Amid rising interest rates and elevated auto prices, the share of new car buyers with a monthly payment of more than $1,000 jumped to a record high, according to Edmunds.
At the same time, the interest rate on new car loans reached 6.5%, up from 4.1% a year earlier, Edmunds data shows.
As the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates to combat persisting inflation, auto loan rates could tick even higher, although consumers with higher credit scores may be able to secure better loan terms.
Now, more consumers face monthly payments that they likely cannot afford, according to Ivan Drury, Edmunds' director of insights.
Car buyers are hit with "shock and awe" as high prices and rising rates cause monthly payments to balloon, he said.