Polestar 2 review - Reliability and safety

Polestar is still a relatively new manufacturer, but the 2 shares its platform and running gear with the electric Volvo XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge, so we don’t expect reliability to be too much of an issue. There was a recall notice, issued in 2020, concerning faulty power inverters and potential loss of drive. However, Polestar was quick to address this issue and fix affected customer cars.

Even in the short time they’ve been around, it appears the Polestar 2 and the Swedish EV brand as a whole have made quite the impression on UK buyers, based on the results of the 2023 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey. The Polestar 2 managed to finish 17th on our best cars to own list based on owners’ feedback – ahead of the Tesla Model 3 in 22nd place. Meanwhile, Polestar made its debut on the best car manufacturer rankings in second place – ahead of Tesla in third, and only behind Porsche.

Industry experts Euro NCAP released its crash-test results for the Polestar 2 in March 2021 and it performed very well. The electric fastback was awarded the organisation’s maximum five-star overall rating – which wasn’t affected by the change from front to rear-wheel drive for Single Motor variants –  plus scores of 92 and 89 per cent for adult occupant protection and child protection, respectively. 

The 2 also received an 86 per cent score in the safety assistance category, and comes with a full suite of safety systems as standard. Every Polestar 2 comes with a collision mitigation system, which uses front and rear-facing radars to take 'preventative measures' such as applying the brakes if a crash is likely to occur and the driver doesn’t react quickly enough. Other standard kit includes driver-awareness systems like blind-spot information with steering support, rear collision warning and mitigation, and a 360-degree parking camera.

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More features are available as part of the optional Pilot Pack, which includes 'Pilot Assist' lane-keeping assistance, Pixel LED headlights, LED front fog lights with cornering function and adaptive cruise control.

Warranty

Polestar offers three-year/60,000-mile warranty cover for the 2, while Tesla provides a four-year/50,000-mile warranty for the Model 3 and the Hyundai Ioniq 6 has no mileage limits on its five-year coverage. The Polestar’s battery is covered by a separate eight-year/100,000-mile warranty.

Servicing

Any new purchase of a Polestar 2 includes free servicing for three years (up to a maximum 31,250 miles) at an authorised Polestar service partner, along with three years roadside assistance. Polestar says the 2 generally doesn't need to be serviced for up to 2 years or more than 18,000 miles (30,000 km). Polestar will contact you when your car needs maintenance or you can book your Polestar in for a service if a message pops up on the car's screen.