Part of this is economics as we’re seeing unfold everywhere. But the 6 or 7-year loan term thing has been creeping towards normalcy for a long time now.

The end-game is rent-seeking behavior: squeeze people until they’re always paying you. It’s luxury cars that are trash after 7 years for spendy types (sooner if they discontinue remote enabled features), and forever paying a loan/lease for the rest of us.

Meanwhile, the used “dumb”-car market is looking mighty tasty right now.