Polestar 2: reliability & safety rating
Despite the brand’s relative infancy, initial surveys suggest customers are a satisfied bunch – despite a few reliability issues
| Euro NCAP | Adult protection | Child protection | Safety assist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 stars (2021) | 92% | 89% | 86% |
For the first few years, quantifiable data regarding the Polestar ownership experience was hard to come by. However, in 2023, the brand shot straight into second spot in our Driver Power owner satisfaction survey. The Polestar 2 itself finished 17th out of 75 cars in the model rundown.
If that’s not enough, parent firm Volvo's decent reputation for dependability should provide some reassurance. Its famous focus on safety has been maintained, too, with a five-star overall rating and very strong individual scores in Euro NCAP crash-testing for the Polestar 2.
Polestar 2 reliability & problems
Polestar is still a rather new name on the market, but it appears to be off to a difficult start as our Driver Power survey reveals that an alarming 69% of Polestar 2 drivers experienced a fault during their first year of ownership. Apart from these troubles, owners seem to be a satisfied bunch with the Polestar 2’s road holding, driving experience, running costs and practicality being particular highlights.
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, however. Owners said ride comfort was poor – something we wholeheartedly agree with, following our experience in the updated car – while reliability left a little to be desired. Polestar 2 drivers ranked their cars 71st out of 75 cars in this category.
Safety
Euro NCAP released its crash-test results for the Polestar 2 in March 2021 and it performed very well, with a five-star overall rating and scores of 92%, 89% and 86% respectively for adult protection, child protection and safety assistance.
On the active safety side of things, there's plenty to help keep impacts from happening in the first place: access to all of the latest Volvo systems is a good thing. All Polestar 2s get a collision mitigation system, which uses front and rear-facing radars to take 'preventative measures' when a crash is likely to occur; these include warning the driver by a pulsing through the brake pedal or visual and audio cues, followed by an application of the brakes if required. The system also incorporates steering assistance, seatbelt pre-tensioners and automatic pre-braking.
As of January 2023, all Polestar 2s also come with driver-awareness systems like blind-spot information with steering support, rear collision warning and mitigation, and a 360-degree parking camera. Other safety systems are available as part of the £2,000 Pilot Pack, which includes 'Pilot Assist' lane-keeping assistance, Pixel LED headlights, LED front fog lights with cornering function and adaptive cruise control.