The Volvo S60, a popular mid-size luxury sedan known for its Scandinavian design and safety features, was commonly sold on
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) motor finance investigation period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. This investigation uncovered widespread mis-selling practices in the UK automotive finance industry, affecting millions of consumers who took out car loans or leases for their Volvo S60 and other vehicles.
How the Volvo S60 was Typically Financed
Volvo S60 owners frequently financed their cars through Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreements ranging from £15,000 to £30,000. Common finance providers included
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance. The typical PCP term for a Volvo S60 was 36 to 48 months, with optional balloon payments at the end of the agreement that could significantly affect the final cost of ownership.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
During its investigation into motor finance mis-selling practices from April 2007 to November 2024, the FCA uncovered serious issues related to
discretionary commission arrangements. These arrangements allowed lenders and brokers to receive additional commissions for selling higher-cost products or longer-term agreements, potentially misleading consumers about the true cost of their Volvo S60 financing. The investigation found that these practices affected 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) across various makes and models, including the popular Volvo S60.
The total value of mis-sold agreements was estimated to be around £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026) (FCA, March 2026). This highlights the significant financial impact on consumers who were unknowingly overcharged for their car finance deals.
How to Check Your Agreement You should examine your original loan or lease documentation carefully:
- Discretionary Commission (DCA): Look for any mention of "discretionary commission" in your finance agreement. This term is a key indicator of potential mis-selling.
- Relevant Dates: Ensure that the date on which you signed your finance agreement falls within the critical period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024.
- Lender and Broker Details: Confirm whether the finance was provided by one of the common lenders for Volvo, such as Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, or Santander Consumer Finance.
If you suspect that your Volvo S60 financing agreement may have been mis-sold, you can complain directly to your lender without incurring any additional costs. Common lenders such as Black Horse and Barclays Partner Finance offer free complaint handling processes through their dedicated customer service teams.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to proceed:
1.
Gather Documentation: Collect all relevant documents related to your finance agreement, including loan contracts, payment schedules, and correspondence with the lender.
2.
Contact Your Lender: Reach out to your lender's customer service team via phone or email to formally lodge your complaint. Provide them with a detailed account of why you believe your agreement was mis-sold.
3.
Follow Up: Keep track of all communication and follow up regularly if necessary. Most lenders have specific timelines for resolving complaints.
You do not need a
claims management company to handle your complaint; the process can be managed directly through your lender at no cost to you.
Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). "Motor Finance Market Investigation" (2024).
- Office for National Statistics (ONS) Census 2021.
Based on 18,319 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Volvo S60 has a pass rate of 79.0%. This is close to the national average of 79.6%, meaning the S60 performs about average in MOT testing.
The S60 pass rate is slightly below the overall Volvo average of 81.3%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 110,294 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 79.0%
- MOT failure rate: 21.0%
- Tests analysed: 18,319 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 110,294 miles
- Volvo average pass rate: 81.3%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.