How to Lease a Hyundai Kona SEL

The average cost to lease a Hyundai Kona SEL is $315 per month on a 36-month lease term.
Written by Andrea Barrett
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
If you’re in the market to lease a Hyundai Kona SEL, you can expect your monthly lease payments to be, at minimum, $315. However, your exact payments will depend on optional features, your down payment, the negotiated selling price for the car, and your credit score. 
The subcompact Hyundai Kona SEL is a great car that combines everything you’d want in a daily driver with a stylish and smooth driving experience. It stands out as a reliable and budget-friendly car with a host of features that every car enthusiast will love. But if you aren’t quite ready to commit to a
car loan
for the Kona, you may want to consider leasing one.
While a car lease may come with more restrictions than financing, you’re signing up for lower monthly payments and better coverage, which can add up to big savings.
If you’re ready to get behind the wheel of a Hyundai Kona SEL,
car insurance
super app
Jerry
is walking you through what you need to know about leasing. We’ll cover how to lease a Kona, what’s included in your lease, the available options when your lease term is up, and how to find the best
Hyundai Kona SEL car insurance cost.

How to lease a Hyundai Kona SEL

If you’ve been dying to hit the highways in a Kona SEL, the process of getting a lease is simple. Here are the steps you’ll need to take to get yourself behind the wheel of this stylish, compact car.
  • Conduct a credit check—Before you can lease a car, lenders want to know that you have good credit and can make your lease payments. In general, anything 700 and over is considered a
    good credit score
    and should qualify you for a good interest rate and favorable lease terms. 
  • Find your budget—When picking your car, you want to keep your budget in mind. While the car payments themselves may not be through the roof, you have to remember that you need to add on maintenance, fuel, insurance, and more. Generally speaking, you don’t want to be putting more than 15% of your monthly income towards your car payments. Do some number crunching before you head to the dealership and find your ideal budget range.
  • Find the right trim—The Kona comes in several trim levels, with the SEL being only one. Do you want the top of the line with all the bells and whistles, or are you looking for just the basics? 
  • Take it for a test drive—You don’t want to sign a lease only to find out you’re not happy with the car. Before committing to a 36 month or more lease, take the car for a test drive and be sure you like it. 
  • Know your upfront costs—Most dealers don’t require a downpayment for a lease, but it can help to reduce your monthly payments and increase the chance of being approved for a lease.
  • Consider your annual mileage—Do you spend hours each day commuting to work or are you an occasional driver? Most standard leases only come with 10,000-15,000 miles per year, so if you need more consider upgrading to a high-mileage lease. 
Before you sign your lease agreement, you’ll also want to check out Hyundai's offers and incentives. Lease offers change throughout the year and between dealers, so you’ll want to compare to make sure you’re getting the best deal. 
And remember, once you hit the dealership, make sure you’re firm with your budget. Dealers love to entice you to upgrade to things you may not need, which ultimately means a bigger sale for them and more money for you. Stick to your budget and make sure you’re settling on a car you’re comfortable paying for.

The final step: shop for insurance

Regardless of whether you lease or finance your Kona SEL, you’ll need to purchase car insurance that meets the minimum requirements for your state. Car insurance comparison app and licensed broker
Jerry
finds you the best deals on car insurance by searching 50+ of the top insurance providers. Once you find the right policy, leave the paperwork to Jerry, and they’ll get you switched over before you even leave the Hyundai dealership. With Jerry, you can hit the roads knowing you’re protected and paying the lowest possible rate for car insurance. 
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How much does a Hyundai Kona SEL lease cost?

The average monthly payment to lease a Hyundai Kona SEL is $315 per month. 
But your exact monthly payments will depend on a few factors, including: 
  • Trim level and additional features
  • Length of lease term
  • Down payment
  • Credit score 
If you can find a great offer or incentive on a Kona SEL, you may be able to further reduce your monthly payments. 
With that said, the biggest factor that will influence your monthly lease payments is the
trim level
. The Kona SEL has more options than the base model but still comes standard with many of the features a commuter craves. 
The cost of leasing a 2022 Hyundai Kona SEL starts at $315 assuming the lowest yearly mileage (7,500 miles), an excellent credit score (720+), and no money down. However, if you want to increase mileage or put money down, it will increase or decrease your monthly payments. 
On top of trim level, you also have to consider your credit score. A credit rating of 700 or more will give you a good interest rate and favorable terms, but anything below 649 will hike up your monthly payments. However, if your credit score isn’t in the ‘good’ category, don’t panic yet. You can still be approved for a lease but dealers will do so with higher
interest rates
, so it’s best to call your local Hyundai dealership and see what they can offer you.
Let’s take a look at how your credit score can influence your payments. This is assuming no money down, a 36-month lease term, and 12,000 yearly mileage.
Credit score
Monthly payments
520 to 579
N/A
580 to 609
N/A
610 to 629
N/A
630 to 649
N/A
650 to 669
$339 to $348
670 to 689
$330 to $339
690 to 719
$322 to $330
720+
$322
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* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
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* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
As well, you may qualify for one of Hyundai’s
special programs
. If you’re a recent college graduate, you could be eligible to receive $400 towards a lease or purchase, or if you’re part of the military or a first responder, you could get $500 towards a new lease or purchase.

Services included in a Hyundai Kona SEL lease

Leasing a new car means you likely won’t be subject to much maintenance, but in case you are, Hyundai offers a Complimentary Maintenance Program on all new purchases or leases that covers basic care and maintenance for 3 years or 36,000 miles—whichever comes first. 
Your maintenance program covers:
 
  • Engine oil and oil filter changes
  • Tire rotations
  • Multi-point vehicle inspection
  • Hyundai Genuine Oil filters and Hyundai recommended oil
If you want more, you can upgrade to an Extended Hyundai Protection Plan. To learn more about what’s covered in your lease maintenance program, you can download the
program details brochure
.

What to do when your Hyundai Kona lease is up

Whether you’re ready to part with your Kona or not, Hyundai offers you three options when your lease term is up. You can: 
  • Purchase or lease a new Hyundai Kona (or other Hyundai vehicle)
  • Purchase the Kona SEL you’re currently driving
  • Return your leased vehicle to the dealership

How to return a leased Hyundai Kona

If you’re keen to get behind the wheel or a new Hyundai or just want to give your current on back, there are a few steps you’ll have to take to prepare.
In the last few months of your lease, start getting prepared to turn in your Kona. That means: 
  • Identify any excess wear and use using the
    Self-Assessment
    tool
  • Make any necessary repairs to avoid having to pay excess wear and use charges
  • Speak with a Lease-End Advisor at 1-855-463-5378, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Eastern for details on your lease-end options
  • Call your local Hyundai dealer to schedule a Turn-In Appointment
Keep in mind that the self-assessment tool is an estimate of charges you may be liable for. Final wear and use charges are determined with a formal inspection after vehicle turn-in.
Before you head back to the dealership to return your car, you should: 
  • Clean your vehicle inside and out and remove any personal belongings
  • Complete and sign an
    Odometer Disclosure Statement
    and fax the completed statement to 1-972-590-3968
  • Make sure all original equipment is included with the vehicle upon return: 
  • Keys and keyless remotes
  • Owner’s manual
  • Headrests
  • Cargo covers/nets (if applicable)
  • License plates (call your local DMV to see if you need to return your plates)

How to purchase a leased Hyundai Kona SEL

If you’re not ready to say goodbye to your Kona SEL, Hyundai makes it easy to purchase your daily driver. Here are your three options:
  1. Visit or call your Hyundai dealer
  2. Call a Lease-End Advisor at 1-855-463-5378
  3. Log in to your HMF account and request a payout quote
If you need more information on lease-end options, you can check out everything on the
Lease End Overview
webpage.

How to find the best car insurance for a Hyundai Kona lease

Once you’ve signed the papers on your Hyundai Kona lease, you’ll want to make sure you have the right coverage to keep it protected. But finding
cheap car insurance
can be a challenge. That’s why the
trustworthy super app
and licensed broker
Jerry
does the work for you. Jerry searches through more than 50 of the leading insurance providers to find you the coverage you need at the lowest rate. 
And getting started is easy. Just download the Jerry app, enter your information, and in less than two minutes, Jerry sends you the most competitive customized insurance quotes. Once you find the policy that’s right for you, Jerry’s team of experts will take care of all the paperwork needed to switch you over. And simply by choosing Jerry, you could be saving an average of $887 a year on car insurance!
Jerry
blew my mind, honestly. From start to finish, using the app took me 10 minutes and I ended up with $100 of savings a month. Best of all, customer service answered all my questions about rental car reimbursement and roadside assistance.” —Savanna R.
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