Nissan, a Japanese automaker renowned for its reliability and innovation, has seen many of its vehicles sold on
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements. During the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) investigation period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024, it was discovered that these financing methods were often used with
discretionary commission arrangements that may have led to mis-selling.
How Nissan Cars Were Financed
When purchasing a Nissan car on finance, customers typically had the option of Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) or Hire Purchase (HP). These agreements are commonly provided by lenders such as
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance. Under PCP agreements, customers would make monthly payments with a final balloon payment to either purchase the car outright or return it at the end of the contract. HP finance involves making regular monthly payments until the total cost is paid off, at which point ownership transfers to the customer.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA investigation uncovered significant issues related to discretionary commission arrangements between lenders and retailers. These arrangements allowed dealerships to receive additional commissions based on the type of finance agreement chosen by customers. According to the FCA estimate, 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) during the investigation period (FCA estimate). The total mis-selling figure amounted to around £7.5 billion (FCA estimate), with an FCA-estimated average per eligible agreement of £829.
How to Check Your Agreement check for any discretionary commission arrangements that may have influenced the type of finance product chosen. If you suspect mis-selling or feel misled about the terms of your financing arrangement, it is advisable to review your contract documents carefully.
If you believe your Nissan car was financed under a potentially mis-sold agreement, you can complain directly to your lender without needing a
claims management company. Common lenders for Nissan vehicles include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance. Each of these companies offers a process through which you can submit your complaint at no cost to yourself.
You do not need a claims management company to handle this process; they typically charge upfront fees and may not provide the best outcome for your situation. Instead, contact your lender directly or seek legal advice from a solicitor or barrister who specialises in motor finance disputes.
Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)
- Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI)
FCA Compensation: FCA Scheme Figures
The FCA confirmed on 30 March 2026 that 12.1 million motor finance agreements are covered by the FCA redress scheme. The FCA-estimated scheme average of £829 per eligible agreement per agreement, with a total of £7.5 billion set aside for consumers. The scheme covers PCP and HP agreements entered into between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024.
Two separate schemes apply: post-2014 agreements (implement by 30 June 2026) and pre-2014 agreements (implement by 31 August 2026). The final deadline to complain is 31 August 2027. You can complain to your lender directly for free. You do not need a claims management company.
Across 1,768,147 MOT tests in 2024, Nissan vehicles have an overall pass rate of 77.7%. This is close to the national average of 79.6%. DVSA data covers 97 Nissan models with sufficient test volume.
- Overall pass rate: 77.7%
- Total MOT tests (2024): 1,768,147
- Models with data: 97
- National average: 79.6%
Best Nissan models for MOT pass rate
- Nissan Qashqai Tekna Dig-T Mhev: 95.3% pass rate (1,211 tests)
- Nissan Gt-R: 95.3% pass rate (2,395 tests)
- Nissan Qashqai Tekna Dig-T Mhev Cvt: 95.0% pass rate (1,187 tests)
- Nissan Qashqai Acenta Prem T Mhev Cvt: 94.1% pass rate (1,742 tests)
- Nissan Qashqai Nconncta Digt Mhev Cvt: 94.0% pass rate (1,809 tests)
Nissan models with lowest MOT pass rate
- Nissan Kubistar: 66.9% pass rate (1,183 tests)
- Nissan Tiida: 65.7% pass rate (539 tests)
- Nissan Interstar: 65.6% pass rate (975 tests)
- Nissan Primastar: 65.4% pass rate (12,005 tests)
- Nissan Cabstar: 64.8% pass rate (11,161 tests)
Nissan MOT Reliability Trend (2022-2024)
Nissan MOT pass rates have declined slightly, from 78.9% in 2022 to 77.7% in 2024 (-1.2 percentage points).
- 2022: 78.9% pass rate (1,877,417 tests)
- 2023: 78.2% pass rate (1,934,590 tests)
- 2024: 77.7% pass rate (1,768,147 tests)
Based on 5,580,154 MOT tests across three years (DVSA open data).
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, Open Government Licence v3.0.