Credit score tiers and what APR to expect
What rate you can realistically get based on your credit band — and why the 'as low as 4.49%' marketing is almost never the rate you'll see.
The tiers, roughly
Excellent (740+): 4.49–6.49% APR. Good (670–739): 6.49–9.49%. Fair (580–669): 9.49–14.99%. Poor (<580): 14.99%+, if you can refinance at all. These are 2025 ranges and they move with the Fed's benchmark rate.
Why marketing rates lie
Every lender advertises the lowest tier. To get it, you typically need 740+ credit, a vehicle under 4 years old, under 60k miles, and a balance between $15k and $40k. If any of those don't match, your rate goes up — sometimes by 3–5 percentage points.
The honest move
Find your actual tier first using a free credit score app. Then look at the realistic range, not the headline rate. If your current loan is more than 2 percentage points above your tier's high end, refinancing is probably worth a look.
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