At a glance
- Availability
- Affordability
- Customer experience
- Transparency
About Navy Federal
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Loan amount
$250 and up
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Min. credit score
Not specified
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APR from
4.54%-18%
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Funds available in
As soon as the same business day following approval
Navy Federal auto loans: 2023 review
Published 2023-01-01 00:00:00
Navy Federal pros and cons
Consider these benefits and drawbacks of a loan with Navy Federal before submitting an application.
PROS
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Variety of term lengths
Low APR
Car buying service
CONS
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Membership required
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Restrictions for older used vehicles
Navy Federal has been serving military members and their families since 1933 after opening as a credit union for naval employees. It now offers checking accounts, savings accounts, loans, credit cards and more to 11 million members. If you qualify, Navy Federal offers competitive rates and high maximum financing amounts for new car loans, used car loans and auto loan refinancing.Do you qualify?
Navy Federal does not specify any credit or income requirements. However, you will need to become a member of Navy Federal. You may qualify if you’re in one of the following categories:
- Active-duty member of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard or Space Force.
- Delayed Entry Program.
- DOD Officer Candidate/ROTC.
- DOD Reservist.
- Veteran, retiree or annuitant.
- Parent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, child, grandchild or household member of one of the above categories.
- DOD civilian employee.
- U.S. government employee assigned to a DOD installation.
- DOD contractor assigned to a U.S. government installation.
- DOD civilian retiree or annuitant.
You must also open and maintain a savings account with Navy Federal with a $5 minimum balance.What we like and what we don’t like
Navy Federal gives you the freedom to select an auto loan with terms that work for you. However, there are limitations to who can apply for financing and restrictions on the vehicles that can be purchased.What we like
- Variety of term lengths: Navy Federal offers repayment terms from less than 36 months up to 96 months. This wide range means that you can choose a payment option that fits your budget and needs, with a maximum that’s much higher than that of competitors.
- Low APR: If you are looking to purchase a new vehicle or refinance your current auto loan, you may qualify for an APR as low as 4.54 percent. This is significantly lower than the minimum APR of many other lenders.
- Car buying service: Through TrueCar, Navy Federal’s car buying service lets you compare MSRPs, receive price offers on local inventory and even have your car delivered to you — no haggling required.
What we don’t like
- Membership required: Auto loans are available only to those who qualify for Navy Federal membership: active duty service members, immediate family members, veterans and Department of Defense employees. To become a member of Navy Federal, you must also maintain a Navy Federal savings account with at least a $5 balance.
- Restrictions for older used vehicles: While used vehicles with 2020, 2021 and 2022 model years qualify for rates as low as 4.54 percent, any car older than that or any car with over 30,000 miles has starting rates of 5.44 percent.
How to contact Navy Federal
Navy Federal has a few different customer service options for its members. Member representatives are available 24/7 over the phone at 888-842-6328, or you can get questions answered through a live chat feature on the website. If you prefer in-person communication, Navy Federal has 350 branches worldwide where you can talk face-to-face with a customer support agent.Auto loan types offered
Navy Federal offers financing for new and used vehicles, along with auto loan refinancing. A company spokesperson stated there is no maximum amount on auto loans.New and used auto loans
Navy Federal’s new and used auto loans come with competitive rates and flexible repayment terms. You can purchase the car of your dreams with ease and finance up to 125 percent of the vehicle’s value. That way, you won’t have to pay tax, tag, title and registration fees out of pocket. Terms of 85 to 96 months carry a minimum loan amount of $30,000.
Refinance auto loans
You can refinance with Navy Federal, which may save you money on your auto loan if you qualify for a lower interest rate than you currently have. Some borrowers also refinance to extend the loan term to get a more affordable monthly payment or shorten the loan term to pay the balance off sooner.
How to apply for a loan with Navy Federal
You can apply for an auto loan with Navy Federal online, via the Navy Federal app, over the phone or at a branch. In most cases, you should receive a decision within a few minutes of submitting your application.
If you’ve already decided on a vehicle or if you’re refinancing, you’ll also need to supply the vehicle identification number, the registration state, the exact mileage and the dealer name.
Navy Federal FAQs
How Bankrate rates Navy Federal
Overall score 4.3 Availability 4.7 Navy Federal auto loans are available for a wide range of amounts and don't require borrowers use a specific dealership. Affordability 3.4 While Navy Federal has a low minimum APR, it also relies on traditional underwriting and doesn't offer an autopay discount. Customer experience 5.0 Support is available 24/7 and there are several ways to make payments, including a recurring option. Transparency 4.0 Rates, fees and terms are available online. While pre-approval is available, you will need to be a member first. Methodology
Bankrate considers 18 data points when selecting top auto loans. Acceptance criteria, whether rates and fees are available and APR range all influence lender scores. These scores are broken up into four categories.
- Availability: Loan amounts, repayment options, dealership requirements and state availability all contribute to this category.
- Affordability: This section houses APR ranges, acceptance criteria, fees and discounts.
- Customer experience: How long you have to shop, customer service availability, whether there’s an app and autopay availability are accounted for in this section.
- Transparency: This category accounts for the availability of fees and rates along with whether prequalification is available.
Editorial disclosure: All reviews are prepared by Bankrate.com staff. Opinions expressed therein are solely those of the reviewer and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including rates and fees, presented in the review is accurate as of the date of the review. Check the data at the top of this page and the lender’s website for the most current information.