2021 Polestar Polestar 2 Pilot Ev — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2021 Polestar Polestar 2 Pilot Ev passed 88.8% of its 5,137 recorded MOT tests. That is 2.6 percentage points worse than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 8.6%. Failures cluster in tyres, lighting & signalling and body, structure & corrosion.
What the MOT record shows
Tyres dominates the failure mix at 7.7% of all tests — 5.6 points clear of lighting & signalling, so it is the first thing to check.
At component level the recurring items are joints, tread depth and rear fog lamp — joints alone was recorded 78 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.2% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 19.5% once past 90-120k — 2.7× the risk.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 21.1% of tests without failing them.
The trend is worsening — 7.9% of tests failed in 2023 against 12.4% in 2025, the usual pattern as a fleet ages.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 7.7% | 395 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 2.0% | 105 |
| 3 | Body, structure & corrosion | 1.3% | 65 |
| 4 | Visibility | 0.9% | 48 |
| 5 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.4% | 22 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.2% | 12 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joints | 78 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 67 |
| 3 | Rear fog lamp | 64 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 40 |
| 5 | Wipers | 36 |
| 6 | SRS malfunction indicator lamp | 17 |
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 | 21.1% | 1,083 |
| 2 | Other defects | 4.7% | 243 |
| 3 | Brakes | 4.4% | 227 |
| 4 | Visibility | 3.0% | 152 |
| 5 | Suspension | 0.3% | 16 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 0.3% | 14 |
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 | 1,635 | 7.2% |
| 30-60k | 2,760 | 12.1% |
| 60-90k | 657 | 16.0% |
| 90-120k | 77 | 19.5% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 177 | 7.9% |
| 2024 | 2,460 | 10.2% |
| 2025 | 2,500 | 12.4% |
What to check before buying a 2021 Polestar 2 Pilot Ev
On a 2021 Polestar 2 Pilot Ev, tyres is what the MOT record says goes wrong most — it appeared in 7.7% of tests. Check these areas before you commit.
- Tyres (7.7% 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 (2.0% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Body, structure & corrosion (1.3% 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
How many 2021 Polestar Polestar 2 Pilot Evs pass their MOT?
88.8% of the 5,137 2021 Polestar Polestar 2 Pilot Ev MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 11.2% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2021 Polestar Polestar 2 Pilot Ev?
Tyres, recorded in 7.7% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (2.0%).
Does the 2021 Polestar 2 Pilot Ev get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.2% in the 0-30k band to 19.5% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 5,137 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.