The Ford EcoSport was commonly sold on
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) investigation period, which began on 6 April 2007 and concluded on 1 November 2024. This investigation uncovered widespread mis-selling in motor finance arrangements across the UK market.
How the Ford EcoSport was Typically Financed
Ford EcoSport vehicles were often financed through PCP or HP agreements during the FCA investigation period. The typical financing amount ranged from £15,000 to £30,000, with terms usually spanning 36 to 48 months. Common lenders for Ford EcoSports included
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance.
PCP agreements typically involved a deposit payment followed by monthly instalments over the term of the agreement. At the end of the finance period, customers had the option to either return the vehicle or purchase it for a final balloon payment, which was usually higher than the residual value of the car at that time. This structure often led to situations where consumers found themselves in
negative equity if they wished to exit their agreements early.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA investigation revealed significant issues related to
discretionary commission arrangements (DCAs) used by finance providers during the 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024 period. These DCAs were a form of additional compensation given to dealers and brokers for selling higher-margin products, such as PCP agreements with inflated interest rates.
The FCA's investigation found that these practices affected 12.1 million eligible agreements across the UK (FCA estimate). The total amount mis-sold was estimated at £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026), with an average of £829 per agreement (FCA estimate).
How to Check Your Agreement If your PCP or HP agreement began during this time frame, it could be impacted.
- DCA Symbolism: Look for the term "discretionary commission arrangement" (DCA) in your finance documents. DCAs were a key focus of the FCA investigation and indicate that additional commissions may have influenced the terms of your financing.
- Interest Rate and Fees: Compare your agreement’s interest rate and fees with those available at the time from independent sources or other lenders. Higher-than-average rates could be indicative of mis-selling practices.
If you suspect that your Ford EcoSport finance agreement was mis-sold due to DCAs, you can complain directly to your lender without needing a
claims management company. Common lenders for Ford vehicles include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
To make a complaint:
1.
Gather Documentation: Collect all relevant documents, including the finance agreement, payment statements, and any correspondence with your lender.
2.
Contact Your Lender: Reach out to your lender’s customer service department or use their online complaint form. Explain why you believe your agreement was mis-sold and provide supporting evidence.
3.
Follow Up: If you do not receive a response within the expected timeframe (usually 8 weeks), escalate your complaint through the
Financial Ombudsman Service (
FOS).
You do not need a claims management company to handle this process for you. You can complain directly to your lender and seek assistance from the FOS if necessary.
Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). "Motor Finance Market Investigation Final Report." 2024.
- Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). "Complaints Handling Guidelines."
- Office for National Statistics Census Data, 2021.
Based on 107,291 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Ford Ecosport has a pass rate of 86.1%. This is above the national average of 79.6%, meaning the Ecosport performs well in MOT testing.
The Ecosport pass rate is better than the overall Ford average of 78.3%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 39,978 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 86.1%
- MOT failure rate: 13.9%
- Tests analysed: 107,291 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 39,978 miles
- Ford average pass rate: 78.3%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.