Auto Loans
Truist auto loans: secured car loans, LightStream loans and which one fits
Truist Bank offers two kinds of car loans, a secured loan backed by the car and an unsecured LightStream loan, for US drivers buying or refinancing a vehicle.
Which one you can get depends on where you live: Truist says the secured loan is available at eligible dealerships nationwide and in branches in 17 states and Washington, D.C., while LightStream is available nationwide and applied for online.
When we checked Truist's pages on September 30, 2026, the secured loan was listed at fixed rates from 5.65% to 14.27% APR, for $3,500 to $400,000 and terms up to 84 months. LightStream loans for dealer purchases were listed at 9.99% to 17.74% APR with AutoPay. Truist says excellent credit is required for the lowest rates.
This is an independent guide. We are not a lender, we do not take applications, and this is not financial advice: Truist decides whether you are approved and what rate you get. Use it to decide which Truist option, if either, is worth comparing with other offers.
At a glance
- Lender
- Truist Bank, Member FDIC; LightStream is a Truist lending product
- Secured loan APR
- Fixed 5.65% to 14.27% (checked September 30, 2026)
- LightStream APR with AutoPay
- 9.99% to 17.74% for dealer purchases; 10.24% to 17.99% for private-party purchases and refinancing (checked September 30, 2026)
- Loan amounts
- Secured: $3,500 to $400,000. LightStream: $5,000 to $100,000
- How to apply
- Secured: in person, or by phone if you have a Truist account. LightStream: online
What you'll learn
- How Truist's secured car loan differs from its LightStream unsecured loan
- Where each loan is available and how you apply
- What rates, loan amounts, vehicle limits and fees Truist publishes
- What to compare before you accept a bank or dealer offer
Who it suits
- Borrowers near a Truist branch in the listed states, or buying at an eligible dealership, who want the lower published rate range of a loan secured by the car
- Truist customers who would rather apply by phone or with a banker
- Borrowers with good-to-excellent credit who want an unsecured LightStream loan with no limits on the car's age or mileage
- Buyers of a used car from a private seller
Check before you decide
- Secured loans for used, private-party and refinanced cars are limited to vehicles up to 20 prior model years and 120,000 miles.
- Truist branches offering the secured loan are only in AL, AR, DC, FL, GA, IN, KY, MD, MS, NJ, NC, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA and WV.
- Excellent credit is needed for the lowest rates, and Truist says less than a majority of applicants qualified for the lowest secured rate.
- LightStream requires good-to-excellent credit, and a high FICO score does not guarantee approval.
Opens the full guide on this site, with more detail and the sources we used.
Based on 7 sources. How we research our guides