Which Leased Vehicles Offer the Most Profit in Buyback Deals? The Answer May Surprise You.

The Revaluation of Used Leased Vehicles Has Risen Unexpectedly

Earlier we had reported why now is the right time to sell your used Toyota following news from Consumer Reports analysts who recommended when buying your leased car is the right choice for you over leasing a new vehicle as is often the case with car customers who prefer to lease their vehicles temporarily.

Due to the microchip shortage and the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for used vehicles has led to an unexpected rise in used car prices as the inventory has plunged. The upside to this automotive phenomena is that lessees who are at the end of their car leases have the golden opportunity of buying their cars and then sell them for profit.

A New Study Shows Leased Car Values Are Significantly Higher

In fact, according to a recent report from iSeeCars.com, their analysis of upwards 10 million car sales has revealed that the average car leased over the past 3 years is worth 31.5 percent, or $7,019, more than its residual value estimated at the beginning of its leasing term.

“Consumers who are nearing the end of their lease should look at the details of their contracts to see their car’s residual value and should compare that to the car’s current market value,” said iSeeCars.com Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. “If their car has a substantially higher market value, they could purchase the car and sell it themselves for a major profit."

Most Profitable Three-Year-Old Leased Cars

So, which cars are the most profitable to buyback right now if you are a lessee? According to iSeeCars.com, their analysis of the top 15 three-year-old vehicles that have the largest difference in value over their predicted price include the following ten top vehicles in order from most profitable to less profitable:

#1. Volkswagen Tiguan with a $ Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of $8,677 and a % Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of 61.3%.

#2. Dodge Charger with a $ Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of $11,806 and a % Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of 55.9%.

#3. Chevrolet Camaro with a $ Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of $12,346 and a % Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of 52.9%.

#4. Nissan Altima with a $ Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of $6,228 and a % Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of 49.4%.

#5. Volkswagen Passat with a $ Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of $6,400 and a % Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of 49.3%.

#6. Chrysler 300 with a $ Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of $8,084 and a % Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of 49.2%.

#7. Nissan LEAF with a $ Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of $6,167 and a % Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of 48.3%.

#8. Chevrolet Malibu with a $ Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of $6,392 and a % Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of 48.2%.

#9. Hyundai Elantra with a $ Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of $5,319 and a % Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of 47.9%.

#10. Mazda MAZDA6 with a $ Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of $7,193 and a % Market Value Increase Over Predicted Value of 46.8%.

Most Profitable Leased Vehicles by Body Style

According to iSeeCars.com leased car analysis, they found that the following body styles increased in value the most compared to their predicted price in the following order of most to least:

1st Place: Coupes with an $ Actual Price – Predicted Price of $10,652 and a % Actual Price – Predicted Price of 42.7%.

2nd Place: Sedans with an $ Actual Price – Predicted Price of $6,983 and a % Actual Price – Predicted Price of 40.4%.

3rd Place: Pickups with an $ Actual Price – Predicted Price of $10,586 and a % Actual Price – Predicted Price of 37.4%.

4th Place: Minivans with an $ Actual Price – Predicted Price of $7,627 and a % Actual Price – Predicted Price of 32.4%.

5th Place: Wagons with an $ Actual Price – Predicted Price of $4,380 and a % Actual Price – Predicted Price of 31.2%.

6th Place: Hatchbacks with an $ Actual Price – Predicted Price of $4,565 and a % Actual Price – Predicted Price of 26.9%.

7th Place: SUVs with an $ Actual Price – Predicted Price of $6,025 and a % Actual Price – Predicted Price of 26.0%.

8th Place: Convertibles with an $ Actual Price – Predicted Price of $5,923 and a % Actual Price – Predicted Price of 20.6%.

And finally…

For more details about the analysis, the report can be found at iSeeCars.com.

Timothy Boyer is Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily automotive-related news.

Photo by Alex Suprun on Unsplash