Nearly 1 in 5 New-Car Buyers Now Face $1,000 Monthly Payments: Experian

Rising loan balances and longer terms are reshaping auto financing, the credit bureau said.

A lot at a Ford dealership in Austin, Texas, on April 18, 2025. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Monthly payments on new cars are still rising, and a growing share of buyers are now starting their bills with four digits.

Nearly 19 percent of new-vehicle loans carried monthly payments of $1,000 or more in the first quarter of 2026, Experian said on Thursday in a review of more than 5 million open auto loans and leases.