Leasing looks like the bargain right now. Forbes found 92 new models advertised at $400 a month or less this month, about half the $787 average new-car loan payment reported by Edmunds, and Autoblog has tracked how cheap some of those deals get. But a lease is rent, and a driver who keeps leasing never builds equity. Over five years, the picture flips for cars that hold their value, and these five show it best.
How We Ran The Numbers
We compared 60 months of leasing, meaning the advertised monthly payment plus two rounds of cash due at signing, with buying the same base trim. The purchase assumes the same cash down, a 60-month loan at 7.0 percent, which is Edmunds’ Q3 average APR, 6 percent sales tax, and a sale at the five-year iSeeCars used-market value. Insurance, maintenance and registration are left out. Lease terms come from Forbes‘ October roundup, and Autoblog’s best cars for the money list is a good place to start shopping. All figures are estimates.
| Car | Base MSRP | 5-year lease | 5-year ownership (net) | Owner saves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Civic sedan | $24,595 | $23,000 | $11,000 | about $12,000 |
| Toyota RAV4 Hybrid | $31,900 | $26,500 | $15,200 | about $11,300 |
| Toyota Tacoma | $32,145 | $24,200 | $13,600 | about $10,600 |
| Toyota 4Runner | $41,570 | $28,200 | $20,200 | about $8,100 |
| Subaru Crosstrek | $26,995 | $20,100 | $13,900 | about $6,200 |
1. Honda Civic: The Widest Gap
Honda
The cheapest car here is also the one where leasing makes the least sense – The Honda Civic. The base LX sedan starts at $24,595 and uses a 150-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder rated at 32 mpg city and 41 mpg highway, while the Sport Hybrid steps up to 200 horsepower and about 49 mpg combined.
Honda Sensing driver aids come standard on every trim, and the sedan’s 14.8-cubic-foot trunk is unchanged in hybrid form. Autoblog’s review calls the base engine sluggish but praises the handling and reliability. The money tells the story: a $259-a-month lease for 39 months with $3,999 due adds up to about $23,000 over five years, nearly the price of the car, while the Civic keeps about 77 percent of its value and even manages to outshine the Toyota Corolla when it comes to retaining value.
2. Toyota RAV4: A Hybrid That Holds Its Value
Toyota
The 2026 RAV4 is hybrid-only, which pushes the base LE to $31,900, but it earns it with 226 horsepower in front-wheel drive form (236 with all-wheel drive), roughly 41 mpg combined, a 12.3-inch digital cluster, and Toyota Safety Sense 4.0 on every trim. Toyota covers the hybrid battery for 10 years or 150,000 miles and includes two years of maintenance.
Against a $319-a-month, 36-month lease with $3,999 due, which totals about $26,500 over five years, owning costs roughly $15,200 net because the RAV4 loses just 25.2 percent of its value. That leaves an owner about $11,300 ahead.
3. Toyota Tacoma: The Least Depreciation
Toyota
No car here loses less than the Toyota Tacoma, which gives up only 19.9 percent of its value over five years, and Kelley Blue Book named it the best midsize-pickup resale value of 2026. The $32,145 base SR XtraCab uses a 228-horsepower turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder with an eight-speed automatic, a tow hitch now standard, and Toyota Safety Sense 3.0. Properly equipped trucks tow up to 6,500 pounds, and the i-FORCE MAX hybrid adds 465 lb-ft of torque if you want more. A $279-a-month lease with $3,999 due totals about $24,200 over five years, versus about $13,600 net to own, a gap near $10,600.
4. Toyota 4Runner: Priciest, Still Ahead
Toyota
Even at $41,570, the 4Runner comes out ahead. The base SR5 pairs a 278-horsepower turbo four with an eight-speed automatic, an 8-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and 8.1 inches of ground clearance, and it tows up to 6,000 pounds. The hybrid adds 323 to 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft, while the TRD Off-Road at $49,990 adds a locking rear differential and Crawl Control. Our review calls it one of the most authentic off-road SUVs available, with tight third-row seating among the downsides. A $349-a-month lease with $3,999 due comes to about $28,200 over five years. Owning nets about $20,200, helped by a 25.5 percent five-year loss and a Kelley Blue Book off-road SUV resale win.
5. Subaru Crosstrek: The Narrowest Margin
Subaru
The Crosstrek has the smallest edge because it loses 29.1 percent of its value, but it still wins. The $26,995 base car has standard all-wheel drive, 8.7 inches of ground clearance, a 180-horsepower 2.5-liter flat-four rated 26 mpg city and 33 highway, and about 19.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat. Hybrid versions of the Sport and Limited reach 194 horsepower and 36 mpg. A $235-a-month lease with $3,234 due costs about $20,100 over five years, against about $13,900 net to own, a difference of roughly $6,200.
What Could Change The Math
The difference in the financials is significant. The gap is even wide enough to survive weaker resale values: the Tacoma would have to lose about 53 percent of its value, the RAV4 about 61 percent and the Civic about 72 percent before leasing came out cheaper, against the 20 to 25 percent iSeeCars measured. Leasing does offer things this math ignores, including warranty coverage, no resale risk, and a new car every three years, and some lease offers are genuinely strong.
About the author
Yash Bajaj
News Editor