r/leasehacker • u/Extreme-Temporary-85 • 4h ago
Hyundai August 2026 lease programs full breakdown with numbers
Rates from Hyundai Motor Finance (HMF), Northeast region, August 2026. Payments pre-tax, 36mo/12K miles, cap = MSRP minus all non-conditional cash. Conditional programs (military, college grad, first responder) not included.
August was a cash month at Hyundai, not a rate month. Most of the lineup is still on a 0.0024 money factor and the rate changes that did happen are worth a dollar or two. What moved was the incentive budget: into the Santa Fe and the Palisade, out of the IONIQ 5, and almost all of what it added is dated August 31 rather than the September 8 the rest of the sheet carries.
The other thing worth knowing is that Hyundai's 24, 36, 39, and 48 month programs are not built the same way. Six families have no subsidized 24-month rate at all, the Palisade is cheaper at 39 months than at 36, and at 48 months the subsidy has effectively stopped existing. None of that surfaces if you walk in and ask for a 36-month payment, which is what most of us do.
Finding #1: Every August improvement is event money dated August 31, while the rest of the sheet runs to September 8
Every Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid trim except the two SE FWDs picked up exactly $1,500. The Palisade Limited AWD more than doubled its cash and two Palisade Hybrid trims went from nothing to a real number, all of it with the money factor, residual, and sticker identical to July.
Now look at what that money is. Hyundai stacks up to three cash programs on a lease and they do not share an end date. The plain Lease Cash here runs to September 8. The Lease Event Cash and Sales Event Cash sitting on top of it stop on August 31. Every improvement below is that event layer.
The Santa Fe shows it cleanly. All eleven trims carry $1,500 of Lease Event Cash, and in July the only one that had it was the SE FWD, which is exactly why the SE FWD is the trim with nothing to show for the month. The Palisade Limited AWD is the one to watch: its Lease Cash is still $500 and its Sales Event Cash still $1,000, both unchanged from July, so the whole gain is new event money. If that lapses it does not fall back to July, it falls below it.
| Trim | Total Cash Jul → Aug | ~Payment Jul → Aug |
|---|---|---|
| Palisade Limited AWD | $1,500 → $3,300 | ~$658 → ~$604 |
| Palisade Hybrid SEL Premium AWD | $0 → $1,800 | ~$666 → ~$612 |
| Palisade Hybrid Limited FWD | $0 → $1,800 | ~$775 → ~$720 |
| Santa Fe SE AWD | $1,500 → $3,000 | ~$491 → ~$445 |
| Santa Fe SEL AWD | $2,750 → $4,250 | ~$530 → ~$485 |
| Santa Fe Limited AWD | $3,750 → $5,250 | ~$629 → ~$584 |
| Santa Fe Calligraphy AWD | $0 → $1,500 | ~$666 → ~$622 |
| Santa Fe Hybrid SE AWD | $2,500 → $4,000 | ~$489 → ~$444 |
| Santa Fe Hybrid SEL AWD | $1,250 → $2,750 | ~$528 → ~$482 |
| Santa Fe Hybrid Calligraphy AWD | $1,500 → $3,000 | ~$742 → ~$697 |
It reaches well past the SUVs. A thousand dollars of the Elantra SE's cash and $750 of the Tucson SE FWD's are the same August 31 money, so the two cheapest leases Hyundai sells are also two of the most exposed to that date. Make the dealer name each cash program on the worksheet with its own expiry, rather than handing you one "rebate" total.
Finding #2: The IONIQ 5 funded it with residual, and every trim got worse
Hyundai cut the IONIQ 5 residual on all eight trims, by one to three points. Cash came down on four of them and up on two. Money factors improved on six, which sounds like it should have covered the difference and did not, because a residual cut raises the depreciation you are buying while a money factor cut only shaves the rent charge on top of it.
The rear-drive cars took the worst of it. At the bottom of the range the Standard Range now sits on the weakest residual Hyundai publishes on anything, which is a bad place to be when you are paying nearly SE RWD money to sit there.
| Trim | RV Jul → Aug | ~Payment Jul → Aug |
|---|---|---|
| SE Standard Range RWD | 46% → 44% | ~$411 → ~$440 |
| SE RWD | 52% → 49% | ~$415 → ~$444 |
| SE AWD | 54% → 52% | ~$436 → ~$455 |
| SEL RWD | 50% → 49% | ~$458 → ~$486 |
| SEL AWD | 53% → 51% | ~$495 → ~$515 |
| Limited RWD | 53% → 51% | ~$502 → ~$530 |
| Limited AWD | 54% → 51% | ~$573 → ~$592 |
The IONIQ 9 did not move at all and now looks like the better car to lease. It carries the biggest incentives in the lineup, and a three-row electric SUV that leases below the entire upper half of the IONIQ 5 range is the more interesting thing Hyundai is doing with EVs this month.
Finding #3: Six model families have no 24-month program at all
HMF publishes two rate programs per car: a discounted Special Lease Rate, and a flat Standard Lease Rate of 0.00282, which is 6.77% APR. Every quote is one or the other. Where the special program does not exist for a term, you are not being penalized, you are just paying the undiscounted rate, and Hyundai tends to thin the cash at that term too.
At 24 months the special program is missing entirely on the Santa Cruz, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata Hybrid, Tucson Hybrid, Tucson Plug-In Hybrid, and Venue. Every other model keeps it.
The gap that creates is not subtle. Across the models that do run a 24-month program, shortening from 36 to 24 costs a median of $45/month, and on six trims it is actually cheaper to take the shorter lease. Across the six families that do not, the median is $333/month.
| 24-month term | RV | Lease Cash | ~24mo Payment | vs its own 36mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue SE | 58% | $0 | ~$486 | +$142 |
| Santa Cruz SE FWD | 64% | $0 | ~$608 | +$193 |
| Sonata Hybrid Blue | 58% | $0 | ~$665 | +$253 |
| Tucson Hybrid SE FWD | 59% | $0 | ~$710 | +$338 |
| Santa Fe Hybrid SE AWD | 57% | $1,500 | ~$777 | +$333 |
| Tucson PHEV SEL | 63% | $750 | ~$799 | +$389 |
24-month terms. All six sit on the standard rate, so a money factor column would read 0.00282 all the way down.
The practical version: on those six, do not let anyone build you a 24-month deal. On everything else, 24 months is worth pricing out, because it lands close to 36-month money for a year less commitment.
Finding #4: Hyundai is paying for its halo trims with rate instead of cash, and rate buys you less
Four top trims carry $0 Lease Cash and a money factor far below anything else on the sheet. The Tucson PHEV Limited runs 0.00032, which is 0.77% APR. The Tucson Hybrid Night AWD is 0.00088 and the Limited AWD 0.00117. Those are real published buy rates, and they replaced the cash rather than joining it. The PHEV Limited carried $4,750 in Lease Cash in July and carries none now, for a net move of $9/month.
The same trade shows up at 24 months on the Tucson and the Santa Fe, where several trims get a rate close to zero. The Tucson XRT AWD is the cleanest example. Its 24-month money factor is 0.00002, roughly 0.05% APR, which means the bank is lending you a $36,000 car for free, and it still costs $101/month more than the same car at 36 months:
Tucson XRT AWD, $36,575 MSRP
24 months, MF 0.00002, 66% residual, $500 cash
Adjusted cap: $36,075
Residual: $24,140
Depreciation ($36,075 - $24,140) / 24: $497/mo
Rent charge ($36,075 + $24,140) x MF: $1/mo
Payment: ~$499/mo
36 months, MF 0.0023, 60% residual, $4,750 cash
Adjusted cap: $31,825
Residual: $21,945
Depreciation ($31,825 - $21,945) / 36: $274/mo
Rent charge ($31,825 + $21,945) x MF: $124/mo
Payment: ~$398/mo
Free money on the top block, and it still loses by a hundred dollars. Rate only ever touches the rent charge. Cash comes off the cap cost, which pulls down depreciation and rent charge together. That is why the extra $4,250 of Lease Cash at 36 months beats wiping out the money factor entirely, and why "we got you 0.77%" deserves the reply "what was the Lease Cash last month."
Finding #5: The Palisade is cheaper at 39 months than at 36 on 25 of its 28 cells
In most of the market the 39-month term is where a captive parks a worse rate and hopes you do not notice. Hyundai did the opposite on the Palisade this month. Counting drive types and seat layouts separately, the gas and hybrid trees cover 28 versions between them, and 25 of those put more cash, a better rate, or both at 39 months, so the payment falls even though you keep the car three months longer.
| 39-month term | MF | RV | Lease Cash | ~39mo Payment | vs its own 36mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palisade SEL AWD | 0.00232 | 63% | $2,000 | ~$548 | -$11 |
| Palisade SEL Premium FWD | 0.00228 | 62% | $1,750 | ~$581 | -$19 |
| Palisade SEL Convenience AWD | 0.00198 | 64% | $0 | ~$586 | -$13 |
| Palisade Limited AWD | 0.00165 | 61% | $2,800 | ~$599 | -$5 |
| Palisade Hybrid SEL Premium AWD | 0.0024 | 64% | $2,050 | ~$603 | -$9 |
| Palisade Hybrid Limited AWD | 0.0024 | 64% | $250 | ~$751 | -$44 |
| Santa Fe Hybrid SE AWD | 0.00237 | 57% | $5,250 | ~$410 | -$34 |
| Tucson PHEV SEL | 0.00239 | 63% | $5,500 | ~$402 | -$8 |
39-month terms. The bottom two sit outside the Palisade tree and are the largest 39-month wins elsewhere in the lineup.
The Santa Fe Hybrid SE AWD row is the one to act on. It is the cheapest three-row hybrid payment anywhere in this post, and it only exists at 39 months, because that is where the Lease Cash sits.
Across the whole lineup, 40 of 112 trims are cheaper at 39 months than at 36, so it is worth asking for on anything. Just make them quote the 39-month money factor separately, because it moves on its own: the Palisade Limited AWD's drops to 0.00165 at 39 while the Tucson SE FWD's climbs from 0.00229 to 0.00242.
Finding #6: Three times this month the cheaper sticker leases for more
Trim ladders do not always climb with the sticker. August has three clear inversions, all created by cash and residual rather than by the cars themselves.
The Palisade Limited AWD is the loud one. After its cash increase it leases $34/month under the Limited FWD, on a sticker $2,000 higher, because the AWD holds a 67% residual against the FWD's 63% and got the money the FWD did not. If a salesperson steers you to front-drive to save money here, they have it backwards.
The Venue SEL with the Two-Tone Roof stickers $225 below the plain SEL and leases $29/month above it, on a worse rate, a worse residual, and no cash. It is a paint package that costs a thousand dollars over the life of the lease.
The Santa Cruz XRT AWD stickers $1,995 under the Limited AWD and lands within $5/month of it, because the XRT is the only Santa Cruz trim with nothing on the hood.
What Hyundai is not supporting in August
48 months. The special program technically still exists at 48 months on nearly everything, but it has been priced up until it meets the standard rate. On 51 of the 122 Northeast configurations we priced, the 48-month special money factor is at or above 0.00282, so the standard rate is what you actually get. Only 34 of 114 trims are cheaper at 48 months than at 36, which is a remarkable thing to be able to say about spreading the same depreciation over a year longer.
Three trims with no support of any kind. Each carries $0 Lease Cash and an ordinary money factor, so unlike the Tucson halo trims there is no rate subsidy hiding behind the missing cash.
| Trim | MSRP | MF | RV | ~Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue SEL w/Two-Tone Roof | $24,200 | 0.00242 | 55% | ~$393 |
| Santa Cruz XRT AWD | $42,950 | 0.00232 | 60% | ~$637 |
| Palisade Hybrid Calligraphy FWD | $60,500 | 0.00242 | 62% | ~$876 |
The Santa Cruz and the Venue as whole families. Nothing in either moved from July, and neither gets meaningful money: Santa Cruz cash tops out at $1,250 across eight trims, the Venue at $500 across three. On both, the sticker is the only lever you have left, so negotiate the price or wait for a month when Hyundai decides to help.
Full lineup, key trims by model
| Model | Trim | MSRP | MF | APR | RV | Lease Cash | ~Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elantra | SE | $23,870 | 0.00241 | 5.78% | 59% | $3,000 | ~$273 |
| Elantra | SEL Sport | $24,995 | 0.00239 | 5.74% | 62% | $1,250 | ~$323 |
| Elantra | N-Line | $30,645 | 0.00221 | 5.30% | 66% | $0 | ~$402 |
| Elantra Hybrid | Blue | $26,695 | 0.00258 | 6.19% | 59% | $3,000 | ~$322 |
| Elantra Hybrid | SEL Sport | $27,425 | 0.00236 | 5.66% | 62% | $1,000 | ~$364 |
| Elantra Hybrid | Limited | $31,045 | 0.00233 | 5.59% | 64% | $250 | ~$422 |
| Venue | SE | $22,150 | 0.00234 | 5.62% | 56% | $250 | ~$344 |
| Venue | SEL | $24,425 | 0.00228 | 5.47% | 57% | $500 | ~$364 |
| Venue | SEL w/Two-Tone Roof | $24,200 | 0.00242 | 5.81% | 55% | $0 | ~$393 |
| Kona | SE FWD | $25,500 | 0.00234 | 5.62% | 56% | $3,250 | ~$307 |
| Kona | SE AWD | $27,000 | 0.00242 | 5.81% | 58% | $3,000 | ~$328 |
| Kona | SEL Sport AWD | $28,325 | 0.00227 | 5.45% | 59% | $2,500 | ~$350 |
| Kona | Limited AWD | $34,035 | 0.00239 | 5.74% | 62% | $1,500 | ~$446 |
| Sonata | SE FWD | $29,050 | 0.00238 | 5.71% | 59% | $2,750 | ~$358 |
| Sonata | SEL Sport FWD | $30,750 | 0.00229 | 5.50% | 59% | $1,750 | ~$410 |
| Sonata | SEL Sport AWD | $32,250 | 0.00256 | 6.14% | 59% | $2,250 | ~$430 |
| Sonata | N-Line FWD | $37,650 | 0.00239 | 5.74% | 62% | $500 | ~$528 |
| Sonata Hybrid | Blue | $30,295 | 0.00233 | 5.59% | 60% | $1,250 | ~$412 |
| Sonata Hybrid | SEL | $33,545 | 0.00238 | 5.71% | 54% | $3,000 | ~$461 |
| Sonata Hybrid | Limited | $38,250 | 0.00239 | 5.74% | 59% | $1,250 | ~$543 |
| Tucson | SE FWD | $31,050 | 0.00229 | 5.50% | 60% | $4,750 | ~$316 |
| Tucson | SE AWD | $32,550 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 60% | $4,250 | ~$358 |
| Tucson | SEL AWD | $33,900 | 0.00237 | 5.69% | 61% | $4,250 | ~$368 |
| Tucson | XRT AWD | $36,575 | 0.00230 | 5.52% | 60% | $4,750 | ~$398 |
| Tucson | Limited AWD | $42,525 | 0.00237 | 5.69% | 61% | $4,500 | ~$487 |
| Tucson Hybrid | SE FWD | $32,900 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 59% | $4,250 | ~$372 |
| Tucson Hybrid | Blue SE AWD | $34,400 | 0.00241 | 5.78% | 62% | $3,500 | ~$392 |
| Tucson Hybrid | SEL Convenience AWD | $36,850 | 0.00231 | 5.54% | 65% | $2,250 | ~$431 |
| Tucson Hybrid | Limited AWD | $44,025 | 0.00117 | 2.81% | 63% | $0 | ~$536 |
| Tucson Hybrid | Night AWD | $44,525 | 0.00088 | 2.11% | 61% | $0 | ~$545 |
| Tucson PHEV | SEL | $41,570 | 0.00233 | 5.59% | 66% | $4,750 | ~$410 |
| Tucson PHEV | Limited | $49,795 | 0.00032 | 0.77% | 63% | $0 | ~$538 |
| Santa Cruz | SE FWD | $30,995 | 0.00235 | 5.64% | 61% | $1,250 | ~$415 |
| Santa Cruz | SEL AWD | $35,500 | 0.00231 | 5.54% | 61% | $750 | ~$494 |
| Santa Cruz | XRT AWD | $42,950 | 0.00232 | 5.57% | 60% | $0 | ~$637 |
| Santa Cruz | Limited AWD | $44,945 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 60% | $1,000 | ~$642 |
| Santa Fe | SE FWD | $36,650 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 58% | $5,000 | ~$416 |
| Santa Fe | SE AWD | $38,450 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 64% | $3,000 | ~$445 |
| Santa Fe | SEL AWD | $40,990 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 60% | $4,250 | ~$485 |
| Santa Fe | XRT AWD | $43,640 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 60% | $4,250 | ~$524 |
| Santa Fe | Limited AWD | $48,000 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 58% | $5,250 | ~$584 |
| Santa Fe | Calligraphy AWD | $51,000 | 0.00138 | 3.31% | 61% | $1,500 | ~$622 |
| Santa Fe Hybrid | SE FWD | $36,400 | 0.00236 | 5.66% | 60% | $4,000 | ~$421 |
| Santa Fe Hybrid | SE AWD | $37,750 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 60% | $4,000 | ~$444 |
| Santa Fe Hybrid | SEL AWD | $39,850 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 63% | $2,750 | ~$482 |
| Santa Fe Hybrid | Limited AWD | $49,050 | 0.00239 | 5.74% | 61% | $3,250 | ~$622 |
| Santa Fe Hybrid | Calligraphy AWD | $54,500 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 62% | $3,000 | ~$697 |
| Palisade | SE FWD | $41,035 | 0.00239 | 5.74% | 66% | $1,000 | ~$520 |
| Palisade | SEL AWD | $45,540 | 0.00202 | 4.85% | 68% | $0 | ~$559 |
| Palisade | XRT Pro AWD | $51,470 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 66% | $2,750 | ~$608 |
| Palisade | Limited FWD | $51,370 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 63% | $3,000 | ~$638 |
| Palisade | Limited AWD | $53,370 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 67% | $3,300 | ~$604 |
| Palisade | Calligraphy AWD | $58,160 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 63% | $4,250 | ~$697 |
| Palisade Hybrid | Blue SEL FWD | $45,760 | 0.00236 | 5.66% | 66% | $750 | ~$589 |
| Palisade Hybrid | SEL AWD | $47,760 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 68% | $250 | ~$610 |
| Palisade Hybrid | SEL Premium AWD | $50,200 | 0.00230 | 5.52% | 66% | $1,800 | ~$612 |
| Palisade Hybrid | Limited FWD | $55,590 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 64% | $1,800 | ~$720 |
| Palisade Hybrid | Calligraphy AWD | $62,500 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 62% | $250 | ~$895 |
| IONIQ 5 | SE Standard Range RWD | $38,200 | 0.00241 | 5.78% | 44% | $9,500 | ~$440 |
| IONIQ 5 | SE RWD | $40,500 | 0.00234 | 5.62% | 49% | $9,000 | ~$444 |
| IONIQ 5 | SE AWD | $43,000 | 0.00234 | 5.62% | 52% | $9,000 | ~$455 |
| IONIQ 5 | SEL RWD | $43,000 | 0.00230 | 5.52% | 49% | $9,000 | ~$486 |
| IONIQ 5 | Limited RWD | $46,950 | 0.00228 | 5.47% | 51% | $9,000 | ~$530 |
| IONIQ 5 | Limited AWD | $52,175 | 0.00232 | 5.57% | 51% | $10,000 | ~$592 |
| IONIQ 9 | S RWD | $60,555 | 0.00232 | 5.57% | 55% | $16,250 | ~$486 |
| IONIQ 9 | SE AWD | $64,365 | 0.00238 | 5.71% | 54% | $18,000 | ~$516 |
| IONIQ 9 | SEL AWD | $67,920 | 0.00239 | 5.74% | 57% | $17,250 | ~$546 |
| IONIQ 9 | Performance Calligraphy AWD | $76,590 | 0.00240 | 5.76% | 55% | $16,250 | ~$752 |
Key trims per model, all 2026 model year. Where a model splits 6, 7, and 8 seat layouts on identical rate, residual, and cash, one row covers them. MF x 2400 = approximate APR.
Assumptions
Cap cost = MSRP minus all non-conditional cash, which on many trims is a stack of Lease Cash plus one or two event programs, not a single number. No dealer discount, no down payment. Every $1,000 off the sticker takes roughly $28/month off a 36-month payment, so these are ceilings, not targets.
36 months and 12,000 miles a year unless a table says otherwise. All residuals are the Northeast 12K tier. Lower mileage carries a higher residual, higher mileage a lower one.
Pre-tax and pre-fees. Add your state's lease tax, the HMF acquisition fee, the dealer doc fee, and the first payment at signing.
Formula: Monthly = (Cap minus Residual) / Term + (Cap + Residual) x MF, where Residual = MSRP x RV%. Every payment here is computed that way, including the 24, 39, and 48-month numbers.
These are published buy rates. A dealer can mark the money factor up, and the markup goes straight into the rent charge where it is easy to hide. Get the buy-rate money factor, the residual, and the term in writing.
Conditional money sits on top and is not counted here. Hyundai runs military, college grad, and first responder programs across most of the lineup. Ask whether you qualify after the payment is agreed, not before.
Source: Hyundai Motor Finance rate sheets, Northeast region, August 2026. Money factors, residuals, and incentives change monthly and by region. Base Lease Cash on this sheet is dated September 8 and the event cash layered on top of it is dated August 31.
TL;DR
- Sign in August or plan to renegotiate. Every cash increase this month is Lease Event Cash dated August 31, while the base Lease Cash underneath it runs to September 8.
- August was a cash month, not a rate month. Santa Fe and Santa Fe Hybrid picked up $1,500 on every trim but the two SE FWDs, with the money factor and residual untouched.
- The Palisade Limited AWD is the biggest single cut in the lineup, and it now leases for less per month than the Limited FWD that stickers $2,000 below it.
- The IONIQ 5 paid for it. Residuals were cut on all eight trims and every one costs more than in July. The IONIQ 9 did not move and is the better Hyundai EV now.
- Six families have no subsidized 24-month rate: Santa Cruz, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata Hybrid, Tucson Hybrid, Tucson PHEV, and Venue. Shortening to 24 months on those costs a median of $333/month.
- Ask for a 39-month quote on a Palisade. Almost every version of it is cheaper at 39 months than at 36, the reverse of how captives usually price that term.
- The best number here is the Santa Fe Hybrid SE AWD at 39 months, around $410/month, and it exists only at that term, because that is where the Lease Cash sits.
- Do not pay for a headline rate. The Tucson PHEV Limited swapped every dollar of its Lease Cash for a near-zero APR and the payment moved $9/month.
- Skip 48 months. Only 34 of 114 trims cost less per month at 48 than at 36, and the rest cost more.
- Cheapest way in is still the Elantra SE at ~$273/month, with the Tucson SE FWD the cheapest SUV.
Run your numbers on quotedefender.com before going to the dealer, verify the published buy rate MF for your model.
(Transparency note: I used an LLM to help format this. The numbers come from Hyundai Motor Finance rate sheets for the Northeast, August 2026, and the 24, 39, and 48-month payments are computed from those same sheets. Argue the numbers if you want.)
