Best January Lease Deals

Published: Monday, January 23, 2012

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With two of the biggest auto shows -- not to mention CES -- still fresh in our minds, it's understandable if you, like many people, are thinking about getting behind the wheel of a new car.

For those of you looking to lease, early 2012 has some very good options. Popular SUVs like the Ford Explorer, Ford Escape and Toyota 4Runner can be had for low monthly payments and/or very little down. Small cars, such as the Toyota Yaris, Ford Fiesta, BMW 1 Series and the smart fortwo are also enjoying excellent leasing terms.

Of course, these are just a few options. Click below to see our complete list of the best lease deals of the month.

> In Pictures: 15 Great January Lease Deals

According to automotive buying expert Gary Hoffman, lease deals can go down because the residual values of the vehicles improve. But most of the time, it's because the companies are subsidizing the residual values at the transaction to lower the lease payments we have to make. As companies increase their incentive spending on the cars we buy, they also shift that money into lease deals. And that's what is happening right now.

You better hurry, though, as many of these great deals are set to expire soon. And if you prefer to buy and not lease, then make sure to check out the AOL Autos Best Deals program.

Select The Vehicles Below And View The Incentive:

AOL Autos Best Lease Deals
Ford Fiesta	Kia Optima	Volkswagen Passat	smart fortwo	Ford Explorer	Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class
Volkswagen Jetta	Toyota Yaris	Mazda3	BMW 1-Series	Volkswagen Routan	Honda Odyssey
Kia Soul	Hyundai Sonata	Acura TSX	Ford Escape	Toyota 4Runner	Land Rover LR4

This Month's Editor's Pick: 2012 Kia Optima

The 2012 Kia Optima is a sleek sedan that can compete with the best midsize cars. Kia, along with sister company Hyundai, has been on fire lately with great new products, one of which is this sedan right here.

The Optima is a comfortable, fun and fuel efficient vehicle. Completely redesigned in the 2009 model year, the Optima fits nicely into Kia's solid current product line, combining distinctive styling, great fuel economy and fun driving dynamics.

The Optima is available in four trim levels; LX, EX, EX Turbo and SX. The LX and EX are equipped with a naturally-aspirated 200-hp 2.4-liter DOHC four-cylinder. The EX turbo and SX use a turbocharged 274-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the LX, while a Sportmatic 6-speed automatic is available on the LX and standard on all other trims. Standard safety features include active headrests, traction-control, stability-control, 4-wheel antilock brakes and a tire pressure monitor.

Right now, you can score a lease on a 2012 Kia Optima for $189 a month for 39 months and $2,499 due at signing.

> In Pictures: 15 Great January Lease Deals

Please Note: These deals only apply to the month listed above.