The average term of a car loan in the Russian Federation has reached its highest level since the beginning of 2024

The average term of car loans for new and used cars in Russia has been growing for the 10th month in a row and has reached its highest level since the beginning of 2024. In February 2026, this figure was 5.98 years, the National Bureau of Credit Histories (NBKI) reported on March 30.

Compared to the same period in 2025, the average term of a car loan increased by 17.9% (in February 2025 — 5.07 years), and from the previous month — by 0.9% (in January 2026 - 5.93 years).

The highest terms of car loans among the regions of the Russian Federation in the last winter month were recorded in Krasnodar (6.52 years) and Stavropol (6.48 years) territories, in Tyumen (with Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District) (6.33 years) and Volgograd (6.29 years) regions, as well as in the Republic of Bashkortostan (6.29 years). It is noted that Moscow (5.37 years old), St. Petersburg (5.55 years old) and the Moscow Region (5.63 years old) demonstrated the lowest index out of the top 30.

The most serious dynamics of growth in the average term of car loans for the year was noted in the Chuvash Republic (+24.3%), St. Petersburg (+24.3%), Belgorod (+23.4%), Samara (+23.3%) and Nizhny Novgorod (+21.7%) regions, as well as in Moscow (+20.8%).

As explained by Alexey Volkov, NBKI's marketing director, the increase in car loan terms allows banks to control borrowers' debt burden (no higher than 50%) by reducing the monthly payment amount.

However, as he noted, banks' risk appetite and demand for car loans from citizens at the beginning of 2026 are at a low level due to increased recycling, high interest rates, a general increase in car prices, and a reduction in promotions and discounts from automakers and car dealers.

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In February 2026, the average amount of car loans issued was 1.52 million rubles, which is 27.3% more than in the same month last year (1.2 million rubles). As reported on March 24, this figure increased by 2.1% compared to January of this year (1.49 million rubles at the beginning of 2026). The largest average amount of car loans issued was recorded in Moscow (2.19 million rubles) and the Moscow Region (1.91 million rubles).

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