Polestar 2 review: reliability & safety rating
There's no concrete data yet, but Volvo roots bode well for the Polestar 2 in these areas
| Euro NCAP | Adult protection | Child protection | Safety assist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 stars (2021) | 92% | 89% | 86% |
As it's a recent release from a low-volume manufacturer, there's a lot still to be found out about the Polestar 2's reliability credentials. However, parent firm Volvo's decent reputation for dependability bodes well. 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
You needn’t worry about reliability. While the Polestar brand is still relatively unknown, its Volvo parent company performed well in the 2022 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey – placing eighth in the rundown of the top 29 manufacturers, and the Swedish brand's XC40 was awarded the best premium small SUV award. One of the few complaints Volvo owners listed was with regards to running costs, although that’s unlikely to be an issue for the Polestar 2. Reliability was also middle of the road, with around 27% of Volvo owners reporting a fault in the first year of ownership, although data specific to the reliability of Volvo and Polestar's fully-electric drivetrains is not available yet.
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.
