What is the difference between fixed- and variable-rate auto financing?

With a fixed rate, you can see your payment for each month and the total you will pay over the life of a loan. You might prefer fixed rates if you are looking for a loan payment that won’t change.

With a variable-rate loan, the interest rate on the loan changes as the index rate changes, meaning that it could go up or down. Because your interest rate can go up, your monthly payment can also go up. The longer the term of the loan, the more risky a variable rate loan can be for a borrower, because there is more time for rates to increase.