Suzuki motorbikes, a popular choice among riders in the UK for their reliability and performance, were 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 article provides an overview of Suzuki motorbike financing practices, details the FCA’s motor finance mis-selling investigation, and offers guidance on how to Information about agreements covered by the scheme.
How Suzuki Motorbikes Were Financed
Suzuki motorcycles are often financed through major lenders such as
Black Horse,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Moneybarn. These financial institutions offer both PCP and HP agreements to make the purchase of a new or used Suzuki motorbike more accessible to consumers.
In typical PCP agreements, customers pay an initial deposit, followed by monthly payments over a specified term (usually 12-48 months). At the end of the agreement, they have the option to return the bike, pay the Guaranteed Future Value (GFV) to own it outright, or replace it with another Suzuki model. Hire Purchase agreements, on the other hand, involve paying off the full cost of the motorbike over a set period, usually with no balloon payment at the end.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA conducted an extensive investigation into motor finance practices in the UK from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. One significant finding was that many lenders offered
discretionary commission arrangements to dealerships, which could incentivise them to push customers towards more expensive finance deals with higher interest rates and fees. This practice affected an estimated 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026), leading to a total mis-selling cost of £7.5 billion (FCA estimate) across the UK motor industry.
Consumers who financed their Suzuki motorbike during this period may have been subject to such arrangements, resulting in overpayment by an average of £829 per customer (FCA estimate).
How to Check Your Agreement
- Lender: Check if one of the commonly involved lenders (Black Horse, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, Moneybarn) provided your finance.
- Finance Type: Verify that you entered into a PCP or HP agreement.
If these criteria apply to your situation, there is a chance that your finance arrangement may have been part of the FCA’s investigation scope.
You can complain directly to your lender without needing a
claims management company. Common lenders such as Black Horse, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Moneybarn typically offer free processes for resolving disputes or complaints related to motorbike finance agreements.
To initiate the process:
1.
Contact Your Lender: Reach out to the customer service department of your finance provider.
2.
Provide Documentation: Gather relevant documents such as contract details, payment records, and any correspondence with the lender.
3.
Explain Your Concerns: Clearly outline why you believe your agreement was mis-sold.
You do not need a claims management company for this process; it is free to complain directly to your lender.
Sources and References
The FCA confirmed on 30 March 2026 that 12.1 million motor finance agreements are covered by the FCA redress scheme. The FCA-estimated scheme average of £829 per eligible agreement per agreement, with a total of £7.5 billion set aside for consumers. The scheme covers PCP and HP agreements entered into between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024.
Two separate schemes apply: post-2014 agreements (implement by 30 June 2026) and pre-2014 agreements (implement by 31 August 2026). The final deadline to complain is 31 August 2027. You can complain to your lender directly for free. You do not need a claims management company.
Across 500,756 MOT tests in 2024, Suzuki vehicles have an overall pass rate of 83.6%. This is above the national average of 79.6%. DVSA data covers 322 Suzuki models with sufficient test volume.
- Overall pass rate: 83.6%
- Total MOT tests (2024): 500,756
- Models with data: 322
- National average: 79.6%
Best Suzuki models for MOT pass rate
- Suzuki Ignis Sz3 Dualjet Mhev: 97.8% pass rate (1,044 tests)
- Suzuki Ignis Sz5 Dualjet Mhev Allgrip: 96.8% pass rate (720 tests)
- Suzuki Ignis Sz-T Dualjet Mhev Cvt: 96.7% pass rate (910 tests)
- Suzuki Ignis Sz5 Dualjet Mhev Cvt: 96.6% pass rate (621 tests)
- Suzuki Vitara Sz-T Boosterjet Mhev A: 96.5% pass rate (1,213 tests)
Suzuki models with lowest MOT pass rate
- Suzuki Splash: 74.7% pass rate (15,436 tests)
- Suzuki Grand Vitara: 73.7% pass rate (22,888 tests)
- Suzuki Carry: 69.8% pass rate (4,099 tests)
- Suzuki Wagon-R+: 69.2% pass rate (8,671 tests)
- Suzuki Liana: 66.7% pass rate (1,444 tests)
Suzuki MOT Reliability Trend (2022-2024)
Suzuki pass rates have remained stable: 83.5% in 2022, 83.4% in 2023, and 83.6% in 2024.
- 2022: 83.5% pass rate (588,340 tests)
- 2023: 83.4% pass rate (589,891 tests)
- 2024: 83.6% pass rate (500,756 tests)
Based on 1,678,987 MOT tests across three years (DVSA open data).
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, Open Government Licence v3.0.