Auto Loan Calculator
Calculate car loan payments with tax, fees, trade-in and down payment. Compare auto loan offers side by side
Vehicle & Loan Details
Quick examples
Typical Auto Loan Rates
Calculation Results
Loan Summary
Financing Breakdown
Payment Schedule Preview
| Payment # | Payment | Principal | Interest | Balance |
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How we calculated this
Payment Breakdown
What if?
Each row recalculates with your current inputs. Tap a row to apply it.
Compare two plans
Enter vehicle and loan details to calculate
Fill in the vehicle price, APR and term above
Authoritative sources and references
The official standards, guidelines, and research behind this calculator's methodology.
CFPB — Auto loans
The CFPB auto-loan guide covering shopping for offers and managing payments.
CFPB — Buying a house
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau homebuying guide: loan offers, rate comparison, and closing.
Wikipedia — Amortization
How amortization schedules split each payment between interest and principal over the loan term.
Auto Loan Calculator FAQ
How is a car payment calculated?
The lender amortizes the amount you finance over the term using the standard installment formula. Each month you pay interest on the remaining balance plus a slice of principal, so the balance reaches zero exactly at the end of the term.
Should taxes and fees be included in the loan?
Rolling sales tax, title and registration into the loan is convenient but you pay interest on them for years. Uncheck the box to compare paying them upfront — the calculator shows the interest difference instantly.
How does a bigger down payment help?
Every dollar you put down reduces the amount financed, which lowers the monthly payment and the total interest. Use the What-if table to see how +$1,000 or +$2,500 down changes your payment.
What counts as a good interest rate on a car loan?
Rates vary by credit tier and whether the car is new or used. As a rough frame, borrowers with excellent credit have commonly seen new-car rates in the 5–7% range and deep-subprime rates above 15%, with used-car rates roughly 2–4 points higher. Check current offers rather than assuming — averages move with market rates.
How much does stretching a loan from 60 to 72 months actually cost?
On a $30,000 loan at 7%, the 60-month payment is about $594 with roughly $5,600 total interest, while 72 months drops the payment to about $512 but raises total interest to about $6,750 — over $1,100 more for $82 of monthly relief. Longer terms also slow equity build-up, increasing the risk of owing more than the car is worth.
Should I take the cash rebate or the low-APR financing offer?
Run both scenarios in the calculator: the rebate lowers the amount financed, while the promotional APR lowers the rate. The rebate often wins for shorter loans or when you can invest the difference; the low APR wins on long loans when the rebate is small. The break-even is easy to see by comparing total cost lines.
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