Santander Consumer USA is a leading company in the automotive finance sector. With its Drive®, RoadLoans and Santander Auto Finance brands, the company provides full-spectrum auto lead and lending programs on direct and indirect platforms. The company began originating loans in 1997, and is headquartered in Dallas.

The company was founded by a group of young entrepreneurs within the auto industry. The group gained experience working in finance in auto dealerships, and in 1995 left the dealership environment to focus on the banking side of the industry. As a non-originator, the new company marketed the auto finance programs of various banks, gaining valuable perspective on the auto originations process.

The success of the group caught the attention of FirstCity Financial, and in 1997 the two entities merged, forming FirstCity Funding, a non-prime auto finance company with a unique business model serving a niche market.