 3,371 | 10.9% |
| 2025 | 3,449 | 13.1% |
What to check before buying a Polestar Polestar 2 Pilot Ev
- Tyres (7.5% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (2.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (2.0% of tests): The one to take seriously on older cars — corrosion to structural areas can be costly and is an MOT failure. Typical repair: £200–£1,500+.
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 Pilot Ev?
88.4% of the 7,853 Polestar Polestar 2 Pilot Ev MOT tests in this dataset passed, an 11.6% fail rate, across model years 2020–2022.
What does the Polestar Polestar 2 Pilot Ev most often fail its MOT on?
Tyres, recorded in 7.5% of tests, then lighting & signalling (2.3%).
How much does mileage affect Polestar 2 Pilot Ev MOT results?
Fail rates run at 7.0% for cars in the 0-30k band and 20.8% for 90-120k, a 13.8-point difference.
Methodology & source. Based on 7,853 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.