Key Takeaways

• FICO® Auto Score 9 is an industry-specific FICO model designed for auto lending and uses a 250–900 score range.
• Like FICO Score 9, the model gives different treatment to certain collection accounts, including paid collections and medical collections.
• Reported rental payment history can be considered by FICO Score 9, which may provide additional information for some consumers with limited traditional credit history.
• The impact of these changes depends on what's actually appearing on the consumer's credit report and which scoring model the lender uses.
• Auto lenders may use different FICO Auto Score versions or other scoring models, so the same customer can receive different scores from different funding sources.

What Is FICO Auto Score 9?

FICO Auto Score 9 is an industry-specific FICO model designed to help auto lenders evaluate the risk of an auto loan. Like other FICO Auto Scores, it uses a 250–900 scale and is designed around the credit factors relevant to auto lending.

Auto Score 9 incorporates changes introduced with the broader FICO Score 9 family, including different treatment of certain collection accounts, medical debt, and reported rental payments. These differences can produce a different result from FICO Auto Score 8 even when both models are based on the same underlying credit file.

The Three Changes

Three major changes separate FICO Score 9 (and subsequently, FICO Auto Score 9) from other FICO scoring models: 

1. Paid collections stop counting. Under FICO Score 9, paid third-party collection accounts are disregarded by the scoring model. The account may still appear on the credit report, but it is not considered in the score.
2. Medical collections carry less weight. FICO Score 9 treats medical collections differently from other types of collection accounts and gives them less influence on the score. The actual impact depends on the information present on the consumer's file.
3. Rent can count. FICO Score 9 can consider reported rental payment history when that information is furnished to the credit bureaus. This may provide additional information for consumers with limited traditional credit history, but rental payment reporting is not universal.

Where These Changes Can Matter

The changes in Auto Score 9 can be more noticeable for consumers whose credit reports contain collection accounts, medical debt, or limited traditional credit history.

Consider a customer with a solid auto payment history, moderate credit utilization, and two paid medical collections. Because Auto Score 9 treats paid collections and medical collections differently from earlier models, the customer may receive a different score than they would under Auto Score 8.

That difference does not automatically mean the customer will qualify for better financing. The impact depends on the customer's complete credit file and the scoring model and underwriting criteria used by the lender. A lender may also consider other factors beyond the credit score when making its decision.

For F&I teams, the important point is that the same customer can look different to different funding sources depending on the scoring model they use.

FICO Auto Score 8 vs. FICO Auto Score 9

Both models are designed for auto lending, but they differ in how certain types of credit information are treated, which can produce different scores from the same credit file. 

For a customer with a clean file, the two versions will usually land close together. The gap opens on damaged files, which is where auto lending spends much of its time.

Why Different Auto Scores Are Still in Use

Auto lenders do not all use the same scoring model. Changing a scoring model requires more than simply switching a setting. Lenders need to evaluate how the new model performs within their own portfolios, update underwriting systems and policies, and determine whether existing approval and pricing criteria still work as intended.

As a result, dealerships may encounter different scoring models across their funding sources. One lender may use an Auto Score 8 model while another uses a newer version or a different scoring model entirely.

What This Means at the Desk

For a dealership submitting to multiple funding sources, differences between scoring models can have practical consequences. The same customer may receive different scores depending on which lender's model is used.

Two practices can help F&I teams manage that variability:

• Know your lenders' models. Ask your funding sources which scoring model they use so your team knows which score is relevant when evaluating a deal.
• Review the file before submitting. Where there is a permissible purpose to obtain the report, a full-file soft pull can give the F&I team information about the customer's credit history before the application is submitted to a lender. Soft Pull Solutions can also return scoring information based on the models available through the selected report.

Regardless of the scoring model, credit pulls remain subject to applicable Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requirements, including permissible purpose. If credit information contributes to a decline or less favorable terms, applicable adverse action requirements also need to be addressed.

Know which program fits before you submit the deal. Soft Pull Solutions delivers full file soft pull credit reports with tri-bureau data, no SSN required, and no impact on the customer's credit. Schedule a demo or call (844) 515-1550.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between FICO Auto Score 8 and 9?
Both are industry-specific FICO models designed for auto lending, but Auto Score 9 incorporates changes from the FICO Score 9 family, including different treatment of certain collection accounts, medical debt, and reported rental history.

Does FICO Auto Score 9 ignore paid collections?
FICO Score 9 disregards paid third-party collection accounts when calculating the score. The account may still appear on the credit report.

Can rental payments affect FICO Auto Score 9?
Reported rental payment history can be considered by FICO Score 9 when the information is furnished to the credit bureaus. Not all rental payments are reported.

Will a customer's Auto Score 9 be higher than their Auto Score 8?
Not necessarily. The models treat some credit information differently, but the effect depends on the customer's individual credit file.

Do all auto lenders use FICO Auto Score 9?
No. Auto lenders may use different FICO Auto Score versions or other scoring models. The model used depends on the lender and its underwriting system.

Can a dealership review credit information before submitting to a lender?
Where the dealership has a permissible purpose to obtain the report, a soft pull can allow the F&I team to review credit information before submitting an application to a lender. This can help the team determine which financing options may be appropriate before sending the deal to multiple funding sources.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney regarding your specific compliance obligations.