Auto Loan Lengths Reach All-Time High, According to New Edmunds Analysis
SANTA MONICA, CA — July 03, 2017 — As car buyers' appetites for bigger and more expensive vehicles grows, so does their willingness to take longer paying for them, according to a new analysis from Edmunds, the leading car shopping and information platform. The average auto loan length reached an all-time high of 69.3 months in June — up 6.8 percent from five years ago. The average amount buyers financed recorded the biggest uptick for the year, hitting $30,945 (up $631 from May), also leading to the highest monthly payments for the year, now averaging $517 (up from $510 in May).
"Stretching out loan terms to secure a monthly payment they're comfortable with is becoming buyers' go-to way to get the cars they want, equipped the way they want them," said Edmunds Executive Director of Industry Analysis Jessica Caldwell. "It's financially risky, leaving borrowers exposed to being upside down on their vehicles for a large chunk of their loans, but it's also a sign that consumers are still confident enough in the economy to spend more on their vehicles and commit to paying for them longer."
Edmunds also finds that the APR dipped just below 5 percent for the first time since February, averaging 4.96 in June. The APR has increased 5.7 percent from a year ago and 13.6 percent from five years ago.
More insight into recent auto industry trends can be found in the Edmunds Industry Center at http://www.edmunds.com/industry-center/.
| June 2017 | Change from June 2016 |
5-Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loan Term | 69.3 months | 1.0% | 6.8% |
| Monthly Payment | $517 | 2.1% | 11.3% |
| Amount Financed | $30,945 | 2.6% | 17.2% |
| APR | 4.96% | 5.7% | 13.6% |
| Down Payment | $3,687 | 6.6% | 11.7% |
| June 2017 | Change from June 2016 |
5-Year Change | |
| Loan Term | 66.9 months | 0.1% | 6.0% |
| Monthly Payment | $383 | 0.8% | 3.5% |
| Amount Financed | $21,142 | 0.4% | 9.9% |
| APR | 7.64% | 2.7% | -5.4% |
| Down Payment | $2,453 | 7.1% | 11.0% |
About Edmunds
Edmunds is the leading car information and shopping platform, helping millions of visitors each month find their perfect car. With products like Edmunds Your Price, Your Lease and Used+, shoppers can buy smarter with instant, upfront prices for cars and trucks currently for sale at more than 13,000 dealer franchises across the U.S. Edmunds' in-house team of unbiased car shopping experts provide industry-leading vehicle reviews and shopping tips, as well as welcome all car-shopping questions at our Help Center, via email at help@edmunds.com and on Twitter and Facebook. Edmunds is based in Santa Monica, Calif. and has a satellite office in downtown Detroit, Mich.
