Mazda Financing: What To Know Before You Buy

When you hear about Mazda, the first model to come to mind may be the MX-5 Miata. However, Mazda has more to offer than the Miata. The Japanese automaker offers a range of crossover SUVs, sedans, hatchbacks and sports cars, some of which are available as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).

While a few Mazdas would count as affordable new cars, you’ll still likely need a loan to make the dream of owning a Mazda a reality.

You can review the financing options from Mazda Financial Services for new and used Mazdas here, using our exclusive financing study. Use this data to compare a dealership’s loan offer with loan offers from banks, credit unions and online lenders.

How do your Mazda payments compare to the average?

Use our auto loan calculator to determine how much car you can afford.

If you’re in car-shopping mode, you may have already applied for a loan and received a prequalification or preapproval, which shows how much you may be eligible to borrow for your car loan and the estimated car payment.

The tables below will help you compare your quoted car payment to the average payment for borrowers in a similar credit band.

You can use this information to see how Mazda financing rates compare to offers from other financing sources. You can also see how much difference a higher credit score can make in your monthly payment.

To make full use of the tables, you’ll need to know your credit score. Then, find the Mazda model and band you most closely match and compare the payment quotes.

The top table estimates the average monthly payment based on the starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for popular 2024 Mazda models across four credit bands. The bottom table displays the same scenarios for used Mazdas from the 2018 model year. Vehicles shown may be priced higher due to accessories and dealer add-ons.

The tables consider average auto down payments, but not additional costs for dealer fees, taxes, tag and title fees, extended service contracts and other expenses that may pop up. Often, these fees can be rolled into the loan rather than paid up front.

Your actual monthly payment will depend on several factors, such as credit score, final MSRP and any add-ons.

In some of these tables, you’ll find that the highest-credit borrowers have the highest monthly payments. That’s because these borrowers chose a shorter loan term, per Experian. A shorter loan term means a higher monthly payment but lower overall interest.

Learn more about how we calculated average monthly Mazda payments.

Estimated average monthly payments for new Mazdas

Estimated average monthly payments for used Mazdas

Mazda finance options

Shopping for the right car loan is an important part of picking out your new Mazda, but it’s not nearly as much fun. Researching the auto financing options before signing the deal can make your experience more enjoyable.

 Mazda Financial Services

Best if…

You’re purchasing a new or used Mazda to take advantage of a special offer or you want a new car warranty.

As the manufacturer’s captive finance company, Mazda Financial Services may offer the best financing for a new or used Mazda.

By using the manufacturer’s captive finance company, you’ll get access to Mazda-specific deals or special offers. The most attractive offer is usually 0.0% APR (annual percentage rate). Other deals include competitive interest rates or customer bonus cash. APRs from manufacturer financing tend to be competitive with other types of financing.

The disclosed special offer APRs vary based on region or ZIP codes, model, model year, sales events and other factors. Manufacturers use special offers to reduce inventory on slow-selling models or to clear out car lots for next year’s models. Special offers run for a limited time, so check Mazda’s website or your local dealer for current offers.

You can apply to Mazda Financial Services online or at a Mazda dealership. If you apply online, you can receive a preapproval certificate to take to the dealership. This will help speed up the buying process because the dealership will already have access to your information. A preapproval only requires a soft inquiry or pull of your credit history that won’t impact your credit score. A hard pull is required to finalize the loan.

Like most auto lenders, Mazda does not disclose its minimum credit requirements to buy a car. To take advantage of the best Mazda financing deals, you’ll likely need at least good or excellent credit.

In addition to special financing offers, you might find other benefits with Mazda Financial Services, including:

Cash bonuses

Eligible military members can receive a cash bonus of up to $500 for purchasing or leasing a new 2023, 2024 or 2025 Mazda vehicle. Current Mazda owners can get a loyalty reward of up to $1,000 for purchasing or leasing a new 2023, 2024 or 2025 Mazda vehicle.

Mobility program

Mazda may reimburse you up to $1,000 after installing adaptive driving aids or mobility assistance equipment on all new and unused 2023, 2024 or 2025 Mazda vehicles.

College graduate program

The College Graduate Finance Program offers competitive APRs and lease terms for new and certified pre-owned (CPO) Mazda vehicles, for those who meet the eligibility requirements.

Certified pre-owned vehicles

To qualify as a Mazda CPO vehicle, it must be newer than six years, have less than 80,000 miles and pass a 160-point inspection. Mazda CPO cars also come with a full AutoCheck vehicle history report, so buyers know exactly what they’re getting.

Once certified, Mazda CPO vehicles are covered by a 12-month/12,000-mile limited warranty, a 7-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty and a zero-deductible on covered repairs and parts. Additionally, 24-hour emergency roadside assistance is part of the CPO package.

As of this writing, Mazda Financial Services offers 3.9% APR on specific Mazda CPO vehicles.

 Bank and credit union auto loans

Best if…

Your bank offers an autopay APR discount or a car-buying service.

Banks and credit unions are good places for auto financing, especially if you already have an account at one and can take advantage of discounts for banking and borrowing. Dealerships may offer financing through banks and credit unions as well.

At PNC Bank, setting up autopay with a checking account could save 0.25% off your APR. Digital Federal Credit Union offers a 0.50% reduction for members with electronic payments set up. PenFed Credit Union offers a reduced APR if you use its car-buying service. Like other credit unions, you have to become a member of PenFed to use its services.

You can apply online for auto financing at many banks and credit unions. Credit union auto loans often have competitive APRs and may finance more than 100% of the value of the vehicle. Credit unions also offer other benefits to their members.

Like the captive finance companies, banks and credit unions rarely disclose the credit score you need to qualify for their financing. However, if you have a history of responsible banking, they may be willing to work with you to secure financing for the car you want.

 Online auto loans

Best if…

You’re shopping for the best rates from multiple loan offers.

Each lender has its own methods for determining creditworthiness and ultimately the APR for your auto loan. Comparing multiple offers can help you find the loan with the lowest APR for your credit history.

The good news is there’s usually a lender for every credit band. Buyers with good to excellent credit may consider a LightStream auto loan for rates that are generally low compared to other lenders. For those with bad credit, buying and financing a car through Carvana could be an option because there’s no minimum credit score required.

Compare up to five lenders on Lendingtree’s auto loan marketplace with just a few clicks. Don’t worry, checking multiple rates at one time won’t hurt your credit score. Check out what could qualify for today.

 In-house financing

Best if…

If you have no credit, bad credit or no other options.

In this context, in-house financing is also known as buy here, pay here financing. When you get an in-house loan, you’re getting it through the dealer and not a financial institution or another lender.

One sign these loans are not a good deal is they are easy to qualify for. The in-house loans typically have much higher APRs than other sources and loose eligibility requirements. The loans can be appealing if you have no other options and need to buy a car to go work, for example. But you could end up paying more than what the car is worth thanks to predatory APRs.

The buy here, pay here lots specialize in older models, so you may be at risk of having an upside-down car loan. Exhaust all your other options before resorting to in-house financing. If you can, take steps to improve your credit score or save up to buy a car with cash or a larger down payment.

How we calculated average monthly Mazda payments

To calculate average monthly Mazda payments, we found estimated starting MSRPs and the fair purchase price for some of Mazda’s most popular models.

Then, we subtracted an average down payment from each. According to Edmunds, the average down payment on a new vehicle was $6,682 in Q1 2024. For used vehicles, it was $4,133. The resulting figure represents the total amount our hypothetical borrowers financed.

From there, we used our auto loan calculator to figure out average monthly Mazda payments, using average APRs and loan terms as reported by Experian’s State of the Automotive Finance Market Q1 2024. You’ll find this data in the tables below. Please note that loan terms were rounded to the nearest whole number during our calculations.