can you lease any new car

[DelAriel]

Generally, yes, you can lease almost any new car available at a dealership, but it's not an absolute guarantee for every single model or trim. High-demand vehicles, limited-edition models, or cars with exceptionally low supply might not be offered for lease, or may have very unattractive lease terms. The primary factor is the vehicle's residual value—the lender's projected value of the car at the end of the lease term. Cars that hold their value well (like Toyota, Honda, and luxury brands) typically have better lease deals because the financing company expects to recoup more of its investment when they sell the car later.

Here’s a quick comparison of how different vehicle types typically fare in terms of lease availability and attractiveness:

Vehicle Type / Brand	Typical Lease Availability	Key Influencing Factor	Example Models with Often Good Lease Deals
Mainstream Sedans/SUVs	High	High production volume, stable residual values	Toyota Camry, Honda CR-V, Ford Escape
Luxury Brands	Very High	Strong predicted residual value, manufacturer subsidies	BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Lexus ES
Electric Vehicles (EVs)	High (often best deals)	Federal/state incentives, aggressive manufacturer support	Tesla Model 3, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5
Exotic/Supercars	Low	Extremely high cost, specialized market, low volume	Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren
Limited Edition Models	Very Low	Scarcity, high demand over MSRP	Toyota GR Corolla (Circuit Edition), certain Ford Broncos

The process is straightforward: you negotiate the capitalized cost (the selling price of the car), agree on a mileage allowance (e.g., 10,000, 12,000, or 15,000 miles per year), and pay a drive-off amount. Your monthly payment is essentially covering the car's depreciation during the lease term plus a financing fee. Manufacturers often use subvented leases—offering lower money factors (the lease equivalent of an interest rate) or higher residual values—to make monthly payments more appealing than a purchase loan. The best strategy is to research current lease offers on manufacturer websites and be prepared to negotiate the sell price just as you would if you were buying.

[MacChase]

Practically speaking, you can walk into most dealerships and lease just about any car on the lot. But the real question is, should you? The best lease deals are almost always on models the manufacturer is trying to move. Think of the popular sedans and SUVs you see everywhere. If you've got your heart set on a rare, high-performance trim or the hottest new truck, leasing might not even be an option, or the payment could be sky-high. It's all about what the bank thinks the car will be worth in three years.

[DiTimothy]

I just went through this! I wanted to lease a specific color and trim of a new SUV. The dealer had no problem setting up a lease for it. The finance manager explained that as long as the car can be financed, it can usually be leased. The difference came down to the numbers. They showed me that a more common model had a much lower monthly payment because the company predicted it would hold its value better. So, you can lease the exact car you want, but you might pay a premium for it compared to a more standard model.

[DelMiles]

From a financial perspective, leasing is a tool for manufacturers to manage inventory and sales forecasts. They incentivize leases on vehicles they want to promote, which is why you see amazing deals on certain EVs or luxury cars. These "subvented" leases have artificially high residual values or low money factors, making them attractive. Conversely, a vehicle in short supply or with an uncertain future value won't have favorable lease terms. It's less about a hard "no" and more about the financial engineering behind the scenes not supporting a competitive lease offer.