Nearly One-Third of Auto Finance Customers Are Categorized as Financially Vulnerable

TROY, Mich. --(BUSINESS WIRE)

With average monthly auto finance payments reaching a record average high of $758 in October1 and loan terms now routinely extending to upwards of 84 months, affordability has become a major factor for automotive loan customers. According to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Automotive Financing Satisfaction Study,SM released today, customer satisfaction with lenders is heavily influenced by consumer financial health2 and nearly one-third (29%) of borrowers are now categorized as financially vulnerable.

“Auto loan customers are having very different experiences based on their relative levels of financial health," said Patrick Roosenberg, senior director of automotive finance intelligence at J.D. Power. "While financially healthy borrowers are experiencing historically high levels of overall customer satisfaction, those in the vulnerable, stressed and overextended categories are significantly less satisfied with the lending experience. As lenders continue to fine-tune their offerings for different customer segments, they really need to focus on proactive communication and targeted services that address a variety of borrower needs."

Following are some key findings of the 2025 study:

  • Gaps in customer satisfaction based on financial health: The average overall satisfaction score for financially healthy automotive loan customers is 743 (on a 1,000-point scale). That score falls 150 points to 593 among financially vulnerable customers. Financially vulnerable customers also experience significantly lower levels of trust and brand advocacy.
  • Education and onboarding at the dealership is critical: Financially healthy customers are considerably more likely to receive orientation information about their loan at the dealership while purchasing their vehicle. Fully 42% of financially healthy customers received orientation at the dealer, while just 25% of financially vulnerable customers received the same level of service. Slightly more than half (51%) of financially vulnerable customers received orientation information only after leaving the dealership.
  • Bill payment pain points: Financially vulnerable customers are significantly more likely than financially healthy customers to pay their bills via their lender’s website or mobile app, while financially healthy customers are more likely to pay via ACH. Financially vulnerable customers are also significantly more likely to experience problems with their bill payment method.

Study Rankings

BMW Financial Services, Lincoln Automotive Financial Services and Mercedes-Benz Financial Services rank highest in customer satisfaction among premium lenders in a three-way tie, each with a score of 735.

Ford Credit ranks highest among mass market lenders, with a score of 714. Chase Auto (705) ranks second and Bank of America (695) ranks third.

See the rank chart for each segment at http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2025152.

The U.S. Automotive Financing Satisfaction Study, formerly known as the U.S. Consumer Financing Satisfaction Study, measures overall auto financing customer satisfaction across eight core dimensions (in order of importance): level of trust with provider; loan/lease offering met needs; experience managing my loan/lease; keeps me informed about my loan/lease; experience obtaining loan/lease; makes it easy to do business with; digital channels; and people. This year’s study was fielded from September 2024 through September 2025 and is based on responses from 13,150 customers who financed a new or used vehicle through a loan or lease within the past three years.

For more information about the U.S. Automotive Financing Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/automotive-financing-satisfaction-study.

About J.D. Power

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services, and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 55 years. The world's leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

J.D. Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company's business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The J.D. Power auto-shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules:www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

1 J.D. Power and GlobalData U.S. Automotive Forecast for October 2025 https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/jd-power-globaldata-forecast-october-2025

2 J.D. Power measures the financial health of any consumer as a metric combining their spending/savings ratio, creditworthiness, and safety net items like insurance coverage. Consumers are placed on a continuum from healthy to vulnerable.

Media Relations Contacts
Joe LaMuraglia, J.D. Power; East Coast; 714-621-6224; [email protected]
John Roderick; East Coast; 631-584-2200; [email protected]

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