Mother Nature has not been kind to the United States in 2025. Throughout January, wildfires in California burned thousands of acres, destroyed thousands of structures, and took over 20 lives. Recently, a winter storm struck the country’s Plains, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic regions, dumping snow and ice on some areas where these conditions are rare. For example, forecasts predict parts of Virginia and North Carolina could still get over eight inches of additional snow, according to Forbes.
Some automakers are responding to the storm by giving vehicle owners in the affected areas some financial relief. It’s similar to how the industry reacted to the California wildfires.
Mazda And Toyota Step Up
In an emergency weather situation, paying the car bill is not a top priority. Mazda Financial Services is offering payment relief options to storm-affected people, including extensions and deferred lease payments. Owners can also contact the lender to redirect their billing statement and arrange payment by phone or online. To begin the assistance process, affected people can call 866-693-2332.
Toyota is introducing nearly identical measures to help storm-ravaged owners. People with Toyota Financial Services or Lexus Financial Services in the disaster area are eligible for payment extensions, re-arranging payment methods, and changing the address for their billing statements. The Toyota Financial Services phone number is 800-874-8822, and Lexus Financial Services is at 800-874-7050.
Support On The Other Coast
When the recent California wildfires were at their worst, several automakers stepped up to support victims and firefighters. For example, Honda initially pledged a $500,000 donation to the American Red Cross for disaster relief. It later increased the donation to $1 million. The company also offered up to $1,000 in matching funds for any employee donating to the effort. Financing and lease payment extensions were available for owners in the area.
Subaru supported the undertaking by contributing to several charities. It donated $50,000 to Meals on Wheels America and $50,000 to the ASPCA. The company also set up a 2:1 employee matching program to give up to $20,000 to the American Red Cross and World Central Kitchen. Subaru owners who suffered a damaged or destroyed vehicle during the fires were eligible for $500 to $1,000 towards getting a new model from the company.
General Motors started several fire relief programs. It brought mobile EV chargers to the region to keep those vehicles going. The company contributed to the American Red Cross Los Angeles region and the California Fire Foundation. There were also financial assistance programs for deferring payments and covering repair damage for the company’s vehicles.
TopSpeed’s Take
Automakers are in the business of making money. It’s nice to see them have a heart when people are in trouble, though. Deferring payments and rearranged billing isn’t much, but the decision means desperate vehicle owners have one less thing to worry about immediately as they put their lives back together.
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