The Toyota Hilux, a popular van model renowned for its durability and reliability, 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 period saw significant concerns over
discretionary commission arrangements in motor finance, affecting a substantial number of vehicle purchases across various makes and models.
How the Toyota Hilux Was Typically Financed
The Toyota Hilux was often financed through Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreements with terms ranging from £20,000 to £45,000 over 36 to 60 months. Common finance providers for the Toyota Hilux included
Black Horse,
Lombard,
Close Brothers Motor Finance, and Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions. These lenders offered flexible payment options that allowed buyers to make lower monthly payments with a final balloon payment at the end of the term.
PCP agreements often included a Guaranteed Future Value (GFV) or Balloon Payment, which is the estimated value of the vehicle at the end of the finance agreement. This GFV plays a crucial role in determining the total cost of the loan and the monthly payments. If the actual value of the Hilux at the end of the term falls below the guaranteed amount, it can result in higher costs for the borrower.
The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
The FCA's investigation into motor finance uncovered significant issues with discretionary commission arrangements between lenders and vehicle manufacturers or dealerships. These practices involved payments that incentivised sales staff to push certain types of finance products over others, potentially at a disadvantage to consumers who may have been unaware of these incentives.
According to the FCA’s findings, 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026) by such arrangements (FCA estimate). The total amount of potential mis-selling was estimated at £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026), with an average refund per customer of approximately £829 (FCA estimate).
The investigation highlighted that many consumers who financed their Toyota Hilux through PCP or HP contracts may have been sold these products under less favourable terms than they might have otherwise received.
How to Check Your Agreement Look for any mention of "Discretionary Commission Arrangements" (DCA) or similar terms that indicate additional payments made by lenders based on certain conditions.
Relevant dates to consider include purchases made between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024, as these are the parameters set by the FCA investigation. If your agreement falls within this timeframe and includes any of the markers for potential mis-selling, the FCA-estimated scheme average is £829 per eligible agreement.
If you believe that your Toyota Hilux finance agreement was sold under a discretionary
commission arrangement, it is important to contact your lender directly. Common lenders such as Black Horse, Lombard, Close Brothers Motor Finance, and Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions offer free complaint procedures.
You do not need to use the services of a
claims management company; you can complain directly to your lender without incurring any fees or additional costs. Providing evidence from your finance agreement and correspondence with the dealership will help strengthen your case.
By following these steps, you can seek fair compensation for any financial harm caused by mis-selling practices during the specified period.
Sources and References
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). (2024). Investigation into Discretionary Commission Arrangements in Motor Finance.
- Office for National Statistics (ONS) Census 2021.
Based on 74,373 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Toyota Hilux has a pass rate of 77.5%. This is close to the national average of 79.6%, meaning the Hilux performs about average in MOT testing.
The Hilux pass rate is slightly below the overall Toyota average of 82.8%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 102,333 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 77.5%
- MOT failure rate: 22.5%
- Tests analysed: 74,373 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 102,333 miles
- Toyota average pass rate: 82.8%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.