The Suzuki Ignis 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. With its compact size and practicality, many consumers opted for financing options tailored specifically to their budget constraints. However, recent investigations by the FCA have shed light on potential mis-selling practices in these agreements.
How the Suzuki Ignis was Typically Financed
Suzuki Ignis vehicles were frequently financed through Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and Hire Purchase (HP) arrangements, with typical finance amounts ranging from £15,000 to £30,000. These financing options allowed consumers to acquire a new or used Suzuki Ignis without upfront costs, spreading the payments over 36 to 48 months. Common lenders for Suzuki Ignis include
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance.
In PCP agreements, there is often an optional balloon payment at the end of the term, which can be higher than anticipated by some consumers. This final payment is known as a Guaranteed Minimum Future Value (GMFV) or simply a "balloon" payment. It's important to understand these terms fully before committing to such financing options.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA launched an investigation into
discretionary commission arrangements used in motor finance agreements during the period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. The investigation found that many lenders were involved in practices that could have resulted in higher costs for consumers due to undisclosed commissions and incentives paid by manufacturers to dealers.
According to the FCA, these mis-selling practices affected 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026), resulting in a total of £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026) overcharged across all affected finance deals (FCA estimate). FCA-estimated average overpayment per eligible agreement: £829.
How to Check Your Agreement Look for any indications that a discretionary commission or incentive was involved in the financing terms. Some agreements may include a section marked "Discretionary Commission Arrangement" (DCA), which can be an indicator that you might have been overcharged.
The relevant dates to check are from 6 April 2007 through 1 November 2024, as this period encompasses the FCA investigation. If your agreement falls within these parameters and includes any mention of a DCA or similar arrangement, it's advisable to investigate further.
If you suspect that your Suzuki Ignis finance agreement might have been affected by the mis-selling practices identified in the FCA investigation, you can complain directly to your lender without needing to use a
claims management company. Common lenders such as Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance offer free complaint resolution processes.
When making a complaint, gather all relevant documents including your finance agreement, payment history, and any correspondence with the lender. Provide clear evidence of why you believe there was mis-selling involved in your case. Your lender is legally required to respond promptly and address your concerns appropriately.
You do not need a claims management company to handle this process for you; many consumers successfully resolve their complaints directly with their lenders. If your complaint is successful, the lender may refund any overcharged fees or adjust your finance agreement accordingly.
Sources and References
- FCA estimate of affected agreements: 12.1 million (FCA, 2024)
- Total amount overcharged: £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026) (FCA, 2024)
- FCA-estimated average per eligible agreement: £829 (FCA, 2024)
Based on 19,128 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Suzuki Ignis has a pass rate of 81.5%. This is close to the national average of 79.6%, meaning the Ignis performs about average in MOT testing.
The Ignis pass rate is slightly below the overall Suzuki average of 83.6%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 52,665 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 81.5%
- MOT failure rate: 18.5%
- Tests analysed: 19,128 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 52,665 miles
- Suzuki average pass rate: 83.6%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.