The Right Choice

When you’re looking for the used car that you want to drive, a vehicle that’s been leased and turned in could be the right choice for you.
This usually means you can find a vehicle that has relatively low miles on the odometer and will hopefully have been treated right. The condition of the average model being turned in makes a huge difference when you’re ready to purchase what you want to drive. If the lease models were rated on a scale of 0-5 with 0 being a vehicle in awful condition to 5 being like new, here are some of the models you might want to avoid.

BMW 3 Series

A score of 3.6 might sound pretty good in this list, but the average mileage after a lease is around 35,300 miles and that means more wear and tear on the vehicle. This is usually the first step in the luxury market for some buyers and as such many of the 3 Series models aren’t cared for like you would want for a luxury vehicle, particularly considering the need for additional financing to cover the higher cost..

Volkswagen Passat

The average rating for this car is a 3.5. The Passat is a vehicle that’s typically purchased to be the family vehicle with younger children in the back, which means a lot of wear and tear in this area and plenty of spills and stains that you’re not going to be able to remove. This is a car that can be a great model to drive, but you need to take a close look at the condition.

Toyota Camry

Here’s another model that’s not a surprise at all because it’s a family car and one that’s enjoyed as one of the most sold in the country. The score for the Camry is an average of 3.5 to make it a car that you can consider buying, but you’ll certainly want to take a look at the condition of the vehicle before you put your money down for the purchase.

Nissan Sentra

This is an entry-level midsize sedan that shows up at a much lower price than many other lease turn-ins, which also means it may have missed a few maintenance appointments or have the remnants of the previous juvenile occupants in the back seats. The Sentra scores a 3.5 for its average condition rating and it can be a good choice, but you need to inspect it first.

Honda Civic

The cars on the list are getting smaller and the Civic is a compact model that’s often used as a small family sedan. Thankfully, there are several versions that aren’t used as family haulers, but the Civic still only received an average condition rating of 3.5 for this scale to make it a model that you’re going to need to check out before you make your purchase decision.

Toyota Corolla

The Corolla is offered in the same class as the Civic for the same reasons. Even though the rating is a 3.5, which seems to be the one we see most, this car also has one of the higher average mileage readings after a lease has ended. The Civic has a higher average mileage reading at 32,600 and the Sentra shows up with a lower reading than the Corolla after a lease.

Mazda 3

The average rating for this car is a 3.4 when it’s turned in after a lease. The reason for this is the typical average age of the owners which is younger than the other cars on the list. The Mazda 3 models are often used for some fun and performance driving, which can lead to unnecessary wear and tear on the vehicle which also helps to tell you why it’s in this location on this list.

Volkswagen Jetta

As the smaller of the Volkswagen sedans, the Jetta scores a 3.4 on this list as it sees a lot of use from younger buyers who have smaller children. This is a car that can be an excellent choice for you, but it also needs to be checked out thoroughly before you choose this one as the right choice for your driving experience.

Honda Accord

This model may surprise you, but it scores only a 3.4 on the rating for lease returns. The average miles on the odometer at the time of turning in the vehicle shows up at 34,100 miles which is 1,700 more than the Camry and 1,900 more than the Passat. This car is often trusted as a fantastic used model and it can be, just make sure you check it out first.