The Mazda CX-5 PHEV has been a popular choice for environmentally-conscious drivers, but many consumers who financed their vehicle through
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) agreements might be affected by the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) investigation into motor finance mis-selling. This investigation uncovered that some lenders engaged in
discretionary commission arrangements during the period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024, which could have led to inflated interest rates and higher payments for consumers across a significant number of agreements.
How the Mazda CX-5 PHEV was Typically Financed
The Mazda CX-5 PHEV is often purchased through PCP or HP finance agreements, with typical financing amounts ranging from £15,000 to £30,000. These agreements typically span 36 to 48 months and are offered by several major lenders such as
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance.
In a PCP agreement, the borrower pays an initial deposit and monthly payments for the term of the loan. At the end of this period, there is usually a balloon payment or option to buy out the remaining balance, which can be significant. This structure often includes interest rates that are influenced by various factors, including discretionary commissions paid to dealerships.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA's investigation into motor finance mis-selling has revealed that some lenders were engaging in practices that led to higher costs for consumers. One of the key issues identified was the use of discretionary commission arrangements, where lenders would pay a portion of the interest earned on loans back to dealerships as commissions. This practice could have resulted in inflated interest rates and higher payments for consumers.
The FCA estimates that 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) by these practices (FCA estimate) (FCA, March 2026). In total, this equates to approximately £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026) in overcharges across the industry (FCA estimate).
How to Check Your Agreement Look for specific dates between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024 when the vehicle was financed, as agreements made during this period are most likely to be affected.
Another key indicator is whether your agreement includes a "Discretionary
Commission Arrangement" (DCA). If you see references to DCAs or similar terms in your finance documentation, it could mean that discretionary commissions were involved in setting your interest rates and payment amounts.
If you suspect that your Mazda CX-5 PHEV finance agreement was affected by the FCA's motor finance investigation, you can complain directly to your lender without needing a
claims management company. Common lenders for Mazda include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
When initiating a complaint, gather any relevant documentation such as your loan agreement, payment history, and correspondence with the lender. Provide detailed information about how you believe you were affected by discretionary commission arrangements or other mis-selling practices. Your lender is required to investigate your complaint thoroughly and provide a response within a specified timeframe.
You do not need a claims management company; many consumers successfully resolve their complaints directly with their lenders. if you are unsatisfied with the initial response from your lender, you can escalate your case to the
Financial Ombudsman Service (
FOS) for further review.
Sources and References
- FCA estimates of affected agreements: 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026)
- Total overcharges estimated by the FCA: £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026)
- Average cost per agreement due to mis-selling: £829 (FCA estimate)
Based on 10,444 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Mazda 5 has a pass rate of 67.9%. This is below the national average of 79.6%, meaning the 5 has a higher-than-average failure rate in MOT testing.
The 5 pass rate is slightly below the overall Mazda average of 80.2%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 104,672 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 67.9%
- MOT failure rate: 32.1%
- Tests analysed: 10,444 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 104,672 miles
- Mazda average pass rate: 80.2%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.