Who is offering the best car loan rates?
Top Banks like Canara Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Punjab National Bank, and State Bank of India are providing the cheapest car loans. Canara Bank interest rates range from 8.80 percent to 11.95 percent. HDFC Bank car loans start from 8.75 percent. I...
Auto Loan Lender | Lowest APR | Our Award |
---|---|---|
AutoPay | 4.59% | Best Overall Auto Loan |
PenFed Credit Union | 5.24% | Best Credit Union Loan |
Auto Approve | 5.24% | Best Refinance Loan |
Consumers Credit Union | 5.94% | Excellent Credit Union Loan |
- Best overall: PenFed Auto Loans.
- Best from a big bank: Capital One Auto Finance.
- Best for rate shopping: myAutoloan.
- Best for online car shopping: Carvana.
- Best for used vehicle selection: CarMax Auto Finance.
- Best for refinancing: Autopay.
Credit score | Average APR, new car | Average APR, used car |
---|---|---|
Superprime: 781-850. | 5.61%. | 7.43%. |
Prime: 661-780. | 6.88%. | 9.33%. |
Nonprime: 601-660. | 9.29%. | 13.53%. |
Subprime: 501-600. | 11.86%. | 18.39%. |
Top Banks like Canara Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Punjab National Bank, and State Bank of India are providing the cheapest car loans. Canara Bank interest rates range from 8.80 percent to 11.95 percent. HDFC Bank car loans start from 8.75 percent. I...
Credit Score | New Car Loan | Refinance Car Loan |
---|---|---|
750 or higher | 12.87% | 7.72% |
700-749 | 14.09% | 8.49% |
600-699 | 17.16% | 10.09% |
451-599 | 22.18% | 13.46% |
Average Auto Loan Interest Rate by Credit Score | ||
---|---|---|
Average New Car Rate | Average Used Car Rate | |
Nonprime (620-659) | 8.86% | 13.28% |
Prime (660-719) | 6.40% | 8.75% |
Super prime (720 or above) | 5.18% | 6.79% |
Lender | Starting APR | Award |
---|---|---|
1. MyAutoloan | 5.20% for 72-month auto loans | Best Low-Rate Option |
2. Autopay | 2.99%* | Most Well-Rounded |
3. Consumers Credit Union | 6.39% for 72-month loans | Most Flexible Terms |
4. PenFed Credit Union | 6.14% for 72-month loans | Most Cohesive Process |
Loan Amount Range | Minimum of $4,000 |
---|---|
Annual Percentage Rate (APR) | Rates begin around 3.54% for those with excellent credit |
Loan Term Length | 36 to 72 months |
Prepayment Penalty | None |
Application Fee | None |
Over the years, recessions and a global pandemic contributed to the volatility of loan rates. Economic experts don't expect the Fed to lower interest rates until 2024.
Can you negotiate interest rates on cars?
Can you negotiate auto loan rates? Yes. Like you negotiate vehicle prices, you can try to lower your interest rates before signing off. One of the best ways to secure a lower rate is by making a larger down payment or choosing a shorter term.
However, these depend on your shopping habits, income, and debt-to-income ratio. A credit score of 700 gets you an interest rate of 3% to 6% on car loans for new cars and about 5% to 9% for second-hand cars.

Your credit score is crucial to determine your eligibility for a no down payment car loan. Most lenders require a FICO credit score of at least 680 before you can qualify. If your credit score falls below 680, improve your credit score before you apply to help you qualify in the future.
Ensuring your credit history and score are in the best condition possible will help you get a better interest rate on an auto loan. Be careful with small loans as they may have higher rates. Refinancing your auto loan is always an option if rates drop—this can save you a significant amount of money.
While car dealers often offer promotional interest rates, occasionally as low as 0%, they aren't always the cheapest way to finance a car. Banks and credit unions may have better rates. You can often negotiate for a better loan rate, especially at the dealership.
- PenFed Credit Union. ...
- RefiJet. ...
- LendingTree. ...
- Carvana. ...
- Capital One Auto Finance. ...
- Credit Acceptance. ...
- DriveTime. ...
- LightStream. LightStream is the car financing arm of SunTrust Bank, which operates more than 1,400 branches throughout the Southeastern United States.
Factors that increase your APR may include federal rate increases or a drop in your credit score. By identifying changes to your APR and understanding the actions that led to your increased rate, you can take steps that may help reduce your interest charges in the future.
The average car payment for a new vehicle is $726 monthly, according to third-quarter 2023 data from Experian — up 3.6% year over year. Meanwhile, new lease payments average $597 (up 4.6%). With the lowest jump at 0.8%, used cars have the lowest average monthly payment at $533.
McBride shares that while the high-rate environment will persist, rates will ease for most borrowers in 2024. Increased competition between lenders may help drivers secure a good rate. However, he warns, “don't expect auto loan rates to fall enough to offset the increases we've seen over the past couple of years.”
Less than 21% of people have a credit score over 800. A credit score of 800+ is considered perfect credit, indicates that a borrower uses credit very responsibly, and qualifies the person for the best loan and credit card terms.
What is a bad interest rate on a car?
Credit score | Average APR, new car | Average APR, used car |
---|---|---|
Prime: 661-780. | 6.88%. | 9.33%. |
Nonprime: 601-660. | 9.29%. | 13.53%. |
Subprime: 501-600. | 11.86%. | 18.39%. |
Deep subprime: 300-500. | 14.17%. | 21.18%. |
The federal funds rate already sits at a 22-year high as the Fed tries to cool inflation, making borrowing money more pricey. So, are car interest rates high right now? Unfortunately, the answer is yes. If you plan on buying a car soon, it's important to understand and prepare to face these factors.
Because of the high interest rates and risk of going upside down, most experts agree that a 72-month loan isn't an ideal choice. Experts recommend that borrowers take out a shorter loan. And for an optimal interest rate, a loan term fewer than 60 months is a better way to go. You can learn more about car loans here.
Just divide 72 by your interest rate, and there you have how long it would take for the loan or investment amount to double. So, 1% would take 72 years to double. 5% takes about 15 years to double. 10% takes 7.2 years to double.
But after two years of increases, there are strong indications that auto loan rates could start to come back down in 2024 — perhaps by a substantial amount.
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