It's relatively easy getting an amazing deal on a passenger car these days. But an SUV or crossover? Good luck. 

While passenger car sales fell by 2 percent last year, sales of light trucks (including SUVs) soared by 13 percent, leading some analysts to conclude that light trucks will overtake passenger cars in sales. Because of this relentless demand for trucks, deals on a SUV are typically worse than with an equivalently priced sedan.

That said, we've found an anomaly. Thanks to high residual values, even a modest discount on Toyota's eight-passenger Highlander SUV can result in an attractive lease, especially if you choose Multiple Security Deposits (MSD). Here's what you need to know.

Current Lease Program - Valid Through October 31, 2016

The cost of leasing a particular car is determined by its lease program, which is set by the manufacturer, and the selling price, which is set by the dealer. Here is the current lease program for 2016 Highlander through Toyota Financial Services:

These residuals assume 12,000 miles per year. Deduct 2% for 15,000 miles per year. Below is the money factor (MF) for 2016 Highlander assuming excellent credit:

Confused about the terminology? Read this.

Selling Price

A 2016 Highlander LE FWD has an MSRP of $32,955. Here in Southern California, the average selling price is approximately 5% off MSRP. We would target a selling price of $30,650 (7% off MSRP), which represents a "very good" price that most internet sales departments in the region should honor. 

Putting It Together

Use the lease calculator below to customize your own inputs, such as MSRP, selling price, and residual. Every dealer sets its own selling price, depending on factors like inventory and demand. Here's a sample deal of a 2016 Highlander LE FWD in Southern California assuming 7% off MSRP, excellent credit, and 12,000 miles per year.

(11/13/17: Have issues with the calculator loading? Refresh the page. We are working on a fix.)