Worst Car Lease Deals August 2026: Avoid These 50 Models

Last updated: August 6, 2026, updated monthly directly from manufacturer websites

Part of our monthly best lease deals coverage. See the deals actually worth taking.

Of the 199 lease deals we tracked in August 2026, 53 fall into walk-away territory at 1.5% LVR or worse, up from 46 in July. The 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric holds the bottom spot again this month at 3.02% LVR, even worse than last month’s already weak 2.96%.

The GMC Sierra 2500HD and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross round out the bottom three. This page tracks the 50 worst lease deals by Lease Value Ratio so you know exactly which offers to avoid, and why.

Of 199 tracked, 53 hit walk-away territory this month.
Key takeaways for August 2026
  • The 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric holds the worst spot again this month at 3.02% LVR, worse than July’s 2.96%
  • 53 of 199 tracked lease deals hit walk-away territory this month (1.5% LVR or worse), up from 46 in July
  • The Ford Expedition, last month’s surprise #2 best deal, has completely reversed and now sits deep in walk-away territory at 1.77%
  • Two brand-new 2027 BMW model years debut in walk-away territory: the 4 Series at 1.84% and 5 Series at 1.65%

I flag these deals every month not to shame any particular brand, but because the math genuinely doesn’t work in your favor. The Kona Electric has now been the worst deal on this list for months running, and I still don’t understand why Hyundai hasn’t fixed the incentive structure on it while the rest of their EV lineup is so competitive.

The bigger story to me this month is the Ford Expedition. It was my pick for the surprise of July, a genuinely strong gas SUV lease. This month the same nameplate is nearly $500 more per month with seven times the money due at signing. If you were waiting on that deal, it’s simply gone, and I’d treat any current Expedition advertisement with real skepticism until the numbers prove otherwise.

Worst EV lease deals

EV Spotlight

The Kona Electric’s 3.02% LVR is a genuine outlier this month, worse than any other tracked deal regardless of category. The Leaf and Mustang Mach-E round out the category, both weighed down by long terms and high due-at-signing amounts.

Worst EV #1 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric 3.02% LVR
$836/mo · $4,646 DAS · 24mo · MSRP $34,050
Worst EV #2 2026 Nissan Leaf 1.82% LVR
$469/mo · $3,649 DAS · 48mo · MSRP $29,990
Worst EV #3 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E 1.61% LVR
$489/mo · $4,259 DAS · 36mo · MSRP $37,795

Worst luxury lease deals

Luxury Spotlight

Two new 2027 model years debut poorly this month. The 4 Series joins the Porsche Macan and Land Rover Defender at the bottom, while its own 2026 predecessor remains a solid pick elsewhere on this site.

Worst Luxury #1 2026 Porsche Macan 1.87% LVR
$999/mo · $8,209 DAS · 39mo · MSRP $64,600
Worst Luxury #2 2027 BMW 4 Series 1.84% LVR
$809/mo · $6,789 DAS · 39mo · MSRP $53,300
Worst Luxury #3 2026 Land Rover Defender 1.73% LVR
$879/mo · $7,995 DAS · 36mo · MSRP $63,500

Worst SUV lease deals

SUV Spotlight

The same three vehicles that top the EV worst list dominate here too, since all three happen to be SUV-bodied. If you’re SUV shopping, none of these three should be on your list this month.

Worst SUV #1 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric 3.02% LVR
$836/mo · $4,646 DAS · 24mo · MSRP $34,050
Worst SUV #2 2026 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 1.95% LVR
$426/mo · $4,425 DAS · 39mo · MSRP $27,655
Worst SUV #3 2026 Nissan Leaf 1.82% LVR
$469/mo · $3,649 DAS · 48mo · MSRP $29,990

Worst truck lease deals

Truck Spotlight

A stark contrast to the truck category’s headline story this month, where the Silverado 1500 and Sierra 1500 both hit Excellent tier. These three prove the range within a single category can be enormous.

Worst Truck #1 2026 GMC Sierra 2500HD 2.09% LVR
$799/mo · $8,239 DAS · 36mo · MSRP $49,295
Worst Truck #2 2025 Ford F-150 1.80% LVR
$596/mo · $4,737 DAS · 48mo · MSRP $38,610
Worst Truck #3 2026 Jeep Gladiator 1.65% LVR
$514/mo · $4,499 DAS · 36mo · MSRP $38,695

Worst sedan lease deals

Sedan Spotlight

Sedans generally post better ratios than SUVs and trucks this month, so it takes a genuinely weak structure to land here. All three below are still walk-away territory, just less dramatically so than the categories above.

Worst Sedan #1 2026 Hyundai Elantra N 1.72% LVR
$511/mo · $3,341 DAS · 36mo · MSRP $35,100
Worst Sedan #2 2026 Nissan Sentra 1.54% LVR
$269/mo · $2,839 DAS · 36mo · MSRP $22,600
Worst Sedan #3 2026 Volkswagen Jetta GLI 1.52% LVR
$389/mo · $4,499 DAS · 36mo · MSRP $33,745

All 50 worst lease deals ranked

The 50 worst lease deals we tracked this August, ranked from worst to least bad by Lease Value Ratio.

# Vehicle Monthly At signing Term Sticker Value ratio Status

Sourced from manufacturer websites August 6, 2026. Ranked worst to least bad by Lease Value Ratio. Walk away = 1.5% LVR or worse.

Find a better deal instead

Every category above has a strong alternative elsewhere on this site. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 both hit Excellent tier in trucks this month, the Hyundai IONIQ 9 leads EVs at 0.81%, and the Lexus NX 450h+ remains the best luxury pick at 1.09%. None of the deals on this page should be your final answer if a better option exists in the same category.

Frequently asked questions

In August 2026, the worst lease deal we tracked is the 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric at 3.02% LVR, $836/month on a $34,050 vehicle. That’s worse than July’s already weak 2.96%. The GMC Sierra 2500HD and Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross round out the bottom three.
Yes, in July the Expedition was the surprise of the entire lease market at 0.84% LVR. This month it has completely reversed to 1.77% LVR, deep in walk-away territory. The payment jumped from $498 to $899 and due at signing from $997 to $7,519. If you were counting on that deal, it’s gone.
53 of the 199 tracked lease deals hit walk-away territory (1.5% LVR or worse) in August 2026, up from 46 in July.
Yes, two BMW 2027 model years debut in walk-away territory this month: the 4 Series at 1.84% LVR and the 5 Series at 1.65%. Both outgoing 2026 versions remain solidly priced, so ask specifically for the current model year if you’re shopping either car.
Not necessarily, the vehicle itself may still be right for you. What we’re flagging is the lease structure specifically. If you want one of these vehicles, consider financing or an outright purchase instead, or negotiate the vehicle price down significantly before accepting the advertised lease terms.

These offers may vary based on location, credit score, and financing terms, and are not guaranteed. Use our free service to check discount car prices to get the best prices that include current manufacturer offers and incentives.