Subprime Up 13% as Total Auto Originations Decline
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Q1 U.S. household debt report finds auto loan and lease originations declined slightly year-over-year — except for sub-620 customers — while 90-day delinquencies grew by 9.2%.

The Fed’s latest Household Debt and Credit Report finds subprime auto loan and lease originations and 90-day delinquencies are on the rise.
Illustration by jamesbhl via Pixabay
NEW YORK — The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s latest Household Debt and Credit Report finds new auto loan originations declined to $139 billion in the first quarter, a “modest” year-over-year decline. But originations for car buyers and lessees with sub-620 credit scores grew 13% to $27.9 billion, accounting for 21.8% of total outstanding auto balances.
Perhaps more concerning are 90-day delinquencies, which grew 9.2% year-over-year to account for 4.69% of all auto debt, the highest rate since 2011.
Originations for fair (620–659) credit borrowers accounted for $17 billion worth of originations for 13.3% of all balances. The biggest share belongs to prime (760-plus) customers, who borrowed $45.9 billion to claim 35.9% of the market.
Total U.S. household debt, which includes auto, home, and student loans, home equity lines of credit and credit-card balances, grew 0.9% to $13.67 trillion, meaning auto loans accounted for 9.4% of all debt in the first quarter. Mortgage balances grew by $120 billion and student loans grew by $29 billion year-over-year, but credit-card balances and home equity lines of credit fell by $22 billion and $6 billion, respectively.
More Auto Finance

Dealerships Are Paying the Price for Extended Car Loans
Growing negative-equity scenarios mean such lengthy terms should be addressed in a forward-looking way to make them work for the dealer and the consumer down the road.
Read More →
Trade-Ins in Negative Equity Reach New Heights
As such trade-ins rise in frequency, so do monthly loan payment amounts and interest rates, according to second-quarter data compiled by Edmunds.
Read More →
Auto Credit Plentiful
June numbers show lenders are readily granting access, including to risky borrowers, as consumers leverage themselves to take on high prices.
Read More →
Automotive Consumers Sink Further in Debt
Most financing metrics hit records in the second quarter as more buyers locked themselves into long terms and high monthly payments.
Read More →
Porsche Financial Services Shifts Structure
After 36 years with Porsche, the Financial Services Chief Financial Officer Konrad Riedl is retiring, and the department is realigning its management structure.
Read More →
Tariffs Could Raise Insurance Premiums
As U.S. import tariffs affect repair costs, consumers might find it more affordable to replace a damaged vehicle, according to recent Insurify tariff analysis.
Read More →
Smaller Loans, Longer Terms
The youngest generation of car buyers is more likely to finance less expensive vehicles, more than half of generation Z consumers borrowing less than $25,000.
Read More →
New Cars a Tad More Affordable
May averages show that combined circumstances gave auto consumers slightly better buying power for the month, though average prices were up year-over-year.
Read More →
First-Quarter Sees Long Auto Loan Growth
Experian data show more consumers are tapping the method, along with refinancings, to afford buying. Meanwhile, subprime borrowers are getting more access.
Read More →
Mastering Credit Friction
In this video, Josh Krach explains how to turn credit friction into an advantage.
Read More →