The Lexus LS has been a popular choice for luxury car buyers in the UK, often 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. During this time, many consumers purchased their Lexus LS vehicles through motor finance arrangements that may have been affected by practices now under scrutiny for potential mis-selling.
How the Lexus LS was Typically Financed
Lexus LS buyers frequently opted for PCP and HP finance agreements due to the flexibility and lower initial outlay these options offer. For a luxury vehicle like the LS, the typical finance amount ranged from £15,000 to £30,000 over terms of 36 to 48 months. Common lenders providing finance for the Lexus LS included
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance.
In PCP agreements, a balloon payment was often required at the end of the term if the buyer wished to own the vehicle outright or enter into another finance agreement. This final payment could be substantial, making it crucial for buyers to understand their financing options thoroughly before committing to a contract.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA launched an investigation into motor finance agreements due to concerns over
discretionary commission arrangements that may have influenced sales practices. These arrangements are believed to have led to some lenders offering incentives to dealers based on the volume and type of finance deals they secured, potentially incentivizing them to push certain types of finance products regardless of whether they were in the best interest of the consumer.
The investigation found that 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) by these practices (FCA estimate), with a total value exceeding £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026). On average, each mis-sold agreement was estimated to be worth around £829 (FCA estimate) in compensation for consumers who did not receive the best possible deal or adequate advice.
How to Check Your Agreement Look for any mention of "Discretionary Commission Arrangements" (DCAs) as these were the focus of the FCA investigation. consider the dates of your financing arrangement: if it falls within the period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024 and you entered into a PCP or HP agreement with one of the lenders commonly associated with Lexus LS sales (such as Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, or Santander Consumer Finance), there is a chance your finance deal may have been impacted.
If you believe that your Lexus LS finance agreement was mis-sold due to potential DCA practices, the first step should be to complain directly to your lender. Common lenders such as Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance all have dedicated customer service teams who can assist you with resolving any issues related to your finance agreement.
When reaching out to your lender, it is important to provide evidence supporting your case, including copies of your contract documentation, correspondence with the dealership, and any relevant emails or letters. This evidence will help your lender understand your situation better and make a fair assessment of whether your finance deal was mis-sold.
You do not need a
claims management company to handle your complaint; you can file it directly with your lender at no cost. Should you require further assistance after contacting the lender, consider seeking advice from independent organizations such as the
Financial Ombudsman Service (
FOS), which offers free and impartial guidance for consumers.
Sources and References
- FCA estimate
- ONS Census 2021
Based on 491 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Lexus Ls has a pass rate of 86.6%. This is above the national average of 79.6%, meaning the Ls performs well in MOT testing.
The Ls pass rate is in line with the overall Lexus average of 88.4%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 87,454 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 86.6%
- MOT failure rate: 13.4%
- Tests analysed: 491 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 87,454 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.