The Citroen C5 Aircross was commonly sold on
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the period under investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. This period saw significant scrutiny of motor finance practices, particularly regarding
discretionary commission arrangements that may have led to mis-selling.
## How the Citroen C5 Aircross was Typically Financed
The Citroen C5 Aircross is a popular choice among car buyers, often purchased through PCP and HP agreements. For these vehicles, typical financing amounts range from £15,000 to £30,000 over terms of 36 to 48 months. Common lenders for the Citroen C5 Aircross include
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance.
In PCP agreements, a balloon payment is often included at the end of the term, which covers any remaining equity in the vehicle. This means that after 36 to 48 months, the buyer has the option to either pay off this final amount, return the car, or extend the finance agreement.
## The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA investigation revealed widespread issues with discretionary commission arrangements between motor dealers and lenders during the period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. These arrangements allowed dealers to earn additional commissions based on the type of finance agreement chosen by customers, which may have influenced salespeople to recommend more expensive options that benefitted the dealer rather than the customer.
The investigation found that 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026), with a total value of £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026) and an average mis-selling claim worth £829 per agreement (FCA estimate). This highlights the significant potential impact on consumers who may have been sold inappropriate or unnecessarily expensive financial products.
## How to Check Your Agreement Look for any references to "discretionary commission," "DCA," or other terms that suggest a variable payment structure based on the type of finance agreement you chose.
Relevant dates are crucial: agreements made between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024 fall under the scope of the FCA investigation. If your agreement was signed during this period, it is advisable to scrutinize the terms carefully for any signs of mis-selling or inappropriate financial advice.
## How to
Complain Directly to Your Lender for Free
If you suspect that your Citroen C5 Aircross finance agreement may have been affected by these issues, you can complain directly to your lender without needing a
claims management company. Common lenders for the Citroen C5 Aircross include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
When contacting your lender, provide clear details about why you believe there may have been mis-selling or inappropriate advice. Include any relevant documentation that supports your claim, such as correspondence from the dealer or evidence of additional costs incurred due to the finance agreement.
You do not need a claims management company to handle this process; many lenders offer free and straightforward procedures for resolving complaints. Engaging directly with your lender can often lead to quicker resolutions without incurring unnecessary fees.
## Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). "Report on Discretionary Commission Arrangements." FCA, 2024.
- Office for National Statistics Census (ONS Census), 2021.
Based on 20,388 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Citroen C5 has a pass rate of 82.4%. This is close to the national average of 79.6%, meaning the C5 performs about average in MOT testing.
The C5 pass rate is better than the overall Citroen average of 75.3%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 63,180 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 82.4%
- MOT failure rate: 17.6%
- Tests analysed: 20,388 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 63,180 miles
- Citroen average pass rate: 75.3%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.