Lease or Buy a Toyota RAV4? 3-Year Cost Compared (November 2026)
Over 3 years, leasing a 2026 RAV4 LE costs $13,764 vs about $7,410 to buy and sell (per CarWhere data) — buy wins by $6,354, and buying's lead grows the longer you keep it.
By the CarWhere Research Team · Manufacturer lease programs, verified CarWhere deals and our depreciation report · Updated daily
Lease for 3 years
| Advertised payment | $279/mo × 36 mo |
|---|---|
| Due at signing | $3,999 |
| Total over 36 months | $13,764 |
| Lease cost, 3 years | $13,764 |
Toyota's California-region offer on the 2026 RAV4 LE, ends November 30, 2026. No acquisition or disposition fee is listed with the offer, so none is added.
Buy, then sell after 3 years
| MSRP | $33,999 |
|---|---|
| Price CarWhere buyers pay | $33,249 |
| Resale at 3 years (−24%) | −$25,839 |
| Cash buy, 3 years | $7,410 |
| Financed at 4.99% APR, 3 years | $10,664 |
Price = the $33,999 MSRP minus the 2.2% median discount CarWhere buyers got on the RAV4 (83 verified deals). Finance line: Toyota's 4.99% / 48-month APR offer, $0 down, interest paid in the first 36 months.
Buying wins by $6,354 over 3 years (cash); financed, the gap is $3,100 in favor of buying.
If you keep it longer
Leasing continuously at the same effective rate vs buying once and selling at year N (resale from our depreciation report; cash purchase).
| Years kept | Lease (continuous) | Buy and sell | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | $13,764 | $7,410 | Buy |
| 4 | $18,352 | $9,722 | Buy |
| 5 | $22,940 | $11,592 | Buy |
| 6 | $27,528 | $13,122 | Buy |
| 7 | $32,116 | $14,312 | Buy |
| 8 | $36,704 | $17,507 | Buy |
Assumptions
- Lease: $3,999 due at signing + $279 × 35 remaining payments = $13,764 over 36 months. You return the car with no excess-mileage or wear charges.
- Buy: the $33,999 MSRP minus the 2.2% median discount CarWhere buyers got on the RAV4 (83 verified deals); sold after 3 years at 76% of the MSRP.
- Resale: CarWhere depreciation report (2026-10-25) for the Toyota RAV4 — median used-listing price by model year vs the median new price.
- Excluded on both sides: sales tax, registration, insurance, maintenance.
FAQ
Is it better to lease or buy a RAV4?
Over 3 years, leasing a 2026 RAV4 LE costs $13,764 vs about $7,410 to buy and sell (per CarWhere data) — buy wins by $6,354, and buying's lead grows the longer you keep it. The lease side is the current advertised Toyota offer ($279/mo for 36 months, $3,999 due at signing); the buy side is the $33,999 MSRP minus the 2.2% median discount CarWhere buyers got on the RAV4 (83 verified deals), less the 24% a 3-year-old RAV4 loses in value. Taxes, registration, insurance and maintenance are left out of both.
How much does a RAV4 lose in value in 3 years?
About 24% below the new price at 3 years old, from median used-listing prices vs the median new price in CarWhere's depreciation report (2026-10-25). On this $33,999 MSRP that is a resale value of about $25,839.
How long do you have to keep a RAV4 for buying to win?
Buying already costs less at 3 years ($7,410 vs $13,764 to lease), and the gap widens each year you keep it.
Does financing change the RAV4 lease-or-buy math?
With Toyota's 4.99% APR for 48 months offer (ends November 30, 2026), financing the full price adds about $3,254 of interest in the first 3 years, so buying and selling costs about $10,664 vs $13,764 to lease. That assumes $0 down and top-tier credit.