Car payments aren’t just high, they’re punishing. People are shelling out $1,000 a month for cars that are barely off the lot or beat to hell.
More buyers are paying $1K+ on monthly payments than ever before, says Edmunds
According to new data highlighting significant trends in new-car financing from the car-buying authorities at Edmunds, American buyers are shelling out more each month to finance their new set of wheels.
The car-buying experts reported that new-car buyers who committed to monthly payments of $1,000 or more reached a record high during Q4 2025, comprising a whopping 20.3% of all financed new-vehicle purchases during the quarter, up from 19.1% in Q3 2025 and 18.9% in Q4 2024.
On average, Edmunds found that the actual monthly payments buyers are making on their financed new-vehicle purchases are significantly lower. However, they are at the highest levels they have ever recorded; at $772 in Q4 2025, an incremental increase from $754 in Q3 2025 and $754 in Q4 2024.