The Subaru Impreza, a popular car model known for its reliability and performance, was commonly sold on
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) investigation period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. The FCA found that many Subaru Impreza owners may have been affected by mis-selling practices in motor finance, particularly through
discretionary commission arrangements.
How the Subaru Impreza was Typically Financed
Subaru Impreza models were typically financed using Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreements with terms ranging from 36 to 48 months. The average finance amount for a new or used Subaru Impreza ranged between £15,000 and £30,000, depending on the model year and trim level. Common lenders who provided financing during this period included
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance.
Under PCP agreements, Subaru Impreza buyers often faced balloon payments at the end of their contract terms, which could be a significant amount if they wished to own the car outright or finance another vehicle. These payments were calculated based on an estimated resale value (ERV) of the car at the end of the term, which may not always match its actual market value.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA investigated motor finance practices from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024 and found that discretionary commission arrangements in motor finance agreements were widespread. These arrangements allowed car dealerships and brokers to receive additional payments from lenders, which could influence the advice given to customers on financing options.
The FCA estimated that 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) across various makes and models of vehicles were affected by these practices. The total amount involved in mis-selling was approximately £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026), with an average claim value of £829 (FCA estimate).
How to Check Your Agreement Look for any references to "Discretionary Commission Arrangements" or "DCA." If your agreement includes DCA terms, it means that the dealer received additional payments based on your choice of financing option.
It is also important to verify if your finance agreement was signed between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024. If these conditions apply, the FCA scheme covers eligible agreements.
If you suspect that your Subaru Impreza finance agreement was affected by mis-selling practices, you can complain directly to your lender without the need for a
claims management company. Common lenders for Subaru include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
When filing a complaint, provide detailed information about your finance agreement, including dates of purchase, terms of financing, and any documentation that supports your claim. Your lender is required to investigate your complaint free of charge and respond within a reasonable time frame according to the
Financial Ombudsman Service (
FOS) guidelines.
You do not need a claims management company to handle this process; you can manage it yourself by contacting your lender directly or seeking advice from independent sources like MLJ.org.uk (MLJ).
Sources and References
- FCA estimates on affected agreements, total amount involved, and average claim value: "FCA investigation into motor finance practices" (FCA, 2024)
- Common lenders for Subaru Impreza: Financial Conduct Authority database of motor finance providers (FCA, 2024)
Based on 17,131 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Subaru Impreza has a pass rate of 81.2%. This is close to the national average of 79.6%, meaning the Impreza performs about average in MOT testing.
The Impreza pass rate is in line with the overall Subaru average of 81.1%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 99,413 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 81.2%
- MOT failure rate: 18.8%
- Tests analysed: 17,131 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 99,413 miles
- Subaru average pass rate: 81.1%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.