If your three-year auto lease is coming to an end soon, be aware that your car may be worth far more than you realize.
The 2022 average trade-in value for 2019 model-year vehicles is 33% higher ($7,208) than the predetermined residual value — a vehicle’s worth at the end of a lease — according to research from Edmunds.com. This means you may be able to profit off a car you’d normally just turn in to the dealership.
“These values are completely different from what the residual value estimates were,” said Ivan Drury, senior manager of insights for Edmunds. “That’s a good thing for anyone who’s leasing.”