How much should I put down on a car in Canada?

A larger down payment reduces the amount you need to finance and can lower your monthly payment and total interest. 10% to 20% is generally recommended for Canadian car buyers in 2026.

What does a car down payment calculator calculate?

It estimates the upfront down payment, trade-in contribution, applicable provincial sales tax (HST/GST/PST), amount financed, estimated loan payment, total interest and total vehicle cost based on the values you enter.

Does a trade-in count toward my down payment?

Yes. Any positive equity from your trade-in vehicle acts as credit toward your purchase, lowering the cash down payment required and the loan principal.

Are provincial sales taxes included in the calculation?

Yes. The calculator uses current provincial sales tax rates across Alberta (5%), Ontario (13% HST), British Columbia (12% PST+GST), Quebec (14.975% QST+GST) and other provinces.

Down Payment Planning

Car Down Payment Calculator Canada

Estimate the down payment you may need for a car in Canada. Adjust the vehicle price, down payment percentage, trade-in value, province, loan rate and term to see how your upfront payment and financing costs change.

Recommended 10–20% down • Province-wise sales tax • Trade-in value deduction

Smart Down Payment

Reduce monthly payments and total interest

Down Payment Inputs

Currency:

Vehicle Price (MSRP)

Down Payment % ·

0%50%

Custom Down Payment Amount

Enter an exact amount if you prefer to use a dollar value instead of the percentage.

Trade-In Value

Province / Tax Region

Sales Tax ():

Interest Rate (% p.a.)%

0%20%

Loan Term

years

1 yr8 yrs

Payment Frequency

Financing Summary

Recommended Down Payment

% of vehicle price

Vehicle Price

Down Payment

Trade-In Value

Sales Tax

Amount Financed

Estimated Payment

Loan Interest

Total Vehicle Cost

Vehicle Cost Breakdown

Down Payment vs Tax vs Interest

Live Split

Down Payment

Loan Principal

Loan Interest

Down Payment + Loan Principal + Loan Interest =

Payment Scoreboard

Payment Growth Curve

Cumulative outlay over years

Trend Projection

Total Paid

Net Capitalized Cost

Selected Year

Total = Principal + Interest

Total Paid

Principal Paid

Interest Paid

+ =

About Our Car Down Payment Calculator

This car down payment calculator helps you estimate how much to put down on a vehicle in Canada and how that upfront payment affects the amount financed, estimated car payment, sales tax, loan interest and total vehicle cost.

You can adjust the vehicle price, down payment percentage or exact amount, trade-in value, province, APR, loan term and payment frequency. The calculator shows how a larger or smaller down payment changes your financing needs.