Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

30.5% of Car Buyers Face Rising Negative Equity Crisis

3/30/2026

22 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

An estimated 30.5% of car buyers trading in vehicles face negative equity.
The figure rose 4.2 percentage points from last year.
The average negative equity is $7,214.
Monthly payments for those rolling debt into new loans average $916.
In Kenya, where the second-hand vehicle market dominates, experts warn that normalizing negative equity could trap consumers in a cycle of debt, hindering economic growth and mobility.

1 of 1

Story summary

An estimated 30.5% of car buyers trading in vehicles face negative equity.
The figure rose 4.2 percentage points from last year.
The average negative equity is $7,214.
Monthly payments for those rolling debt into new loans average $916.
In Kenya, where the second-hand vehicle market dominates, experts warn that normalizing negative equity could trap consumers in a cycle of debt, hindering economic growth and mobility.