The SsangYong Tivoli, a compact SUV introduced in 2015, was commonly 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. These financing arrangements often involved
discretionary commission payments that may have influenced the advice given by dealerships, leading to an estimated £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026) in mis-sold motor finance agreements across Britain (FCA estimate).
How the SsangYong Tivoli was Typically Financed
The SsangYong Tivoli was typically financed through Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and Hire Purchase (HP) agreements, with typical loan amounts ranging from £15,000 to £30,000. PCP terms commonly lasted 36 to 48 months, offering customers a range of payment options at the end of the term, including returning the vehicle or paying off the balloon payment to retain ownership.
Common lenders for SsangYong finance included
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance. Each lender's terms varied slightly, but all typically involved a combination of regular monthly payments and an optional final lump sum (the balloon payment) at the end of the contract.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA launched its motor finance investigation in 2016 to address concerns about discretionary commission arrangements between lenders and car dealers. These arrangements allowed dealers to receive additional compensation for recommending specific finance products, which may have led to customers being advised on unsuitable agreements. As a result of this investigation, the FCA estimated that 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) potentially affected (FCA estimate), with an average mis-selling cost of £829 per agreement (FCA estimate).
How to Check Your Agreement Look for references to discretionary commission arrangements or any indication that you were charged a higher interest rate than necessary due to such practices.
Relevant dates to consider include those within the FCA investigation period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024, with a particular focus on agreements signed during the peak years of concern (around 2015-2018). If your agreement includes phrases such as "Discretionary
Commission Arrangement" or "DCA," it is likely that you are among those affected by these practices.
If you suspect that your SsangYong Tivoli finance agreement was mis-sold, you can complain directly to the lender without needing a
claims management company. Common lenders for SsangYong include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
When lodging a complaint, gather all relevant documentation, including your finance agreement, any correspondence with the dealer or lender, and evidence of the terms and conditions at the time of purchase. Providing this evidence will strengthen your case for receiving compensation if you were affected by discretionary commission practices.
Remember that you do not need to engage a claims management company; complaining directly to your lender is free and straightforward. Many lenders have dedicated teams to handle such complaints, ensuring a transparent and efficient process.
Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). "Motor Finance Investigation". 2016.
- Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). "Complaints Statistics". 2024.
- Office for National Statistics (ONS) Census. 2021.
Based on 6,578 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the SsangYong Tivoli has a pass rate of 79.9%. This is close to the national average of 79.6%, meaning the Tivoli performs about average in MOT testing.
The Tivoli pass rate is better than the overall SsangYong average of 76.7%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 50,019 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 79.9%
- MOT failure rate: 20.1%
- Tests analysed: 6,578 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 50,019 miles
- SsangYong average pass rate: 76.7%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.