The Hyundai Kona was commonly sold on
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) investigation period, which ran from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. This period saw significant scrutiny over the motor finance industry, leading to a thorough examination of the practices used by lenders in arranging financing for vehicles like the Kona.
How the Hyundai Kona was Typically Financed
During this period, the Hyundai Kona was often financed through Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreements ranging from £15,000 to £30,000 over terms of 36 to 48 months. Common lenders providing finance for the Kona included
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance. PCP agreements typically featured a balloon payment at the end of the contract term, which could be settled in full or used as part of another financing agreement.
Hire Purchase (HP) was also an option for Kona buyers, though less common than PCP. HP agreements usually covered similar finance amounts and terms but did not include a final balloon payment. These financing methods allowed consumers to spread the cost of purchasing a Hyundai Kona over several months, often making it more accessible.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched an investigation into
discretionary commission arrangements used by lenders during the period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. This investigation revealed that many customers who financed their Hyundai Kona through PCP and HP agreements may have been overcharged due to these arrangements. The FCA estimates that 12.1 million eligible agreements were affected, with a total of £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026) in overcharges identified, averaging about £829 per agreement (FCA estimate).
Discretionary commission arrangements allowed lenders to pay dealers additional fees for recommending certain financing options. This practice may have influenced the advice given to customers, potentially leading them to choose more expensive finance agreements than necessary.
How to Check Your Agreement Look for references to "Discretionary Commission Arrangements" or simply "DCA." The relevant dates are crucial: any agreements made between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024 fall under the scope of this investigation.
If you suspect your agreement may have been impacted, contact your lender directly to inquire about potential overcharges. Common lenders for Hyundai Kona financing include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
If you believe your Hyundai Kona finance agreement was overcharged due to DCA arrangements, you can complain directly to your lender without the need for a
claims management company. Common lenders such as Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance have dedicated teams to handle these types of complaints.
The process is straightforward: gather all relevant documentation related to your finance agreement and reach out to your lender via their customer service channels. Many lenders provide online complaint forms or contact details for handling disputes. Remember that you do not need a claims management company; you can handle the entire process yourself at no cost.
Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) estimates on affected agreements, total overcharges, and average amounts.
- Motor Finance Industry Statistics (FCA, 2024)
- FOS Guidance on Motor Finance Complaints (FOS, 2024)
- Hyundai Kona Model Specifications and Financing Information (Hyundai UK, 2024)
Based on 24,869 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Hyundai Kona has a pass rate of 91.3%. This is above the national average of 79.6%, meaning the Kona performs well in MOT testing.
The Kona pass rate is better than the overall Hyundai average of 81.4%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 35,816 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 91.3%
- MOT failure rate: 8.7%
- Tests analysed: 24,869 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 35,816 miles
- Hyundai average pass rate: 81.4%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.