The Volkswagen Arteon, a sleek and modern four-door coupe, 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. This investigation uncovered widespread mis-selling practices in motor finance arrangements across the UK, affecting millions of car buyers.
How the Volkswagen Arteon was Typically Financed
Volkswagen Arteons were often financed through Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and Hire Purchase (HP) agreements during the FCA's investigation period. Common financing amounts ranged from £15,000 to £30,000, with typical PCP terms spanning 36 to 48 months. Many customers opting for a Volkswagen Arteon would choose these finance plans due to their perceived flexibility and lower monthly payments compared to HP agreements.
Several lenders commonly provided financing for the Arteon during this period, including
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance. These lenders facilitated car purchases by offering customers various financing options that aligned with their budgetary constraints and financial goals.
In a typical PCP agreement, borrowers would make monthly payments over the agreed term, with a significant portion of the vehicle's value paid off at the end through a balloon payment or optional final payment. The remaining balance could be settled in full, returned to the lender, or used as part of another finance deal for a new vehicle.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) launched an investigation into
discretionary commission arrangements within motor finance agreements from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. This inquiry revealed that many car dealerships and lenders were charging customers undisclosed commissions, which inflated the cost of their vehicle financing.
During this period, 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) were affected by these practices, resulting in an average overcharge of £829 per agreement (FCA estimate). The total overcharged amount across all affected agreements was estimated to be around £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026).
The FCA's findings highlighted that many customers who financed their Volkswagen Arteons or other vehicles were unknowingly paying for these hidden commissions, leading to inflated finance costs and a lack of transparency in the motor finance industry.
How to Check Your Agreement Look for any mention of "Discretionary Commission Arrangements" (DCA) in your contract, as this is a key indicator that you may have been overcharged.
Relevant dates to consider include the start date and end date of your finance agreement. If these fall within 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024, there's a possibility that your financing was part of the FCA investigation.
To further verify if you are affected, check for any additional fees or charges in your contract that were not clearly explained during the purchase process. If you find suspicious entries or inconsistencies, it is advisable to seek legal advice to understand your rights and options fully.
If you suspect that your Volkswagen Arteon finance agreement was affected by the FCA investigation into discretionary commission arrangements, you can complain directly to your lender without needing a
claims management company. Common lenders associated with Volkswagen Arteons during this period include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
When contacting your lender, provide them with clear details about the discrepancies in your finance agreement, including any hidden charges or fees that you believe were not disclosed. You can also refer to the FCA's findings from their investigation for support in framing your complaint.
Remember, you do not need a claims management company to handle this process on your behalf. Lenders are required by law to address and respond to complaints fairly and without additional costs. By following these steps, you can seek redress directly and potentially recover any overcharges associated with the mis-selling of motor finance agreements for your Volkswagen Arteon.
Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) investigation period: 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024
- Total number of affected agreements: 12.1 million (FCA estimate)
- Total overcharged amount: £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026)
- FCA-estimated average per eligible agreement: £829
Based on 6,921 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Volkswagen Arteon has a pass rate of 89.0%. This is above the national average of 79.6%, meaning the Arteon performs well in MOT testing.
The Arteon pass rate is better than the overall Volkswagen average of 80.1%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 49,879 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 89.0%
- MOT failure rate: 11.0%
- Tests analysed: 6,921 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 49,879 miles
- Volkswagen average pass rate: 80.1%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.