As I was saying on the Hyundai page, the Sonata, seems to be the better lease in terms of payments. However, many folks like the styling on the Optima better, plus the added options (panoramic sunroof, cooled seats, etc…) seem to make this lease “worthwhile” to some. However, I can’t really get myself to recommend a $400+ a month lease of a $30k Kia since that’s almost luxury car territory (think G37).

In terms of Buying-To-Lease, I think it’s a pretty good deal if you plan to keep the car long term (and why not? The warranty is 10 yrs!). The interest rate is minuscule (about 0.77%) and a good 53% of the vehicle’s cost is being financed at that rate, which is great. Considering the lowest financing promo rate on the Optima is 1.9% right now, I think leasing for three years then buying off the rest make more financial sense. The only exception would be if you paid cash upfront.

Here is a sample calculation based on TrueCar’s Southern California sale price and do not include local taxes. Please note that your dealer calculations may vary due to local fees/taxes.

2011 Kia Optima SX
MSRP – $31,245 (full-equipped)
Sale Price – $27,833 ($1500 lease cash applied)
Monthly – $379+ tax
RWG Rating – 84.4

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2011 Kia Optima EX ($1,500 cash incentive)
36-month | 15k miles | residual 50% | .00065 base money factor

2011 Kia Optima SX ($1,500 cash incentive)
36-month | 15k miles | residual 47% | .00032 base money factor