CU Xpress Lease Sets Record As Booked Leases Jump 115% Year-Over-Year
By CU Today Staff —
BEDFORD, Texas—Fusion Auto Finance said its CU Xpress Lease program posted the strongest month in its history in April, with booked leases surging 115% year-over-year as more consumers and credit unions turn to leasing amid higher vehicle prices and rising negative equity levels.
The company reported that booked leases through the program increased 68% during the first four months of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, a trend it attributed to growing demand for flexible vehicle financing options in a challenging automotive market.
“This record-setting growth reflects both the strength of our credit union partnerships and the increasing value leasing provides in today’s environment,” Robert O’Hara, director of credit union relations at GrooveCar, the sales and marketing division of Fusion Auto Finance, said in a statement.
O’Hara noted consumers continue to face higher vehicle costs, elevated interest rates and growing negative equity challenges.
Fusion Auto Finance said the CU Xpress Lease portfolio continues to demonstrate strong credit quality, reporting an average credit score of 782, an average loan-to-value ratio of 97%, an average lease amount of $43,362 and an average lease term of 38 months. The company said disciplined underwriting standards have helped support sustainable growth while allowing participating credit unions to remain competitive in auto lending.
According to Fusion Auto Finance, nearly one-third of vehicle trade-ins now carry negative equity balances that often exceed $7,000, making leasing an attractive alternative to longer-term financing. The company said its CU Xpress Lease program is designed to help credit unions expand indirect lending and strengthen member relationships through a full-service leasing platform that includes residual-value protection.
Fusion Auto Finance said the program is the only credit union auto leasing platform that guarantees 100% of a vehicle’s residual value at lease-end.
Originally reported by CU Today.