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Amid the current cost of living crisis and following the numerous Reserve Bank rate hikes over the past year, many Australians have been experiencing significant financial strain and uncertainty. As a result, consumer spending has seen a considerable drop across different industries.
For the automotive industry, the impacts have been mixed. According to lending data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, car purchases were up 13% in September 2023. Based on the latest figures, however, we saw a 4.9% drop in new loans for vehicle purchases in December 2023.
And yet, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries reported a significant uptick in car sales for the year, up 12% in December compared to the same time a year prior. Passenger and SUV vehicles made up a large chunk of those sales, and this indicates that Aussie drivers are keen to make car purchases in the current market despite some of the more general economic headwinds.
There are two potential reasons car buyers might be more active in 2024: one is that car loans, and their associated interest rates are minimally impacted by immediate cash rate movements, and so the recent rate hiking cycle should feel like it’s in the rearview mirror.
Indeed, there are competitive car loan rates to be found for both new and used cars for those willing to shop around. Meanwhile, the supply and wait times for both new and used vehicles have improved in some locations lately which seems to have helped to stabilise costs a little more.
Additionally, the RBA now seems intent on holding interest rates, or might even cut them, this year or in 2025. Generally speaking, this should help household budgets a little more and see more car buyers thinking about upgrading their vehicles, often with the help of a good car loan.
Finally, fixed-rate car loans remain competitive compared to variable-rate options, so if you like the idea of fixed monthly repayments, it's worth considering locking in your rate. There are still a number of fixed rate options below 6.00% p.a (over a 3-year term), for example. Green car loans similarly have competitive rates as of February 1.
These are currently the lowest car loan rates in the Mozo database at the time of writing:
To find out how interest rates are tracking in other banking products for August, check out our snapshots for Home Loan Interest Rates, Personal Loan Interest Rates, Savings Accounts Interest Rates or Term Deposit Interest Rates.
Fixed, Secured, No vehicle age limit
Get a competitive fixed interest rate on a secured used car loan of up to $75,000 depending on your credit score. No vehicle age limits. Easy online application. Fast pre-approval. Pre-approved funds held for up to 3 months. No monthly account keeping fees, no exit fees and no early repayment fees. Flexible weekly, fortnightly or monthly repayments on terms from 1 to 7 years.
Repayment terms from 1 year to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.57% would cost $35,528.12 including fees.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the OurMoneyMarket Used Car Loan
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Home Owner Discount, Including Demo, Variable, Secured
Low variable car loan rate for purchasing new and demo vehicles from dealers. Personalised loan amounts between $5,000 and $150,000. Flexible repayment options. Choose between the 3 to 7 year loan terms. Good credit history. Stable employment history and Australian citizenship or PR required.
Repayment terms from 3 years to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.24% would cost $35,880.27 including fees.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the loans.com.au New Car Loan - Special
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Fixed, Secured
Get a competitive fixed interest rate on a secured new car loan of up to $75,000 depending on your credit score. Easy online application. Fast pre-approval. Pre-approved funds held for up to 3 months. No monthly account keeping fees, no exit fees and no early repayment fees. Flexible weekly, fortnightly or monthly repayments on terms from 1 to 7 years.
Repayment terms from 1 year to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.57% would cost $35,528.12 including fees.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the OurMoneyMarket New Car Loan
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Up to 5 years old, Variable, Secured
Used Car Loan with no monthly or ongoing fees, with a fixed rate for the life of the loan. Fast online application. Good credit history. Stable employment history and Australian citizenship or PR required.
Repayment terms from 3 years to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 7.74% would cost $37,153.94 including fees.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the loans.com.au Used Car Loan
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Home Owner Discount, Including Demo, Fixed, Secured
Eligible for homeowners only. Low fixed car loan rate for purchasing new and demo vehicles from dealers. Early payout options available. Winner of Mozo's Experts Choice Car Loan 2021 award^. Good credit history. Stable employment history and Australian citizenship or PR required.
Repayment terms from 3 years to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 7.09% would cost $36,598.64 including fees.
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the loans.com.au New Car Loan - Special
Your selected car loans
^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Car loans Awards
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While we pride ourselves on covering a wide range of products, we don't cover every product in the market. If you decide to apply for a product through our website, you will be dealing directly with the provider of that product and not with Mozo.
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See more car loan providersCar loan interest rates are set by the lender, but they are based on the official cash rate set by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).
Each month, on the first Tuesday (except January), the RBA meets and announces whether they have increased, decreased or kept the official cash rate steady. Changes to the rate may be a result of things like inflation, employment stats, economic growth and spending. Simply put, higher rates slow borrowing, economic activity and inflation, while lower rates encourage them.
Australia's lenders generally make changes to their loan products after an RBA announcement.
Like other loan products, car loans come with either a fixed or variable interest rate. Ultimately, the type of interest rate you choose can impact what you pay each repayment period. There are pros and cons to each option, so here's a breakdown of how they work.
A fixed rate car loan is where you receive the same interest rate over the entire life of the loan term. Essentially, if you stick to your regular repayments, you will pay exactly the same amount to your lender each payment cycle. Plus, if interest rates spike during your loan period, your loan won't be affected as you've locked in your lower rate.
The downfall of fixed interest rates is that you won't benefit from any market changes if rates are reduced. Some lenders also charge early repayment penalties on fixed rate car loans - meaning if you pay off your entire loan in full before your loan term is up, you could face a hefty fee.
The other option is a variable rate car loan. Unlike a fixed car loan, a variable interest rate can go up or down during your loan term, typically in line with benchmark interest rates set by the Reserve Bank Of Australia. On the one hand this could work in your favour, but on the flip side, it could end up costing you more if the rate goes up.
There is one solid benefit of a variable rate car loan though, you rarely will pay an early repayment penalty if you square things away ahead of time. So if you plan to throw a little extra cash towards your car loan, and don't mind the risk of a rate spike, a variable loan may be the option for you.
The truth is the interest rate on your car loan is unlikely to be the only cost you face. There may be a range of other additional fees and charges that you need to factor in. This is where the comparison rate comes in.
According to the National Credit Code, Australian lenders must display comparison rates when advertising loan products. The comparison rate incorporates things like the interest rate, fees and charges, so that you, the customer, has a more rounded view of what the loan is going to cost. Make sure you check the comparison rate on a car loan before applying, it may be a lot higher than the headline rate.
If you'd like to compare the difference between a fixed or variable interest rate car loan, check out our car loan comparison calculator.
Your car loan repayments and how much you pay in interest depends on a few things, like the rate you receive, how often you make repayments and the length of your loan term. In short, your repayments are split between paying down your principal (what you borrowed) and paying back interest (what the bank charges).
When you first take out the loan, a larger portion of your repayment will go towards paying interest. As the principal on your loan lessens so does the amount of interest you pay on it. This means towards the end of your loan term, the majority of your repayment will go towards your principal rather than interest.
If you want to figure out how much your car loan might cost you each week, fortnight or month, crunch the numbers with our car loan repayments calculator.
When it comes to the best car loan interest rate, there are plenty of options for you to choose from as most banks and lenders in Australia will have a car loan option. So, it's a good idea to do some research, shop around and find the right rate for your budget.
Here are Mozo we have a range of great tools that can help you find a car loan to suit you:
Don't forget there's also a bunch of general interest rate guides, with all you need to know about how they work across all loan products.
A car loan comparison rate is designed to give consumers a more accurate idea of how much the loan will cost. Not only does it consider the headline rate, but it also takes into consideration any upfront and ongoing charges you may face over the life of the loan. So remember, when comparing car loan interest rates, always refer to the comparison rate when weighing up your loan options.
There is no right or wrong when it comes to choosing either a fixed or variable interest rate car loan, it all depends on your financial situation. See above for breakdown of fixed versus variable rates.
Along with a competitive interest rate, you'll want to find a loan that also comes with flexible repayment features and options. Some of these include free extra repayments, redraws, repayment schedule options (weekly, fortnightly or monthly) and a range of loan terms.
Also remember to keep the fees to a minimum. Avoid forking out too much on charges like application fees, monthly service fees, exit fees or early repayment penalties.
Risk-based pricing refers to a tiered interest rate system, whereby a car loan lender offers a customer a particular rate based on their credit score. Ultimately, interest rates are calculated depending on how much risk a potential borrower poses to the lender (whether they are likely to default on their loan or not).
Rather than offering a "one size fits all" standard rate, risk-based car loan lenders advertise a minimum and maximum interest rate. Based on the customer's data, the lender can offer a rate that sits anywhere between those two numbers. For those with a good credit history (that are "low-risk") will be offered a lower rate, while those with a poor credit rating ("high-risk") receive higher rates.
In some cases, risk-based pricing can be determined by the loan term a customer selects. For example, those choosing a 2-year term may get a lower rate than those that choose a 5-year term. However, this mode of pricing is much less common than that based on credit history.
While car loan lenders may not promote the fact, it is possible to negotiate your car loan rate. Remember, the deal you are offered upfront from a lender may not be the best they can do. So, why not ask?
At the end of the day some lenders would rather take a small decrease in interest payments over losing you as a customer all together.
When taking out a car loan, you ultimately want to pay as little in interest as you can. So, here are some ways to avoid forking out too much in interest:
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