Best short term car lease deals - April 2024
Short term car leasing is ideal for those who don't want a long term commitment, or to own a car outright, but need a new car fast. Here we round up the cheapest short term car lease deals.
A short term car lease deal is ideal when circumstances mean you need access to a car with the convenience of not being tied into a long-term payment obligation.
There’s no official definition of what constitutes a short term lease, but we’d say this type of deal counts for any car rental that lasts from more than a month to less than two years.
Short term car lease deals are more popular with business users, but anyone can sign up providing they pass the credit check and can afford a deposit and the monthly payments.
The business angle of this type of lease means that a lot of these deals major on convenience, so short term leases often come with 24/7 customer support, free delivery of the car to addresses anywhere on the UK mainland and often include maintenance and breakdown cover.
Going for a short term lease car means that if your circumstances change you won’t be out of pocket for long. Business users are also entitled to claim back the VAT on the leasing payments and maintenance, but only if the car is being used solely for business purposes.
However, short term lease deals may not be for everyone. The deposit and monthly payments are calculated based on the difference between the cost of the car when it’s brand new and what it will be worth at the end of the lease.
This factors in the depreciation of the car, which is at its steepest rate - think around 20% - in the first year. That means monthly payments can be quite significant and you really need to work out whether a this type of rental is really worth it before signing on the dotted line.
After more deals on new cars? Check out our round-up of all the best new car deals around.
Short Term Car Lease Deals
We've searched online to find the best short term lease deals available right now. So if you want a lease deal for 12 months or less, you've come to the right place. We update this page every week to make sure we bring you the best deals.
Volkswagen Golf GTI 2.0 TSI 5dr DSG
£559.28 a month: 12-month lease
The Volkswagen Golf is pretty much shorthand for small family hatchback, while the GTI version is deserving of being described as 'all the car you'd ever need'. And if you're in the market for a nicely specced Golf GTI for a year's lease, then this deal is worth a look. The main issue will be having to hand it back.
| Initial Rental | Monthly Payments | Mileage Total | Excess Mileage Charge (pence per mile) | Lease Provider |
| £1677.84 | 11 x £559.28 (£6152.08) | 5000 | 54p | Evogo |
KIA Sportage 1.6T GDi 48V ISG GT-Line S 5dr DCT
£549.65 a month: 12-month lease
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The Kia Sportage is one of the UK's best-selling cars thanks to the fact it's well equipped, comfortable to drive, and has a spacious interior that does a fine job of dealing with family life and all that entails. Try the Sportage for a year by leasing this high-spec GT Line S car and see how easily it fits into your routine.
| Initial Rental | Monthly Payments | Mileage Total | Excess Mileage Charge (pence per mile) | Lease Provider |
| £1648.95 | 11 x £549.65 (£6046.15) | 5000 | 42p | Evogo |
Hyundai i10 1.0 Advance 5dr
£238.67 a month: 12-month lease
The Hyundai i10 is here for you if you need to get on the move as quickly and cheaply as possible. Even though it is tiny, the i10 drives like a bigger car, and in entry-level Advance trim as here, it still has enough of the equipment required to make driving less of a chore.
| Initial Rental | Monthly Payments | Mileage Total | Excess Mileage Charge (pence per mile) | Lease Provider |
| £716.01 | 11 x £238.67 (£2625.37) | 12,000 | 3p | Evogo |
Renault Captur 1.6 E-Tech Plug-in hybrid 160 Engineered 5dr Auto
£400.18 a month: 12-month lease
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The Renault Captur is easy to drive, well equipped and offers plenty of space for a growing family. In fact, it covers just about all the bases you could wish for your family SUV pretty well indeed, including keeping emissions down thanks to this model's plug-in hybrid drivetrain.
| Initial Rental | Monthly Payments | Mileage Total | Excess Mileage Charge (pence per mile) | Lease Provider |
| £1200.54 | 11 x £400.18 (£4401.98) | 10,000 | 42p | Evogo |
Audi A4 Saloon 35 TFSI S Line 4dr S Tronic
£564 a month: 12 month lease
Although this generation of Audi A4 has been around for some time, it remains a top choice if you're looking for a car that combines plenty of equipment and long-distance cruising ability, with the added bonus of a premium badge. This mid-spec S-Tronic A4 would make for a very pleasant year's driving.
| Initial Rental | Monthly Payments | Mileage Total | Excess Mileage Charge (pence per mile) | Lease Provider |
| £1692.33e | 11 x £564.11 (£6205.21) | 10,000 | 54p | Evogo |
Do I still need a credit check for a short term lease?
Yes, as with any other lease you apply for a credit check will take place. However, due to the short term nature of the agreement, these checks can be less stringent than for longer-term loans, or those for PCP agreements with no deposit, and thus can be more appealing to people with less good credit scores. Paying your monthly lease on time for the duration of your agreement helps to improve your credit score, too.
Is insurance included on a short term lease deal?
As a rule, insurance and fuel are the two things that are not included in a short term lease. However, just like an optional extra, you can often add insurance and maintenance packages for an extra cost, leaving you to simply add fuel if you lease a petrol, diesel or hybrid, or electrons if you lease an EV. That way, you can budget precisely each month, which can be helpful if money is tight, or you're looking for extra convenience.
If the latter is the case, it's also worth thinking about car subscription services as an alternative. With a subscription, everything but the fuel is included for one monthly fee, while deposit amounts can be smaller than a short term lease to sign-up, and you only need to give three months' notice to terminate your deal.
What sort of driver opts for a short term lease?
There are a whole host of reasons why a short term lease might suit. Perhaps you like to switch between new cars on a very regular basis, trying all the latest tech and new-car trends. Maybe you have a longer term car on order but need to bridge the gap between now and the delivery date, or perhaps you've moved to a new area and need transport before your current car is shipped in, or your new one is delivered. You could be trying an EV for size, or perhaps money is tight and your credit doesn't quite stretch to a longer-term PCP deal.
There are also lots of businesses that use this type of lease, including for contractors, for new recruits on probation, and start-ups with less solid credit, too, so the answer is that short term leases are extremely convenient for a whole range of personal and professional drivers.
