Daily Auto News Smart Releases Lease Deal
Daily Auto News
If you want a small car with a small monthly payment, Smart may have your back.
Left Lane News reports, “Facing ever-slumping sales, Smart USA – the official United States importer of Daimler’s Smart brand – has announced the company’s first ever lease incentive program. Backed by Daimler Financial Services, the incentive program is slated to run through February 28th.”
As gas prices have stayed low compared to when the Smart ForTwo was introduced to the United States in 2008, Smart saw a 41 percent sales decline in 2009.
eGMCartech says, “Well-qualified Smart ForTwo buyers may lease a Smart ForTwo pure coupe for $169 a month on a 36-month, 10,000 miles-per-year lease. Smart says that qualified customers must provide $999 down, $595 acquisition fee and first month’s payment at the time of lease.”
The Gerson Lerhman Group reports, “The launch of the incentive, with financing from Daimler Financial Services, comes after Smart USA replaced its president with former Saturn brand chief Jill Lajdziak.”
The incentive ends February 28, 2010.
Is the lease a good deal? Right now Honda is offering leases starting at $159 per month on the 2010 Civic, with $1,399 due at signing, and Toyota is offering the Corolla for $149 a month with $1,999 due at signing. The Civic and Corolla add a back seat and trunk space, but can’t match the Smart’s 33/41 mpg city/highway fuel economy. The Smart is also available as a convertible and makes a much bigger statement, but some reviewers complain that it is vulnerable to highway cross winds. If you’re willing to pay $30 more per month and about $200 more at signing, you can lease a Honda Insight hybrid, which has a back seat and beats the Smart’s fuel economy.
If you’re in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals. For other current lease offers, check out the best lease deals as well.
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