Carvana vs PenFed Credit Union:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Carvana had more branded searches than PenFed Credit Union among auto loan brands in the United States. Carvana had about 4.1 million branded searches, while PenFed Credit Union had 211,000. Carvana made up 28.6% of all auto loan brand searches we track, and PenFed Credit Union accounted for 1.5%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about auto loan brands, PenFed Credit Union appeared in four of the five answers and Carvana in none.
Who do people search for more?
Carvana, about 19 searches for every 1 for PenFed Credit Union
Who does AI mention more?
PenFed Credit Union, mentioned in 4 of 5 answers, Carvana in 0
Who does AI recommend more?
PenFed Credit Union, the only one of the two named
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Top auto loan brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, PenFed Credit Union was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Carvana did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Capital One4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- PenFed Credit Union4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Navy Federal Credit Union4 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
Bank of America2 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers
myAutoloan2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Carvana0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Discover0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
LightStream0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about auto loan brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which auto loan brand should I use in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best auto loan brands in the US?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best auto loan brand in the US for a used car?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“auto loan rates”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“car loan rates”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in United States on October 19, 2026.
Is Carvana or PenFed Credit Union more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Carvana and PenFed Credit Union by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight auto loan brands we track, month by month, from searches in United States.
Share of searches by month for Carvana, PenFed Credit Union. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Capital One | Carvana | Discover | PenFed Credit Union | LightStream | Navy Federal Credit Union | Bank of America | myAutoloan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 65.7% | 24.1% | 7.2% | 1.8% | 0.79% | 0.32% | 0.16% | <0.01% |
| Nov 2025 | 68.9% | 20.7% | 7.5% | 1.6% | 0.83% | 0.32% | 0.17% | <0.01% |
| Dec 2025 | 65.8% | 24.1% | 7.2% | 1.5% | 0.79% | 0.42% | 0.19% | <0.01% |
| Jan 2026 | 65.4% | 24% | 7.2% | 1.9% | 0.79% | 0.51% | 0.29% | <0.01% |
| Feb 2026 | 65.7% | 24.1% | 7.2% | 1.6% | 0.79% | 0.44% | 0.19% | <0.01% |
| Mar 2026 | 61.6% | 27.6% | 7.6% | 1.8% | 0.74% | 0.49% | 0.27% | <0.01% |
| Apr 2026 | 61.7% | 27.6% | 7.6% | 1.8% | 0.74% | 0.46% | 0.22% | <0.01% |
| May 2026 | 61.8% | 27.7% | 7.6% | 1.4% | 0.74% | 0.42% | 0.33% | <0.01% |
| Jun 2026 | 65.6% | 24.1% | 7.2% | 1.5% | 0.79% | 0.51% | 0.29% | <0.01% |
| Jul 2026 | 62.1% | 27.8% | 6.8% | 1.7% | 0.75% | 0.49% | 0.41% | <0.01% |
| Aug 2026 | 62.9% | 28.1% | 5.6% | 1.8% | 0.76% | 0.41% | 0.42% | <0.01% |
| Sep 2026 | 64% | 28.6% | 4.7% | 1.5% | 0.63% | 0.3% | 0.23% | <0.01% |
How has the Carvana and PenFed Credit Union comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Carvana was ahead of PenFed Credit Union in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Carvana’s share of searches among auto loan brands in the United States moved from 24.1% to 28.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 3.4M to 4.1M.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, PenFed Credit Union’s share of searches among auto loan brands in the United States moved from 1.8% to 1.5%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 250K to 211K.
How did search popularity change for United States auto loan brands in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Carvana gained share of searches among auto loan brands in the United States, from 28.1% to 28.6%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for PenFed Credit Union in the United States fell 15.8% over 12 measured months, from 250K to 211K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
3 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Carvana’s and PenFed Credit Union’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Carvana
1 branded search term
- carvana
PenFed Credit Union
2 branded search terms
- penfed
- penfed auto loan
Other head-to-heads among auto loan brands
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