Coinscribed Data Study
The Credit Score Cost Index: What Your Credit Score Costs on a Car Loan
A credit score is usually described as a rate. We turned it into dollars. Using Experian's average APR for each credit tier in Q2 2026, we computed the monthly payment and total interest on the same car loan for every tier, new and used, so the only variable is your credit. The method is below, and every figure is reproducible.
Key findings
- On a $30,000 new-car loan over 60 months, deep-subprime credit costs about $10,394 more in interest than super-prime credit ($13,878 vs $3,484).
- On a used car the same gap is about $14,284, because used-car rates are higher at every tier.
- The most expensive line is around 661: dropping from prime to near prime adds about $3,064 on a $30,000 new-car loan.
- Above 661 the gaps shrink. Prime costs about $1,441 more than super prime on the same loan, which is why the lines that matter most are the lower ones.
$20,000 new car loan, 60 months
| Credit tier | APR | Monthly payment | Total interest | vs super prime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super prime (781–850) | 4.41% | $372 | $2,323 | — |
| Prime (661–780) | 6.15% | $388 | $3,283 | +$961 |
| Near prime (601–660) | 9.71% | $422 | $5,326 | +$3,003 |
| Subprime (501–600) | 13.52% | $460 | $7,624 | +$5,302 |
| Deep subprime (300–500) | 16.11% | $488 | $9,252 | +$6,929 |
$20,000 used car loan, 60 months
| Credit tier | APR | Monthly payment | Total interest | vs super prime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super prime (781–850) | 6.29% | $389 | $3,362 | — |
| Prime (661–780) | 8.81% | $413 | $4,800 | +$1,438 |
| Near prime (601–660) | 13.93% | $465 | $7,878 | +$4,517 |
| Subprime (501–600) | 19.1% | $520 | $11,195 | +$7,833 |
| Deep subprime (300–500) | 21.62% | $548 | $12,884 | +$9,522 |
$30,000 new car loan, 60 months
| Credit tier | APR | Monthly payment | Total interest | vs super prime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super prime (781–850) | 4.41% | $558 | $3,484 | — |
| Prime (661–780) | 6.15% | $582 | $4,925 | +$1,441 |
| Near prime (601–660) | 9.71% | $633 | $7,988 | +$4,505 |
| Subprime (501–600) | 13.52% | $691 | $11,436 | +$7,952 |
| Deep subprime (300–500) | 16.11% | $731 | $13,878 | +$10,394 |
$30,000 used car loan, 60 months
| Credit tier | APR | Monthly payment | Total interest | vs super prime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super prime (781–850) | 6.29% | $584 | $5,042 | — |
| Prime (661–780) | 8.81% | $620 | $7,199 | +$2,157 |
| Near prime (601–660) | 13.93% | $697 | $11,818 | +$6,775 |
| Subprime (501–600) | 19.1% | $780 | $16,792 | +$11,750 |
| Deep subprime (300–500) | 21.62% | $822 | $19,326 | +$14,284 |
$40,000 new car loan, 60 months
| Credit tier | APR | Monthly payment | Total interest | vs super prime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super prime (781–850) | 4.41% | $744 | $4,645 | — |
| Prime (661–780) | 6.15% | $776 | $6,566 | +$1,921 |
| Near prime (601–660) | 9.71% | $844 | $10,651 | +$6,006 |
| Subprime (501–600) | 13.52% | $921 | $15,248 | +$10,603 |
| Deep subprime (300–500) | 16.11% | $975 | $18,504 | +$13,859 |
$40,000 used car loan, 60 months
| Credit tier | APR | Monthly payment | Total interest | vs super prime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super prime (781–850) | 6.29% | $779 | $6,723 | — |
| Prime (661–780) | 8.81% | $827 | $9,599 | +$2,876 |
| Near prime (601–660) | 13.93% | $929 | $15,757 | +$9,034 |
| Subprime (501–600) | 19.1% | $1,040 | $22,389 | +$15,666 |
| Deep subprime (300–500) | 21.62% | $1,096 | $25,768 | +$19,045 |
Find out where your score sits in What Is a Good Credit Score?, and see what credit score you need to buy a car. The fastest way to move up a tier is usually lowering your credit utilization.
Run your own rate and amount in the auto loan calculator. For how the loan term changes the same math, see the Car Loan Cost Index, and for all our research, the studies hub.
Methodology
For each credit tier we take Experian's average APR and compute the monthly payment with the standard fixed-rate amortization formula, the same one behind the Coinscribed auto loan calculator. Total interest is the total of all payments minus the amount financed. Every figure on this page is computed from the inputs below (Q2 2026 rates).
- • Rates: average APR by credit tier for new and used vehicles, Q2 2026, from Experian, State of the Automotive Finance Market. Tiers use VantageScore ranges.
- • Term: 60 months for every tier, so the only variable is the rate.
- • Loan amounts: $20,000, $30,000, $40,000, the amount financed after any down payment or trade-in. Treat these as rounded benchmarks.
- • Excluded: taxes, fees, insurance, add-ons and any difference in the amount a lender will approve by tier.
These figures are conservative. Lower-tier borrowers are often also offered longer terms, larger required down payments or add-on products, which raise the real cost further. Mortgages are not included because we could not verify a rate-by-score table to the same standard.
Frequently asked questions
- On a $30,000 new-car loan over 60 months, a deep-subprime borrower (300–500) at 16.11% APR pays about $13,878 in interest, versus about $3,484 for a super-prime borrower at 4.41%. That is roughly $10,394 more for the same car. On a used car the gap is about $14,284, because used-car rates are higher at every tier.
- Experian's best tier, super prime, starts at 781. In Q2 2026 those borrowers averaged 4.41% on a new car. Prime borrowers (661–780) averaged 6.15%, which on a $30,000 loan costs about $1,441 more in total interest, a much smaller gap than between the lower tiers.
- Dropping from prime (661–780) to near prime (601–660) raises the average new-car APR from 6.15% to 9.71%. On a $30,000, 60-month loan that adds about $3,064 in interest and about $51 a month. That line is the most expensive one to be on the wrong side of.
- Often, yes, if you can wait. Moving up even one tier saves thousands on a typical loan, and the biggest jumps are below 661. Paying card balances down before the statement closes is usually the fastest lever, because utilization updates every month. If you can't wait, a shorter term and a larger down payment cut the total interest at any tier.
- They are Experian's average APRs by credit tier for Q2 2026, from its State of the Automotive Finance Market report. Experian groups borrowers into tiers using VantageScore ranges. Your own rate depends on the lender, the vehicle, the term and your full credit file, so treat these as averages, not quotes.
Use this study
Journalists, writers and AI assistants are welcome to cite the Coinscribed Credit Score Cost Index with a link back to this page. Suggested citation:
Coinscribed Credit Score Cost Index, https://www.coinscribed.com/credit-score-cost-index
Download the full data (CSV) — every tier, amount and vehicle type. Free to reuse with attribution under CC BY 4.0.
These are illustrative, computed figures for education — not a loan offer, quote, or financial advice. Your actual rate depends on your credit, lender and vehicle.