I leased my RAV4 Prime in February from a Virginia dealer to get the $6,500 incentive, made one payment, and then bought it out in April. Dealer was not willing to discount the price, but did not add any dealer-installed options or other items in addition to the dealer processing fee and the lease acquisition fee. However, lease money factor was very high - about equivalent to 8%.
Then I called Toyota to get the lease buyout info and they emailed back a buyout package that explained everything. Simple process overall, but zero feedback during the process when I called to check on the status. Sending them a check for over $40k and then waiting 10-15+ days for the paperwork to pop out of the system made me uncomfortable. Total time from their receipt of the Fedex until I had the title in hand was about 15 working days.
Went to Virginia DMV today and there were no surprises. Sales tax was paid at the time I leased, so today I only paid about $21 for a new title and registration.
It’s a black box, but as long as you stuff it with the correct paperwork and a Publishers Clearinghouse check, your title will pop out the other end. Congratulations on the lease-buyout and savings, enjoy your RAV4
Open to sharing which dealer? I’m interested in a 2026 rav4 prime when they roll out this fall and trying to get a sense of how bad it might be to get out of the door.
Given demand I’m guessing MSRP at best and trying for no addon packages like you. After $6500 back seems awfully close to regular hybrid XLE premium pricing.
Since the 2026 model is going to be a redesign, pricing is going to be high when they are first available. Plus, legislation has been introduced to do away with the Federal tax credit, so there might not be any tax credit available when the 2026 models are released.
