UP leads used-car credit growth as formal lending expands 26.2% nationally

CRIF High Mark data shows Uttar Pradesh’s used-car loan portfolio grew at a 32.6% CAGR through June 2026, ahead of Karnataka and Telangana. Borrowers expanded 2.4x nationally, while rising multi-loan use and early delinquencies flag underwriting risk.

— Source published Thu, 20 Aug, 2026, 13:54 IST · First seen Thu, 20 Aug, 2026, 14:19 IST · Source Business Today · Latest

What happened

Crif High Mark · CRIF High Mark reports rapid formal used-car credit growth led by Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana. Used-car finance grew faster than

Key facts

  • Uttar Pradesh used-car loan portfolio CAGR: 32.6% over five years through June 2026
  • Karnataka CAGR: 31%
  • Telangana CAGR: 29.7%
  • National used-car finance portfolio CAGR: 26.2% between June 2021 and June 2026
  • Used-car borrower base increased 2.4 times
  • 75% of used-car loan originations were from new-to-product borrowers
  • National PAR 31–90 delinquency: 3.1%
  • Uttar Pradesh PAR 91–180 delinquency: 1.3%
  • Karnataka and Telangana PAR 91–180 delinquency: 1%
  • Multi-loan used-car borrowers rose to 6.7% from 4.8%

Why this matters

Target partnerships or acquisitions among UP-focused used-car marketplaces, dealers and fintech lenders that can combine rapid borrower acquisition with stronger risk-scoring capabilities.

What to watch

  • 30+ and 90+ DPD trends for used-car loans, particularly first six months after origination.
  • Share of borrowers with two or more active retail loans and changes in credit-bureau inquiry velocity.
  • Approval rates, average loan-to-value ratios, vehicle-age limits, and pricing spreads at banks versus NBFCs.
  • Used-car price depreciation and auction recovery rates in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana.
  • RBI consumer-credit guidance, NBFC liquidity conditions, and lender funding-cost movements.
  • Formal used-car loan disbursement growth relative to dealer sales and overall used-vehicle registrations.
  • Prioritize UP dealer, DSA, and digital-acquisition partnerships, especially in high-growth tier-2 and tier-3 markets.
  • Segment underwriting by borrower leverage, vehicle age, dealer quality, and local resale liquidity rather than using state-level growth alone.
  • Tighten verification and collections outreach for customers with multiple active loans; monitor first-payment-default and 30+ DPD cohorts weekly.
  • Increase down-payment, warranty, insurance, and service-bundle offers to protect margins if lenders tighten loan-to-value limits.
  • Build repossession, remarketing, and residual-value capabilities before delinquency stress becomes systemic.