The Lexus ES was commonly sold on
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) investigation period, which spanned from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. This investigation uncovered widespread mis-selling practices within the motor finance industry, affecting millions of consumers.
How the Lexus ES was Typically Financed
The Lexus ES model is a luxury sedan known for its reliability and performance. During the FCA's investigation period, it was often financed through PCP agreements ranging from £15,000 to £30,000. Common lenders who provided finance for the Lexus ES included
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance.
PCP terms typically ranged from 36 to 48 months, with a balloon payment at the end of the term. Balloon payments are large final instalments that can make it difficult for some consumers to settle their agreements if they choose not to buy or lease another vehicle after the initial term.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA's investigation into motor finance revealed significant issues with
discretionary commission arrangements (DCAs) that affected dealers and lenders. These DCAs were often opaque and could incentivise sales staff to push customers towards agreements that did not meet their best interests, such as higher interest rates or longer terms than necessary.
According to the FCA, 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) potentially mis-sold during this period (FCA estimate). The total value of these agreements was estimated at £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026), with an average amount paid back by affected consumers being around £829 (FCA estimate).
How to Check Your Agreement Review Your Agreement: Look for any references to discretionary commissions or similar arrangements in your finance documentation.
2.
Check Relevant Dates: Ensure that your finance agreement began between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024, as this period falls within the FCA investigation timeframe.
3.
Understand What DCA Means: If you see "DCA" or similar terms in your documentation, it could indicate an arrangement that was scrutinised by the FCA.
You do not need a
claims management company to handle your complaint. Common lenders such as Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance all have their own free internal complaints procedures that you can use.
To start the process:
1.
Contact Your Lender: Reach out directly via phone or email to explain your concerns about mis-selling.
2.
Follow Up in Writing: If your initial contact does not resolve the issue, send a formal
complaint letter outlining why you believe your agreement was mis-sold.
3.
Engage with Financial Ombudsman Service ([FOS](https://mlj.org.uk/guides/financial-ombudsman-service)): If your lender does not address your complaint satisfactorily, you can escalate it to the FOS for free mediation.
You can complain directly to your lender for free and resolve any issues without involving third-party companies.
Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority estimates on mis-sold agreements: 12.1 million (FCA estimate), £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026), £829 average per eligible agreement
- Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) for complaint procedures
Based on 3,546 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Lexus Es has a pass rate of 95.8%. This is above the national average of 79.6%, meaning the Es performs well in MOT testing.
The Es pass rate is better than the overall Lexus average of 88.4%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 38,437 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 95.8%
- MOT failure rate: 4.2%
- Tests analysed: 3,546 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 38,437 miles
- Lexus average pass rate: 88.4%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.