Car statistics
How many Polestar 2s are still on the road in Great Britain, how many are declared off the road, how new registrations have changed and which fuels they use. Built from DVLA licensing records and 12,857 DVSA MOT tests.
There were 35,936 Polestar 2s licensed in Great Britain at the end of March 2026, and a further 419 declared off the road (SORN). That is the most on the road at any year end since 2020.
Numbers are still rising: the latest count is the highest in this series.
| Year | Licensed |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 832 |
| 2021 | 4,900 |
| 2022 | 12,108 |
| 2023 | 24,092 |
| 2024 | 29,821 |
| 2025 | 34,506 |
| 2026 | 35,936 |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
Source:DfT / DVLA End of March 2026 Updated
In 2025, 87.0% of Polestar 2 MOT tests were passed first time, against 72.8% for all cars. Cars of the same ages as the Polestar 2s tested pass 88.7% of the time, so the Polestar 2 does worse than average for its age, by 1.7 points. In 2024 its pass rate was 87.6%.
Comparing like with like: each bar pair covers cars of the same age, so an older average age does not count against a model.
| Vehicle age | Polestar 2 | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| 3 years | 87.9% | 89.5% |
| 4–5 years | 85.5% | 87.6% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Tyres is the most common reason a Polestar 2 fails its MOT, appearing on 69.2% of failed tests. A failed test can have defects in more than one category, so shares add up to more than 100%. 4.5% of Polestar 2 tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 7.3% for all cars.
| Defect category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 69.2% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 11.3% |
| Visibility | 8.4% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 7.6% |
| Suspension | 6.0% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 3.4% |
| Identification of the vehicle | 1.7% |
| Brakes | 1.6% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
The single most common reason a Polestar 2 failed its MOT in 2025 was “Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords”, on 38.7% of 1,676 failed tests. 28.2% of tests ended with at least one advisory, a problem to watch that did not fail the test; the most common was “Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge”. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.
Share of failed tests with each defect. A test can fail for more than one.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 38.7% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 20.8% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 9.4% |
| Drive shafts: constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Body, chassis, structure | 7.2% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 4.8% |
| Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak Suspension | 4.7% |
| Rear fog lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.4% |
| Headlamp aim: too high Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.1% |
| Tyre pressure monitoring system: malfunctioning or obviously inoperative Tyres | 2.5% |
| SRS malfunction indicator lamp: warning lamp indicates a fault Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 2.2% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Share of all tests with each advisory: worth checking on a car you are buying.
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 14.9% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 4.0% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 4.0% |
| Tyres: cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 3.6% |
| Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories | 2.5% |
| Nail in tyre Non-component advisories | 2.4% |
| Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension | 0.9% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged Tyres | 0.9% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 0.6% |
| Items removed from driver's view prior to test Non-component advisories | 0.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
3 years of the Polestar 2, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2022 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (87.7% passed first time) and the 2020 cars worst (81.7%).
| Year | Registered | Left | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 834 | 817 | 81.7% |
| 2021 | 4,094 | 3,887 | 86.3% |
| 2022 | 7,288 | 6,957 | 87.7% |
Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered. Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.
The average Polestar 2 covers 10,458 miles a year, worked out from odometer readings at consecutive MOT tests.
| Vehicle age | Miles a year |
|---|---|
| 4–5 years | 10,459 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Registrations of Polestar 2s for the first time in Great Britain peaked at 12,539 in 2023. In 2025, 5,118 were registered.
| Year | First registrations |
|---|---|
| ’01 | 0 |
| ’02 | 0 |
| ’03 | 0 |
| ’04 | 0 |
| ’05 | 0 |
| ’06 | 0 |
| ’07 | 0 |
| ’08 | 0 |
| ’09 | 0 |
| ’10 | 0 |
| ’11 | 0 |
| ’12 | 0 |
| ’13 | 0 |
| ’14 | 0 |
| ’15 | 0 |
| ’16 | 0 |
| ’17 | 0 |
| ’18 | 0 |
| ’19 | 0 |
| ’20 | 847 |
| ’21 | 4,090 |
| ’22 | 7,338 |
| ’23 | 12,539 |
| ’24 | 6,273 |
| ’25 | 5,118 |
Source:DfT / DVLA 2001 to 2025 Updated
DVSA lists 8 safety recalls for the Polestar 2 since 1992, the first in 2020. The most recent was launched on 23 June 2025.
All 8 Polestar 2 recalls, with defects, remedies and build dates
A recall applies to cars built on particular dates or with particular VINs, not to every Polestar 2. The details come from manufacturers through DVSA, which says they may be delayed or incomplete. To check a specific car, use GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check or ask the manufacturer or a dealer. How we match recalls to models.
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated
| Model | Licensed | Change on a year | SORN | Rank | Main fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polestar 2 | 35,936 | +15.8% | 419 | 185 | Electric |
| Polestar 4 | 13,510 | +257.6% | 146 | 304 | Electric |
| Polestar 3 | 2,735 | +156.8% | 77 | 514 | Electric |
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licensed and SORN counts | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of March 2026 | 36,355 2 records (licensed and SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
| Registered for the first time | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | 2001 to 2025 | – | 15 September 2026 |
| MOT results and mileage | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 12,857 MOT tests | 15 September 2026 |
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
