Subprime auto delinquencies climb to record high

The 60-plus-day delinquency rate on U.S. subprime auto loans has reportedly risen to about 5.2%, the highest level on record and more than double its level four years ago.
Serious delinquency rates are now roughly 1.7 percentage points above their 2008 financial-crisis peak. Prime auto delinquencies have also increased to around 0.4%, near their highest level since 2011.
At the same time, total U.S. auto debt rose by $28 billion in the second quarter of 2026 to a record $1.71 trillion.
The combination of record debt balances and worsening repayment performance points to increasing pressure on lower-income consumers and could become a broader warning signal for household credit conditions.