Capital One Auto Navigator pre-qualifies you with a soft credit pull. The Model Black is not a broker: participating dealerships set and publish their prices.
The Model Black is not a licensed motor vehicle dealer or broker and does not act as a broker in any way. Participating dealerships sell and lease every vehicle and complete each purchase directly with you.
Capital One Auto Navigator lets shoppers see whether they pre-qualify for an auto loan with Capital One and participating lenders, with no impact to their credit score, then shop cars from participating dealers and see a personalized rate on each (capitalone.com, as of October 2026). To pre-qualify, it asks for details including a Social Security number so it can do a soft credit pull, and the final credit application at the dealership results in a hard inquiry (capitalone.com, as of October 2026). The Model Black is launching in Arizona. Where a participating dealership serves your area, it shows that dealership's new cars as a loan, a lease (monthly, one-pay, or with deposits), and a cash purchase, with the taxes and fees for your city, before you talk to anyone. The Model Black is not a broker, and it does not negotiate: the dealership sells or leases the car and completes the purchase directly with you.
| Capital One Auto Navigator | The Model Black | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Auto loan pre-qualification with Capital One and participating lenders, and a search of cars from participating dealers with a personalized rate on each (capitalone.com, as of October 2026) | New-car buying platform, not a broker; the dealership publishes the price, The Model Black prices it three ways, and the dealership sells the car to you directly |
| Credit check | A soft credit pull to pre-qualify, with no impact to your credit score; the final credit application at the dealership results in a hard inquiry and can impact your credit score (capitalone.com, as of October 2026) | The Model Black never pulls credit. When you send your deal, you can complete a credit application that goes to the selling dealership encrypted, and the dealership submits it to its lenders for your rate and approval, as with any dealership credit application |
| What it asks for | Name, residential address, Social Security number, date of birth, and employment status, employer, and salary (capitalone.com, as of October 2026) | For a complimentary account, your first and last name and email, then a six-digit code; no Social Security number |
| Where you see the rate | Your pre-qualified rate and terms on each car from participating dealers; rates vary from car to car (capitalone.com, as of October 2026) | Before you talk to anyone: finance, lease (monthly, one-pay, deposits), and cash with taxes and fees for your city |
| Who sells the car | A participating dealer, where you complete the final credit application and finalize the terms (capitalone.com, as of October 2026) | The participating dealership, which sells or leases the car and completes the purchase directly with you; The Model Black does not negotiate |
| Where it applies | Only within its network of participating dealerships; Capital One does not finance vehicles bought from non-participating dealers, auto brokers, or private party sellers (capitalone.com, as of October 2026) | Launching in Arizona. Whether a car can be delivered to you depends on its dealership. |
| What it costs | The pre-qualification page lists no fee, and pre-qualifying comes with no obligation (capitalone.com, as of October 2026) | Creating an account is complimentary and opens a dealership's full pricing on 3 cars every 30 days. White and Gold memberships open every car's full pricing: White is $99 (introductory price through December 31, 2026, then $389) for 30 days and Gold is $649 (introductory price through December 31, 2026, then $949) for 3 years, each a one-time payment that never renews. Black is coming soon. Anyone 18 or older with an account can ask a dealership about a car or send it a deal at no charge. |
Yes, in two steps. To pre-qualify, it asks for basic details, including your Social Security number, so it can do a soft credit pull, which it says will not impact your credit score (capitalone.com, as of October 2026). You then complete a final credit application at the dealership, which results in a hard inquiry on your credit report and can impact your credit score (capitalone.com, as of October 2026).
Yes. Payments on The Model Black are estimates for the credit range you choose, with no credit pull and no Social Security number. The Model Black never pulls credit. When you send your deal, you can complete a credit application that goes to the selling dealership encrypted, and the dealership submits it to lenders.
No. Capital One says a pre-qualification can be used only within its network of participating dealerships, and that it does not finance vehicles bought from non-participating dealers, auto brokers, or private party sellers (capitalone.com, as of October 2026).
Yes. Nothing stops a shopper from pre-qualifying with Capital One and also checking a participating dealership's published price for a new car on The Model Black. A Capital One pre-qualification applies only at dealerships in its network (capitalone.com, as of October 2026).