What car can you lease for $300 a month?
Which cars lease for $300 a month or less right now, what those deals actually cost once due-at-signing is included, and how to find a real $300 lease.
By LeaseGuru.aiUpdated 5 min read
Compact sedans and small crossovers from Hyundai, Nissan, Mazda, Kia, Toyota, and Honda regularly advertise lease payments under $300 a month. On September 12, 2026, LeaseGuru tracked 104 live listings at $300 or less across 11 brands.
The catch is what the payment leaves out. The typical sub-$300 listing asks about $3,000 at signing and allows only 7,500 to 8,500 miles a year. Spread that upfront money across the term and most of these leases cost $330 to $370 a month.
TLDR Quick Guide
- Cars leasing under $300/mo right now: Hyundai Elantra and Kona, Mazda3, Nissan Sentra and Altima, Kia K4, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Accord, Chevrolet Trailblazer.
- Most $300 listings need about $3,000 due at signing and 7,500–8,500 miles a year.
- Counting due-at-signing, listings advertised at $251–$300 averaged $371 a month in real cost.
- A true $300-a-month lease usually means an advertised payment near $230 with about $1,000 due at signing.
- $200 a month is possible but rare: 9 listings, averaging a 27-month term and $3,000 down.
Cars you can lease for $300 a month or less
Models with the most live listings at $300 or less on September 12, 2026. "Effective monthly" adds due-at-signing back into the payment over the term, so it is the number to compare.
| Model | Lowest advertised payment | Average due at signing | Average effective monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai Kona | $166 | $2,625 | $329 |
| Mazda3 | $174 | $2,610 | $302 |
| Hyundai Elantra | $180 | $1,793 | $336 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLA | $215 | $3,500 | $381 |
| Kia K4 | $225 | $1,300 | $297 |
| Toyota Corolla | $228 | $3,000 | $315 |
| Nissan Sentra | $236 | $1,000 | $328 |
| Nissan Altima | $239 | $1,000 | $322 |
| Chevrolet Trailblazer | $245 | $3,000 | $343 |
| Honda Accord | $250 | $3,000 | $358 |
| Honda Civic | $269 | $2,250 | $354 |
Why a $300 lease usually costs more than $300
Advertised payments are built backward from a round number. The lender gets there by collecting more upfront, shortening the mileage, or shortening the term. None of that shows in the headline.
| Advertised payment | Listings | Median due at signing | Average term | Average effective monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $200 or less | 9 | $3,000 | 27 months | $294 |
| $201–$250 | 23 | $3,000 | 32 months | $330 |
| $251–$300 | 72 | $3,000 | 35 months | $371 |
Take a $269 Civic with $2,250 due at signing on a 36-month lease. The upfront money adds about $62 a month, so the lease really costs around $331 before taxes. Payments also usually exclude tax, which adds more in most states.
How to find a real $300-a-month lease
- Filter by effective monthly, not the advertised payment. A $239 Altima with $1,000 due works out cheaper than a $228 Corolla with $3,000 due.
- Look for low due-at-signing first. Nissan and Kia listings under $300 often asked $1,000–$1,300.
- Check the mileage. Most sub-$300 deals allow 7,500 miles a year; moving to 10,000 or 12,000 raises the payment.
- Match the term to the ad. Short 24–27-month terms can make the payment look low while you pay more upfront per month of use.
- Budget the fees at both ends: acquisition fee at signing and disposition fee at return.
What car can you lease for $250 or $200 a month?
At $250 or less, the list shrinks to about 32 listings, mostly Elantra, Kona, Mazda3, Sentra, Altima, K4, and Corolla. At $200 or less there were only 9 listings across 3 brands, and they leaned on short terms and about $3,000 at signing to hit that number.
If $200 or $250 is a hard monthly budget, count it as your effective monthly. By that measure, the closest deals on September 12 were Kia K4 and Mazda3 listings averaging about $300, not $200.
Leases around $300 a month
These listings show payment, due at signing, and term side by side, so you can see which ones are really $300 a month.
- View deal details
DemoScore962025 Audi A5 Premium
- Monthly:
- $239/mo
- Due at signing:
- $3,999
- Term:
- 24 mo
California
- View deal details
NewScore932026 Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 Base
- Monthly:
- $224/mo
- Due at signing:
- $3,500
- Term:
- 24 mo
California
- View deal details
NewScore912026 Hyundai Palisade SEL
- Monthly:
- $259/mo
- Due at signing:
- $2,599
- Term:
- 24 mo
California
Key Takeaways
- Compact sedans and small crossovers from Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan, Kia, Toyota, and Honda make up most leases under $300.
- The typical sub-$300 listing asks about $3,000 at signing and allows 7,500–8,500 miles a year.
- Counting due-at-signing, most $251–$300 advertised leases cost about $370 a month.
- For a real $300 lease, look for an advertised payment near $230 with about $1,000 due at signing.
- $200-a-month leases exist but are rare and rely on short terms and large upfront payments.
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FAQs
In September 2026, the Hyundai Elantra and Kona, Mazda3, Nissan Sentra and Altima, Kia K4, Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic and Accord, and Chevrolet Trailblazer all had lease listings at $300 a month or less. Most of those listings asked about $3,000 at signing, so check the effective monthly cost before choosing.
Around 32 listings were at $250 or less in September 2026, mostly the Hyundai Elantra and Kona, Mazda3, Nissan Sentra and Altima, Kia K4, and Toyota Corolla. With due-at-signing included, they averaged about $330 a month.
Only a handful of listings advertise $200 or less, and they rely on short terms of around 27 months and about $3,000 at signing. Counting that upfront money, those leases averaged about $294 a month.
It is low for a new car in 2026, but judge it with the amount due at signing, the mileage, and the term. A $300 payment with $3,000 down on a 36-month lease really costs about $383 a month before taxes.
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