The expert spoke about the new rules of car loans

Car loans in Russia have become less affordable: from July 1, 2025, new restrictions of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (CBR) came into force, aimed at reducing risks in the financial system and combating excessive creditworthiness of the population. Now, when issuing car loans, banks and microfinance organizations are required to take into account the borrower's marginal debt burden (PD). Magomed Gamzaev, Director of Financial Product Development at Compare, told Izvestia on July 31.

According to the new rules, if the client's personal income is in the range of 50 to 80%, the bank has the right to issue a loan, but the share of such loans should not exceed 20% of the total portfolio of car loans. If the personal income tax is above 80%, the limit is much stricter — only 5% of all loans issued. Thus, even with a stable income, it will become more difficult to get a car loan, especially if you already have other debt obligations.

"The new rules do not exclude the possibility of obtaining a car loan, but they make the process more conscious. Borrowers with a low debt burden will be able to apply for a loan without any problems. However, those who already spend a significant portion of their income on paying off other loans should be prepared to refuse. The restrictions are aimed at preventing situations when a client takes out a loan at the last moment and then cannot cope with such a financial obligation," Gamzaev said.

The Bank of Russia also plans to introduce a "cooling—off period" - within a few days after signing the agreement, the borrower will be able to cancel the loan or the additional services imposed. This is a step towards strengthening consumer protection, especially in the context of a high key interest rate, which already limits demand for car loans.

Not everyone will survive: every tenth car dealer may leave the market by the end of the year.

Low sales and internal competition reduce profitability

Against the background of new restrictions, there is a growing interest in government car loan programs such as "First Car" and "Family Car". According to Gamzaev, such models currently account for the largest number of applications. Among the most in demand are domestic Lada (Granta, Vesta, Niva), UAZ, GAZ, Moskvich, as well as localized versions of Haval and Evolute, costing up to 2 million rubles, which often fall under state support.

"As the domestic car industry develops and the model range expands, demand may change, but in the near future, the bulk of car loans will fall on Russian and "Russified" brands. The new measures of the Bank of Russia contribute to the stabilization of the market, but borrowers now need to more carefully assess their credit burden and predict their chances of approval in advance," the expert concluded.

Analysts on July 22 said that you can get a preferential car loan for a car in Russia with an income of 79 thousand rubles, and for an electric car — from 267 thousand rubles. The monthly payment for a preferential car loan, depending on the region, will average 44 thousand rubles for a car with a conventional internal combustion engine and 196 thousand rubles for an electric car.

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