FI showroom red and grey logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Auto Loan Access Keeps Falling

July conditions tighter for consumers despite average loan rate decline.

August 13, 2024
Auto Loan Access Keeps Falling

The reduced credit access came in all channels and lender types.

Credit:

Pexels/Pixabay

1 min to read


Auto loans were harder to get for the fourth month in a row as approval rates declined and other measures made credit more challenging to come by in July.

Though the average loan rate fell by seven basis points for an 80-point decline since February, loan approval rates declined four percentage points year-over-year, according to Cox Automotive.

Ad Loading...

In addition to continued reduced approval rates, Cox blamed decreased subprime share and increased yield spreads.

The reduced credit access came in all channels and lender types, according to its report, which put Cox’s All-Loans Index down 1% to 92.9, or about a 2% year-over-year drop.

Loans with negative equity increased slightly for the month, actually helping credit availability. Term lengths, the percentage of down payments, and loans with terms longer than 72 months were flat, though the down payment percentage was up by 30 basis points year-over-year.

LEARN MORE: Is the Death Knell Being Sounded for Dealer Financing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today

More Auto Finance

black background with orange text saying Alec Hagey Toyota Financial Services President and CEO effective April 6 with picture of Alec Hagey
Auto Financeby Lauren LawrenceApril 6, 2026

Toyota Financial Services President Replaced

Scott Cooke has served in various roles with Toyota Financial Services for over 20 years, including president and CEO, which he retires from on June 30.

Read More →
Photo of person grabbing stacks of cash from a surface
Auto Financeby Gil Van OverMarch 30, 2026

Permission or Approval: When to Notify Finance Sources

Credit card down payments, multiple vehicle purchases and even straw purchases can be completed without committing bank fraud, as long as you tell the bank first.

Read More →
Three people's hands on desk as one signs a document
Auto Financeby Hannah MitchellMarch 11, 2026

At-Risk Auto Borrowers Drive Looser Credit Access

Cox Automotive’s index shows the subprime segment, long loan terms, negative-equity borrowers and down payment amounts all grew in February despite ever-higher vehicle prices.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Auto Financeby Lauren LawrenceFebruary 23, 2026

Auto Loan Forecast Bucks Market Trend

Auto loan originations rose over 6% year-over-year in the third quarter of 2025, but TransUnion predicts a slight decline in auto loan growth this year, making it an outlier in the company's overall lending forecast.

Read More →
Auto Financeby Hannah MitchellFebruary 11, 2026

Auto Credit More Plentiful

Growing access shows greater lender appetite for risk as consumers take on heavier debt burden in an inflated market.

Read More →
Auto Financeby Hannah MitchellJanuary 27, 2026

Auto Loans Long as Stretch Limos

More consumers, faced with ever-rising car prices, are adapting by agreeing to longer loan terms despite the cost of added interest payments.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A person holds a stack of cash with a small red toy car on top.
Auto Financeby StaffJanuary 20, 2026

AutoPayPlus Launches RePayPlus

The reinsured biweekly payment program offers auto dealers with customer retention and reinsurance structure.

Read More →
Auto Financeby Hannah MitchellJanuary 12, 2026

Auto Credit Access Loosens

December brought some of the best borrowing availability for consumers in years, though lenders tightened their reins on riskier segments of the market.

Read More →
A hand holding small burlap money bags next to a toy red car, symbolizing auto financing, loan payments, and dealership profitability.
Auto Financeby StaffNovember 14, 2025

Report Uncovers $4.7B Opportunity for Auto Dealers

Solving mismatched payment quotes can boost sales, profits

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Auto Financeby Hannah MitchellNovember 10, 2025

Auto Loans More in Reach

October easier to tap despite approval rates falling

Read More →