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Best (and Worst) Cars to Buy Out of a Lease: What 29,000+ Lease End Buyouts Reveal
Published 8/13/26
TL;DR (6-minute read): Not every lease buyout is created equal. Based on 29,088 funded lease buyouts processed by Lease End between January 2025 and July 2026, the make of your vehicle is one of the strongest predictors of whether you're sitting on thousands of dollars in positive equity. Lexus, Toyota, and Honda consistently rank near the top, while Jeep, Audi, and Infiniti produce much thinner margins.
People ask us, "Should I buy out my lease?" But an easier place to start is:
What logo is on the front of your car?
Because after analyzing more than 29,000 lease buyouts, one pattern became impossible to ignore. Some manufacturers consistently produce thousands of dollars in lease equity. Others barely produce any.
That doesn't mean you should automatically buy out every Toyota or return every Jeep. Equity isn't the only deciding factor in lease buyouts.
But it does mean the badge on your hood gives you a surprisingly good idea of what you'll find when you compare your buyout price to your vehicle's market value. Let's start with the brands that consistently put drivers in the strongest position.
But it does mean the badge on your hood gives you a surprisingly good idea of what you'll find when you compare your buyout price to your vehicle's market value. Let's start with the brands that consistently put drivers in the strongest position.
Why Does the Brand Matter So Much?
Lease equity is simply the difference between your vehicle's current market value and your lease buyout price, sometimes called the residual value.
If your vehicle is worth more than the amount it costs to buy it, you've built positive equity. If it's worth less, you're underwater.
What determines your equity?
A lot of factors contribute, including:
- How well the vehicle holds its value
- Consumer demand in the used market
- Reliability reputation
- Original lease pricing
- Manufacturer residual value estimates
Some manufacturers consistently predict the buyout value right. Others don't. That's exactly what Lease End's transaction data reveals.
The Top Tier: The Brands That Consistently Build Equity
Some brands didn't just perform well. They dominated.
Lexus: The Undisputed Champion
If lease equity had a championship belt, Lexus would currently be wearing it.
Based on Lease End's transaction data:
- 98.7% of Lexus lease buyouts had positive equity.
- Average lease equity reached $11,536 across 968 funded buyouts.
That's remarkable consistency. And it also challenges a common assumption.
Luxury vehicles are often expected to depreciate quickly. Lexus largely avoided that pattern.
Much of the credit likely belongs to Toyota's (Lexus's parent company) reputation for reliability combined with exceptionally strong demand in the used vehicle market.
The result?
Toyota: The People's Champion
Lexus may wear the crown, but Toyota might be the bigger story.
Why?
Because Toyota delivers exceptional equity without luxury-car price tags.
Across 3,519 Lease End buyouts, Toyota drivers averaged:
- 95.9% positive equity
- $7,498 in average equity
- Average buyout price of just $27,414
That's one of the most surprising findings in the entire dataset.
You don't have to lease an expensive vehicle to build substantial equity. You just have to lease a vehicle the used market still wants. And Toyota has been quietly doing exactly that for years.
So, if you're driving a Toyota, and you're reading this wondering whether you've won the lease lottery. It's likely you have.
Cadillac: The Surprise Nobody Saw Coming
If we asked people to guess which brands ranked near the top, Cadillac probably wouldn't be the first answer. But Lease End's data tells a different story.
Across 415 buyouts, Cadillac drivers averaged:
- 94.9% positive equity
- $8,254 in average equity
It's also a reminder that perception doesn't always match reality. Sometimes the vehicles nobody is talking about become some of the smartest lease buyouts.
BMW: Premium Prices, Strong Buyouts
BMW buyers finance larger amounts than almost anyone else.
The average BMW buyout in Lease End's data was nearly $39,000.
Despite that, BMW still produced:
- 91.8% positive equity
- $7,584 average equity across 780 buyouts
That's incredibly impressive.
While BMW drivers typically finance more money, many also end up purchasing vehicles that continue holding their value better than expected.
Not every luxury vehicle becomes a strong lease buyout, but BMW shows that many of them can.
The Strong Middle: Quiet Winners Most People Overlook
Not every great lease buyout belongs to a luxury brand. In fact, some of the best values come from manufacturers that quietly deliver dependable vehicles year after year.
Honda: Incredible Value Without the Luxury Price
Honda tells one of the most compelling stories in the entire dataset.
Across 4,278 funded buyouts, Lease End found:
- 96.7% positive equity
- $5,865 average equity
- Average buyout price of only $23,143
That's one of the lowest average buyout prices among high-volume manufacturers. Yet Honda still delivers equity numbers that rival brands costing much more.
It's one of the best equity-to-price ratios anywhere in the data.
If your Honda lease is ending soon, it's almost certainly worth checking your numbers before handing back the keys.
Acura, GMC, Chevrolet, Subaru, and Mazda Continue the Pattern
Several other manufacturers consistently produced strong lease buyout opportunities.
Based on Lease End's data:
| Make | Positive Equity | Average Equity |
| Acura | 92.5% | $5,614 |
| GMC | 91.1% | $5,418 |
| Chevrolet | 93.2% | $5,363 |
| Subaru | 95.9% | $4,785 |
| Mazda | 94.6% | $4,809 |
These brands may not generate the biggest headlines, but they consistently put drivers in favorable positions at lease end. If you're driving one of them, there's a good chance your lease buyout deserves a closer look.
The next tier, however, starts telling a very different story.
The Lower Tier: Brands That Deserve a Closer Look
One of the most interesting things about this research is that there aren't many truly "bad" brands. In fact, most manufacturers still produced positive lease equity more often than not.
The difference is simply how much margin drivers had when their lease ended. For these brands, you probably just want to take a closer look in checking the numbers.
Tesla: Better Than Many People Expect
Tesla has experienced dramatic swings in pricing over the past several years. That uncertainty has led many people to assume Tesla lease buyouts are poor financial decisions.
Our proprietary data tells a more balanced story.
Across 1,689 Lease End buyouts, Tesla drivers averaged:
- 86.3% positive equity
- $4,957 in average equity
Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen, and Nissan Sit in the Middle
Several high-volume manufacturers landed in what we'd consider the "check before you decide" category. They still produced positive equity for most customers. And, while the average margins might be smaller than top performers, it's still likely you have positive equity with these brands.
| Make | Positive Equity | Average Equity |
| Ford | 88.5% | $4,512 |
| Hyundai | 86.7% | $4,204 |
| Kia | 87.4% | $4,067 |
| Volkswagen | 85.8% | $4,011 |
| Nissan | 84.2% | $3,891 |
As you can see from the data, a high percentage of these brands still maintained positive equity. That means, if you have one of these makes, and you buy out your lease, it's still likely that the most affordable version of the car you're driving is the one in your driveway. And the only way to know whether your lease buyout makes sense is to compare your buyout price with today's market value.
The Biggest Surprise: Jeep
If Toyota was the biggest winner in this study, Jeep may have been the biggest surprise.
Across 2,126 funded lease buyouts, Lease End found:
- 74.8% positive equity
- Just $2,184 in average equity
Nearly three out of four Jeep drivers still had positive equity. Compared with brands like Toyota, Lexus, or Honda, Jeep owners had much less financial cushion. But the results were still overwhelmingly positive for Jeep owners.
Audi and Infiniti Round Out the Bottom
The final two brands in our dataset produced the lowest average equity among high-volume manufacturers.
Audi
Across 1,053 buyouts, Audi drivers averaged:
- 79.5% positive equity
- $2,149 in average equity
Infiniti
Across 490 buyouts, Infiniti drivers averaged:
- 76.5% positive equity
- $1,947 in average equity
Those numbers don't mean buying out an Audi or Infiniti is a mistake.
In fact, most customers still had positive equity.
They simply illustrate that these brands produced much slimmer margins than the leaders in our analysis.
For Audi and Infiniti drivers, spending a few minutes comparing today's market value with the lease payoff may be one of the most important parts of the decision. And Lease End can help you instantly check those numbers.
So...Should You Buy Out Your Lease?
After looking at more than 29,000 lease buyouts, one thing becomes clear.
The manufacturer's badge tells you a lot, but it doesn't tell you everything.
Even within the same brand, two drivers can have very different outcomes depending on:
- Vehicle model
- Trim level
- Mileage
- Condition
- Local market demand
- Original lease terms
Think of this article as a starting point, not a final answer.
If your manufacturer consistently builds equity, that's a great reason to investigate your buyout. If it doesn't, that's an equally good reason to check the numbers before making a decision.
Either way, the next step is the same...
How to Check Your Own Lease Equity
Fortunately, checking your lease equity is much easier than most people think.
Start by finding your lease buyout amount.
Then estimate your vehicle's current market value using a trusted valuation source like Kelley Blue Book.
If your vehicle is worth more than your buyout price, you've built positive lease equity. That's often a strong indication that buying out your lease deserves serious consideration.
Additionally, Automatic AI can estimate your lease buyout amount and monthly payment in just a few minutes, making it easier to understand whether purchasing your vehicle makes financial sense.
The Bottom Line
Not every lease buyout opportunity looks the same.
Based on 29,088 funded lease buyouts completed through Lease End between January 2025 and July 2026, some manufacturers consistently produced thousands of dollars in positive lease equity, while others generated smaller margins.
Lexus, Toyota, Honda, and Cadillac ranked among the strongest performers in our analysis, while Jeep, Audi, and Infiniti generally offered less equity at lease end.
The lesson isn't that one brand is always better than another. It's that your manufacturer can provide an important clue about whether your lease buyout deserves a closer look.
Before returning your vehicle, compare your buyout price with today's market value. You may discover you're walking away from more value than you realize.
Use our lease buyout calculator to estimate your lease buyout amount and monthly payment, compare financing options through Lease End's lending partners, and make your next decision with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which car brands have the most lease equity on average?
Based on 29,088 Lease End lease buyouts, Lexus, Toyota, Honda, Cadillac, and BMW consistently ranked among the strongest performers for positive lease equity.
Does the make of my vehicle affect whether I should buy out my lease?
It can. Lease End's data shows some manufacturers consistently retain value better than others, which often leads to stronger lease equity. However, your specific vehicle, mileage, and market conditions still matter - your vehicle might sit outside the average.
Which brands had the lowest lease equity?
In Lease End's analysis, Jeep, Audi, and Infiniti generally produced lower average lease equity than most other manufacturers. But they still were more likely than not to maintain positive equity at the end of lease.
Does luxury always mean better lease equity?
No. While Lexus and BMW performed exceptionally well, other luxury brands produced much smaller equity positions. Brand reputation alone isn't enough to predict whether a lease buyout is a good financial decision.
What's the fastest way to estimate my lease buyout?
Lease End's lease buyout calculator can estimate your lease buyout amount and monthly payment. From there, compare your estimated buyout price with your vehicle's current market value to better understand whether buying out your lease makes sense.
Keegan
July 5, 2026
Super Simple & Efficient
Super Simple & Efficient. Javier was upfront about everything & took a lot of pressure & stress off my plate. I didn't have to deal with driving into the dealership & deal with their finance dept like they wanted me to & we're already complete & loan funded within a day. He also pushed the lender to come down on their rate a little, which was nice. I'll definitely be using them for any other cars for the future.