 TITLE: U.S. Auto Debt Grows to Record High Despite Pandemic CONTENT: Car Buyers Skew Prime During Pandemic\n-------------------------------------\nOverall, consumers with credit ratings in the prime and super prime ranges led new borrowing, while those in the subprime and deep subprime groups saw declines in new auto originations. The following VantageScore ranges were used to establish score groups:\n*   **Deep subprime**: 300-500\n*   **Subprime**: 501-600\n*   **Nonprime**: 601-660\n*   **Prime**: 661-780\n*   **Super prime**: 781-850\nIn Q4 2020, 43% of total loan originations were attributed to prime consumers and 20% to the super prime borrower segment, an increase from 2019, according to data from Experian's Q4 2020 State of the Automotive Finance Market report. On the other end of the spectrum, subprime and deep subprime borrowers reduced their share of originations, dipping to 16% and 2%, respectively.\n\"Stimulus packages likely played a part in financing volumes, but with that said, subprime borrowers were probably some of the most impacted by COVID-19, and may not have been in the market for a vehicle,\" Zabritski says. \"Overall, we saw subprime originations decline at a faster pace in 2020 than previously.\" END