Best car lease deals in April 2020 - Roadshow

Disoriented, isolated and generally uneasy, it's a strange world in which we find ourselves. We are an entire planet of human beings unstrung by a virus. And not to sound flippant, but amid all this tragedy and dread, some of us still need a car. And with dealer inventories high, retail sales slow and money cheap, there's an opportunity to negotiate a bargain lease deal. 

What it takes to get this done is the foresight to see beyond the current hell of social isolation and show some faith in the future. If you can muster all that and comfortably complete a transaction over the internet or on a phone, getting a great deal now actually helps dealers who are going through a rough time.

What hasn't changed is how to get a good deal. And who should and shouldn't lease. Leasing a car instead of buying one from a dealer is for people with -- current circumstances aside -- generally have settled lives and predictable futures. Folks who've settled into a groove and know they'll be there for the next few years. Don't lease a car if your life you're always moving, you can't hold a job and you have a poor credit score. But if leasing a car is for you, below are 10 good lease deals currently being offered with manufacturer backing. If nothing else, they offer perspective on car leases.

This doesn't mean that they're the very best vehicle lease deals out there for your specific situation. It may be that your credit union or leasing company is offering a killer deal, or your mortgage holder is offering a discounted product that bundles a lease with your loan payment. And it's always a great idea to consult with your accountant about how your tax situation may be affected by starting a vehicle lease.

The trick with leasing a new car, SUV or truck is doing research, understanding the components of vehicle leasing, and then negotiating a payment from a position of knowledge and confidence.

2019 Hyundai Sonata

The all-new 2020 Hyundai Sonata is a polarizing machine. Some love its styling, others not so much. But the real opportunity here lies with leftover, more anodyne, previous-generation 2019 models that are still being carried in dealer inventories. They need to get rid of those. So, this factory-backed lease offer is a good starting point for context and negotiations. This offer is featured in both Southern California and the Chicagoland area. In New York City, for instance, it's $10 a month more expensive. These deals are good through at least May 4.

Oh yeah, one other thing. This deal comes with a $500 factory rebate. That cleanly offsets the $400 disposition fee at lease end and buys a pretty good take-out dinner.

2019 Hyundai Sonata 2.4 lease deal

2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Chevrolet is aggressively pushing no-money down leases on several models. The most intriguing of these being on its best seller, the 2020 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab 4x2. While $363 a month is no small tap, you're getting 39 months of use for 38 payments. That's pretty awesome. To qualify you need to be coming out of an existing GM lease.

Remember, however, this is on a truck. Use it like a truck to do trucky things and you may wind up paying for that wear at the end of the lease. This deal is on through May 4.

2020 Chevy Silverado 1500 lease deal

2020 Volkswagen Atlas

A lease on something you don't want to drive isn't worth signing. And what people want to drive is a midsize crossover SUV like the Volkswagen Atlas. This is the Atlas S model, the base, front-drive version of the mainstream product built in Tennessee, powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged I4.

VW often features lease deals with no money due at signing, and that's what this one is. While it's $399 a month, it's 38 payments for 39 months of use and that's kind of cool. Watch out for the relatively short 32,500 miles included in the lease deal. Those can get gobbled up quick in a family-oriented machine like the Atlas. This lease offer is available until at least April 30.    

2020 Volkswagen Atlas S lease deal

2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 

If there's a renaissance going on at the Mitsubishi dealership, it's being led by this tidy compact crossover SUV that revives the Eclipse name once used on sporty coupes. It's a solid, reasonably well-sorted vehicle with its turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine only occasionally frustrated by the continuously variable transmission.

2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 1.5T 2WD lease deal

2020 Subaru Impreza

It's spring now, but winter will return. And when that happens, if you live someplace like Montana or Vermont, it's helpful to have all-wheel drive when the weather gets crummy. Subarus are often the default choice here for their standard and excellent all-wheel drive systems on every vehicle except the BRZ sports coupe. The entry point into the Subie cult is the Impreza sedan, which is available on a $175-a-month lease after $2,169 payment at signing. Keep in mind this is for a manual transmission version and it will be slightly more for an automatic. This deal is promised through April 30.

2020 Subaru Impreza lease deal

2020 Mazda CX-30

Why everyone isn't scrambling to get themselves into Mazda's newest crossover is a bigger mystery than Tiger King. The personal-sized CX-30 is a tremendous thing to behold and drive. And the lease deal on offer is pretty sweet. Just $205 a month after $2,999 at signing. Mazda will have this up at least through April 30.

2020 Mazda CX-30 lease deal

2020 Honda Civic

The gold standard in twerp-sized sedans, Honda is aggressively pushing the Civic LX automatic through this crisis by offering it with zero money at signing and only $240 a month. Or, if you have some free cash, just $189 a month after $2,099 at signing. Do the math and the zero-down deal costs $8,160 over its life while the other one is $8,714. But the $189 a month runs a month longer. If you have the credit rating, go for the no money down. Good through May 4. Some states excluded.

2020 Honda Civic LX lease deal

2020 Volkswagen Passat

VW's roomiest sedan is also offered with the manufacturer's zero-at-signing deal for only $289 a month. In other areas, like Chicago and Los Angeles, it's $299 a month. So, move to New York City. Lease offer is good through April 30.

2020 Volkswagen Passat R-Line lease deal

2019 Hyundai Ioniq Electric

Want a cheap all-electric car? Hyundai is being ultra aggressive in pushing leftover 2019 model year Ioniq electrics for silly lease prices. Like $79 a month in the New York City area after only $999 at signing. Over 30,000 miles that works out to a mere 14 cents a mile. In other areas the leases are around $108 or $109 per month with $2,500 at signing. If you're in NYC, get yours now before Hyundai comes to its senses and ends the deal after May 4.    

2019 Hyundai Ioniq Electric lease deal

2020 Toyota Corolla

Of all new vehicles, the Corolla may be the most likely to give you no hassle whatsoever. And it has pretty good rear leg room, which is important if you're an Uber or Lyft driver who cares about being rated highly. Just keep in mind that driving for Uber or Lyft in a leased car may violate the terms of the lease and 833.33 miles per month get swallowed up mighty quickly if you're lugging clients around. Just saying, make sure the lease fits your needs. This $149-a-month deal seems to be national and needs $2,999 at signing. Good through at least May 4.    

2020 Toyota Corolla LE lease deal