FI showroom red and grey logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Swapalease Releases Fourth Quarter Lease Trends Report from 2020

Tesla and BMW continue to steal marketshare from high-end competitors.

February 17, 2021
Swapalease Releases Fourth Quarter Lease Trends Report from 2020

Tesla and BMW continue to steal marketshare from high-end competitors.

2 min to read


CINCINNATI, Ohio – Swapalease.com, a car lease marketplace, unveiled  its lease trends report from the fourth quarter of 2020, offering insight and perspective into the auto lease trends shaping today’s automotive retail and consumer preferences. Click here to download the report.

The consumer demand for Tesla is very real, and while Tesla doesn’t have a traditional retail network, the vehicle’s makeup positions it perfectly for a lease environment.

Ad Loading...

The report looks at vehicle lease payment, term, shopping consideration and driver preference trends within vehicle leasing in the fourth quarter of 2020. Among the most notable trends, consumer searches for Tesla vehicles on the Swapalease.commarketplace increased 55% over the last twelve months, among the largest increases by any brand in recent history for the marketplace.

“The consumer demand for Tesla is very real, and while Tesla doesn’t have a traditional retail network, the vehicle’s makeup positions it perfectly for a lease environment,” said Scot Hall, Executive Vice President for Swapalease.com. “As it’s in the luxury category, many drivers enjoy the ability to lease rather than finance a Tesla. Furthermore, drivers feel the battery technology is improving at a rapid rate and enjoy the ability to change or upgrade every few years.”

The report also illustrates where BMW’s percent of total traffic reached 19% during the fourth quarter, up from 17% during the third quarter. Conversely, Mercedes-Benz declined from 8% down to 7% during the same time period.

Other foreign brands such as Honda, Acura, Nissan and Infiniti also continue to see falling search numbers in the marketplace. While these brands have traditionally experienced higher-than-average lease rates, they continue to experience lower-than-average search traffic and demand in the marketplace due to their unfavorable lease and lease transfer policies.

According to the report, Americans paid an average of $519.46 per month on their leases during the 4th quarter, down from $521.90 in the 3rd quarter. The report also shows that the average incentive has dropped from $583.65 in the 3rd quarter down to $545.66 in the 4th quarter.

Ad Loading...

Originally posted on Auto Dealer Today

More Auto Finance

Tiny toy car in front of small stacks of coins
Auto Financeby Hannah MitchellAugust 5, 2026

Subaru Enters Lending Business

The automaker follows other brands in adding captive financing in the U.S., and says the move will strengthen its position here.

Read More →
Man climbing ladder in front of mountain landscape.
Auto Financeby Lauren LawrenceAugust 3, 2026

Positive Equity Reaches Record High

Mainstream vehicle owners who bought a car seven years ago are likely to have positive equity when trading in for a new vehicle, according to second-quarter Edmunds data.

Read More →
Photo of document next to calculator and inkpen
Auto FinanceJuly 20, 2026

Dealerships Are Paying the Price for Extended Car Loans

Growing negative-equity scenarios mean such lengthy terms should be addressed in a forward-looking way to make them work for the dealer and the consumer down the road.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
silver car in background with hand in front holding out a set of keys, Trade-In Trouble, F&I and Showroom
Auto Financeby Lauren LawrenceJuly 20, 2026

Trade-Ins in Negative Equity Reach New Heights

As such trade-ins rise in frequency, so do monthly loan payment amounts and interest rates, according to second-quarter data compiled by Edmunds.

Read More →
Two men in suit jackets shaking hands in front of a new-looking white vehicle
Auto Financeby Hannah MitchellJuly 15, 2026

Auto Credit Plentiful

June numbers show lenders are readily granting access, including to risky borrowers, as consumers leverage themselves to take on high prices.

Read More →
Woman's hands holding an wallet empty of cash
Auto Financeby Hannah MitchellJuly 1, 2026

Automotive Consumers Sink Further in Debt

Most financing metrics hit records in the second quarter as more buyers locked themselves into long terms and high monthly payments.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Three men smiling for headshots
Auto Financeby Lauren LawrenceJuly 1, 2026

Porsche Financial Services Shifts Structure

After 36 years with Porsche, the Financial Services Chief Financial Officer Konrad Riedl is retiring, and the department is realigning its management structure.

Read More →
$100 bill and magnifying glass on top of paper that says insurance policy terms and conditions.
F&Iby Lauren LawrenceJune 29, 2026

Tariffs Could Raise Insurance Premiums

As U.S. import tariffs affect repair costs, consumers might find it more affordable to replace a damaged vehicle, according to recent Insurify tariff analysis.

Read More →
Red toy car sitting on top of coins.
Auto Financeby Lauren LawrenceJune 24, 2026

Smaller Loans, Longer Terms

The youngest generation of car buyers is more likely to finance less expensive vehicles, more than half of generation Z consumers borrowing less than $25,000.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of man holding a car key
Auto Financeby Hannah MitchellJune 17, 2026

New Cars a Tad More Affordable

May averages show that combined circumstances gave auto consumers slightly better buying power for the month, though average prices were up year-over-year.

Read More →