About this guide: Brickell Honda is a franchised Honda dealer in the Brickell neighborhood of Miami, operated by Murgado Automotive Group. The pricing referenced below is pulled directly from our live lease-specials page as of the date noted at the end of this article - offers change monthly, so treat the exact dollar figures as illustrative of the pattern, not a quote, and confirm current numbers before you visit.
Short answer: neither model year is automatically the better buy - it depends on which one you're comparing. On several 2026 Honda models right now, the shorter lease term and lower amount due at signing actually beat the equivalent leftover 2025, even when the advertised monthly payment looks a few dollars higher. On some comparisons, the leftover 2025 may still have a slightly lower advertised amount due at signing, even when the 2026 has the stronger overall lease structure. The only way to know which applies to the Honda you want is to compare the two side by side, trim for trim - which is exactly what this guide does using real numbers from our current inventory.
Below, we walk through what "leftover" actually means for a Honda (it's not a used car, and it's not damaged goods), then compare real 2025-versus-2026 lease examples across the Civic, Accord, CR-V, and Pilot lineups. We'll also cover the warranty-start-date question, financing differences, and the resale angle - the parts of this decision that don't show up on a sticker.
What "Leftover" Actually Means on a Honda Lot
A leftover 2025 Honda is a brand-new, never-titled vehicle that was built and shipped during the 2025 model year and simply hasn't sold yet. It retains the safety and equipment specified for that particular model year and trim, and the same build quality as the equivalent trim built a few months later and badged as a 2026. The only meaningful differences are usually: minor trim-level feature shuffles Honda makes at the model-year changeover, the possibility of a new exterior color or two, and - the part that matters most to your wallet - how the manufacturer and the dealer are structuring incentives to move it.
Older-model-year inventory may receive different manufacturer or dealer incentives as newer model-year vehicles arrive on the lot. It isn't a discount because something is wrong with the car - it's a reflection of how incentive programs are currently structured for that model year.
2025 vs. 2026 Honda Lease Pricing: Real Examples
The clearest way to see the pattern is side by side. Every figure below is from Brickell Honda's live lease specials as of this article's publication date, for well-qualified lessees through American Honda Finance. Plus tax in all cases; amount due at signing is separate from the monthly payment.
| Model & Trim | 2026 Lease | 2025 Lease | What Actually Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civic Sedan Sport CVT | $217/mo, 27 mo, $5,795 due | $256/mo, 36 mo, $5,827 due | 2026 - lower payment, lower due at signing, and nine fewer months of commitment. |
| Civic Hatchback Sport CVT | $214/mo, 27 mo, $6,123 due | $257/mo, 36 mo, $6,068 due | 2026 - $43 less per month and a nine-month shorter term; the 2025 requires only $55 less at signing. Review the full disclosures, but the advertised structure strongly favors the 2026. |
| Accord Sedan LX CVT | $229/mo, 36 mo, $4,228 due | $283/mo, 36 mo, $6,263 due | 2026, clearly - same 36-month term, $54 less per month, and over $2,000 less due at signing. |
| CR-V Hybrid Sport FWD | $319/mo, 36 mo, $4,318 due | $304/mo, 36 mo, $7,513 due | 2026 - despite the $15 higher advertised monthly payment, it requires $3,195 less at signing under the currently advertised offer. Review the full lease disclosure for each vehicle before comparing total cost. |
| Pilot EX-L 2WD | $409/mo, 36 mo, $5,408 due | $406/mo, 36 mo, $9,542 due | 2026 - nearly identical monthly payment, but over $4,100 less due at signing. |
Notice the pattern: on several models, the 2026 currently requires less cash due at signing than the leftover 2025, even though conventional wisdom says the older model year should be the cheaper one to drive off the lot. That's consistent with Honda currently running different incentive structures on 2026 production than on remaining 2025 units. If you only compare the headline monthly number, you'll miss it. Compare the monthly payment, the lease term, and the full amount due at signing side by side, and review each offer's disclosure to see exactly what the due-at-signing figure includes - advertised due-at-signing amounts often bundle in the first month's payment and other inception charges, so a true apples-to-apples comparison depends on reading the disclosed total of payments rather than adding the headline figures yourself.
Note: These figures are for the specific VINs advertised at the time of publication and change as inventory turns over. Offer terms and expiration dates may change without notice - verify current offers directly on our specials page before scheduling a visit.
Why a Leftover 2025 Isn't a "Used" Car
This is the objection we hear most often from Miami shoppers who've been burned by the idea of buying "old" inventory. A leftover 2025 Honda has not previously been retail-titled, although individual vehicles may carry some mileage from transportation, dealership use, or test drives. On a vehicle that hasn't previously been placed in service as a demonstrator or company vehicle, Honda's New Vehicle Limited Warranty generally begins when the vehicle is first delivered or leased to its first retail owner - the same Honda warranty terms (3-year/36,000-mile limited warranty and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty) apply regardless of model year, subject to the individual vehicle's in-service date. Because warranty in-service dates can vary by individual VIN, confirm the specific vehicle's warranty status with Brickell Honda before purchase.
The one place model year genuinely matters for resale and trade-in value down the road: when you eventually sell or trade the car, used-vehicle valuations generally consider model year alongside mileage, condition, equipment, history, and market demand. A 2025 Civic you buy today will always carry a "2025" model-year designation, one year "older" on paper than a 2026 bought the same week - even though both were driven off the same lot on the same day. For most owners who keep a car 5+ years, this has a small but real effect on trade-in value at the far end of ownership. It matters less if you plan to lease and return the vehicle, since lease-end value is set by the residual established at signing, not by market resale value.
Financing: Does Model Year Affect Your Rate?
Model year can affect the financing offer available to you. Standard lender approval still depends primarily on factors like credit profile, term, and amount financed rather than the vehicle's model year - but manufacturer-backed APR specials, lease cash, and loyalty/conquest bonuses are frequently model-year-specific and can change from one program period to the next. That's the likely mechanism behind the pricing pattern in the table above: it's not that lenders price a 2025 differently in general, it's that the current manufacturer incentive programs happen to favor 2026 leases on several models right now - a condition that can and does shift month to month, not a permanent rule of thumb.
When the Leftover 2025 Is Still the Right Call
Current advertised lease structures happen to favor the 2026 in several of the examples above, but that doesn't mean a leftover 2025 can never be the better transaction - incentives, inventory, purchase pricing, financing programs, and individual vehicle history can all change the result. A leftover 2025 is worth prioritizing when:
- You found the exact trim, color, and options combination you want, and it happens to be a 2025 - availability narrows fast once a model year clears out, and the right car in hand beats a theoretical better deal on a color you'd settle for.
- You're financing rather than leasing and plan to keep the car long-term (7+ years), where the one-model-year resale gap matters least relative to the total ownership period.
- The specific 2025 trim you want has a materially lower amount due at signing than the 2026 equivalent, and a lower monthly payment or lower upfront requirement matters more to your budget than the overall cost across the full lease term.
How to Compare Before You Visit
Because these numbers move monthly and sometimes weekly as inventory turns over, the table above is a snapshot, not a permanent ranking. Before you come in, pull up the current lease specials for the specific model and trim you're considering, and note the monthly payment, the term length, and the amount due at signing for both the newest 2026 listing and any remaining 2025 listing. Ask for the complete lease disclosure on each - it will show exactly what's included in the due-at-signing figure and the total of payments over the full term, which is the only reliable way to compare the two offers on price. Then weigh that against the color/trim availability and long-term ownership factors above.
Schedule a Test Drive at Brickell Honda
Our team can pull current 2025 and 2026 pricing on any model side by side while you're here, including trims not shown in this guide. Miami, Brickell, Downtown, Little Havana, Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, and Kendall shoppers are welcome to stop by or reach out ahead of time.
Sales: 786-480-1304
Address: 690 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33130
Sales Hours: Sunday 11:00 AM–7:00 PM | Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM–9:00 PM | Friday 9:00 AM–8:00 PM | Saturday 9:00 AM–9:00 PM
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a leftover 2025 Honda considered a used car?
Not necessarily. A leftover 2025 that has not previously been retail-titled can still be sold as a new vehicle, although individual vehicles may have mileage from transportation, dealership use, or test drives. Vehicle history and warranty in-service status should always be confirmed by VIN before purchase.
Does the factory warranty start over on a leftover model?
On a vehicle that hasn't previously been placed in service as a demonstrator or company vehicle, Honda's New Vehicle Limited Warranty generally begins when the vehicle is first delivered or leased - so the same Honda warranty terms apply to a leftover 2025 as to a car built last week, subject to the individual vehicle's in-service date. Warranty in-service dates can vary by individual VIN, so confirm the specific vehicle's status with us before purchase.
Will a 2025 Honda be worth less than a 2026 when I trade it in later?
Generally yes, by a modest amount, because trade and resale valuations reference model year rather than delivery date. This matters more for buyers who finance and keep the car than for lessees who return it at lease-end.
Why would a 2026 Honda lease payment ever be lower than a 2025's?
Manufacturer incentives shift monthly and are often weighted toward moving new-model-year volume. When that happens, a 2026 can carry a shorter lease term, a smaller amount due at signing, or both, even against a leftover 2025 with a lower headline monthly number.
Are there fewer color and trim choices on leftover 2025 models?
Usually, yes - by the time a model year is winding down, the most popular trims and colors have typically already sold, leaving a narrower selection on remaining 2025 units.
Lease offers referenced in this guide were advertised by Brickell Honda as of 2026-08-13 and apply only to the specific vehicles and terms identified. Offers are subject to change or prior sale and may require approval through American Honda Finance Corp. Advertised amounts due at signing may include the first month's payment and other inception charges; a security deposit may also be required depending on the offer. Review the complete offer disclosure for each vehicle, including the number, amount, and timing of payments and whether a security deposit applies. Tax, title, registration, license, dealer fees, and other charges may be additional as disclosed. Vehicle availability, mileage, equipment, incentives, and warranty in-service dates vary by VIN. Confirm all pricing, eligibility requirements, warranty status, and lease terms with Brickell Honda before entering into a transaction. Published 2026-08-13.