Ever since Jaguar came out with the I-Pace EV it seems like Jaguar became one of the most popular EV manufacturers in the world. This is partly because Jaguar was one of the first major car companies that came out with a fully electric SUV which proved to be a tempting proposition even for existing Tesla customers.
Polestar on the other hand is a newcomer EV brand solely focused on making electric vehicles which means that Polestar does not have to spend R&D money on developing ICE cars as is the case with Jaguar. Furthermore, Polestar is also a sister company to Volvo which seems to offer above-average reliability results.
As such, it’s safe to suggest that Polestar should be equally as reliable as Volvo if not even better because EVs are significantly more reliable than ICE cars. Jaguar models tend to struggle when it comes to reliability because they tend to fall into the average reliability category at the very best.
However, because EVs are more reliable than ICE cars, the I-Pace also seems to be more reliable than most Jaguar models. Either way, it’s safe to suggest that Polestar should be at least as reliable if not even more reliable as a whole.
Jaguar reliability – Average at best
Jaguar and Land Rover is not a company known for stellar reliability and that’s not really a secret. Many customers out there are aware of all the potential issues that plague both newer and older JLR models even though they still tend to buy them.
This is because JLR makes desirable cars, especially as far as SUVs are concerned. Some cars like the Jaguar XJ or the Range Rover are packed with an abundance of features which makes these cars more prone to potential issues because they are packed with all sorts of modern-day gadgetry.
However, the Jaguar I-Pace is the only true competitor to Polestar models these days and it seems like the I-Pace is better than most ICE Jaguars out there. This is mostly because EVs tend to have fewer problems when compared to ICE cars as they come with fewer moving mechanical parts that can go wrong.
All JLR cars come with a 5-year long/60km mile warranty which also comes with 24h roadside assistance.
Polestar reliability – Better than Jaguar’s
Polestar is heavily backed by Volvo and Volvo tends to land at the above-average position when it comes to reliability. As such, Polestar models should easily be as reliable as Volvo models. If you pair that with the fact that Polestar specializes in EVs which are inherently more reliable than ICE cars, Polestar’s reliability should easily be above average.
Even though the Polestar 2 was already part of a small recall even before it came to the US the issues were resolved swiftly and painfully. Having a recall soon after a car was released is not uncommon for both reliable cars and unreliable cars.
Current Volvo models are incredibly complex because some of their engines are boosted by superchargers, turbochargers, and two electric motors. Even at that level of complexity Volvo cars tend to offer above-average reliability. All of this should easily suggest that Volvo-backed EVs (which are nowhere near as complex) should be more reliable than Jaguar models.
However, Jaguar does offer a longer factory warranty because the Polestar warranty only lasts 4-years/50k miles and it does not include road assistance.
Maintenance – A crucial aspect of reliability
All of these reliability charts have absolutely no meaning if you don’t maintain your car adequately. This means that even the least reliable cars should fare a lot better than the most reliable cars if the latter are not maintained correctly and in due time.
Between these two brands, it’s a lot easier to maintain Jaguar models because there are more Jaguar dealerships around. However, it seems that Volvo dealerships are also capable of servicing your Polestar, this should not pose an issue in the upcoming years.
Either way, Jaguars are more expensive to maintain if you consider that the majority of their line-up consists out of ICE cars. If you compare the I-Pace and the Polestar 2 as the two benchmarks EVs from both brands, they should be fairly similar as far as maintenance costs are concerned.
FAQ Section
Is Jaguar more luxurious than Polestar?
Jaguar is one of the most luxurious UK-based car brands on the market and they are indeed more luxurious than Polestar. However, Polestar is planning to release a large SUV and a luxury EV sedan in the upcoming years so this could potentially change down the line.
As of right now, Jaguar offers way more cars in way more segments, and almost all of them are considered luxury cars. The Jaguar XJ is the benchmark Jaguar luxury sedan and it’s safe to say that no Polestar model currently available can come close to the XJ as far luxury is concerned.
Why are Jaguar and Land Rover so unreliable?
Both Jaguar and Land Rover are focused on making luxury cars filled with all sorts of innovations and technologies which means that they are packed with state-of-the-art technology. Most customers from this segment prioritize luxury, sophistication, status, and style above reliability, especially if they are buying the cars from new which means that they are covered under warranty.
Some brands like Toyota or Honda are prioritizing reliability as one of their main selling points which arguably makes them better transportation devices. However, cars are not bought by reason only, and that’s why Jaguar and Land Rovers sell even though they are questionable as far as reliability is concerned.
Are Jaguar and Land Rover improving their reliability?
It’s not safe to say that Jaguar and Land Rover make unreliable cars as a whole because they are focused on improving their cars in both reliability and overall quality. This seems to be working because the newest JLR models are significantly more reliable than JLR models from a decade ago.
It takes a long time before a specific stereotype goes away and if JLR continues making progressively more reliable cars, this should change for the better soon enough.