Most Leasing in Decade Fuels Highest U.S. Sales Since ’07: Cars
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Toyota Motor Corp. is using $199-a-month leases on its Camry to keep it the top-selling car in the U.S., much as it did to recover from record recalls and Japan’s tsunami. Now it’s pulling the rest of the industry with it.
Once primarily a tool for selling luxury vehicles, leasing is becoming common among hot-selling family sedans, such as Ford Motor Co.’s Fusion and Honda Motor Co.’s Accord. Supported by high used-car prices, low interest rates and Americans’ tendency to buy vehicles based on the monthly payments, U.S. auto leasing is at the highest levels in at least a decade and pacing the industry’s best year since 2007.