What is the Average Mileage for a Leased Car​? Are There Limits?

When researching your next car lease, you must factor in mileage limits and whether you’ll have enough to drive as you please without overspending. It’s useful to find out the average mileage across the country to get a rough estimate of what you should aim for. The good news is lease contracts are flexible: you typically choose an annual mileage that suits your needs from various presets.

Nonetheless, you may be thinking: ‘How many miles can I drive on a leased car, and what’s the average mileage allowance?’ In this guide, we’ll explore the typical mileage allowances on lease deals, how mileage impacts your lease costs, what options you have for mileage plans, and what happens if you exceed the limit. By the end, you’ll know how to choose the right mileage package for your needs, and avoid any nasty surprise fees.

What is the Average Car Mileage in the UK?

Combining 2023 UK government data on mileage of petrol, diesel and hybrid cars (thus excluding EVs for now), the average UK driver travels 7,567 miles per year. This is a useful benchmark because leasing companies often tailor their deals around these kinds of figures.

It’s interesting to note that while the average Brit drives under 8,000 miles a year, many still round up to a 10,000-mile lease plan as a precaution.

How Does Mileage Impact Your Lease?

Mileage is one of the biggest factors affecting your lease terms and costs. The mileage allowance you agree to has a direct impact on your monthly payment because it influences the car’s expected residual value.

Underestimating or overestimating your mileage has consequences. If you undershoot your mileage, you risk exceeding the limit and incurring fees later – find out more in our excess mileage charge blog. If you overshoot, you’ve essentially paid extra in your monthly payments for miles you didn’t actually drive, and you won’t get a refund for unused miles at the end.

Car Lease Mileage Options

Leasing companies offer a range of mileage options to suit different drivers. On the lower end, plans often start around 5,000 miles per year, which might suit you if you only drive locally or infrequently (think short commutes and the occasional weekend drive). For most average drivers, common annual packages are 8,000, 10,000, or 12,000 miles. In fact, these are the bread-and-butter mileage bands that cover the majority of people’s needs. Many UK lease deals advertise around 8k-10k as standard because, as mentioned above, that encapsulates the national average usage pretty well.

For those with longer regular journeys planned, there are high-mileage lease deals available too. Typically, leasing companies allow mileage options in increments like 15,000, 20,000, or even 25,000 miles per year for those who need it.

Are there leases with unlimited mileage? In almost all cases, no. Unlimited mileage leasing hasn’t really caught on in the UK.

Which Lease Mileage Option Is Best For You?

Choosing the best mileage plan for your lease is like being Goldilocks searching for the porridge that’s just right. You want neither too little nor too much. Here’s how to figure out the sweet spot:

1. Gauge your driving habits by looking at how many miles you drive in a typical year. Check your car’s odometer readings from previous years or MOT/service records for an annual mileage figure. If you have them, insurance renewal forms often list your declared annual mileage, too.
2. Consider lifestyle changes that might affect your driving in the near changes. New job farther from home? Moving out of the city? Planning to start doing long road trips on weekends? On the flip side, maybe you’ll be working from home more, or moving closer to work. Such changes can swing your mileage up or down.
3. Add a small buffer, because life is unpredictable. You might take an impromptu holiday drive to Cornwall, or end up using the car more during winter when “it’s raining buckets” and walking isn’t fun. Plan for the unexpected and add about a 10-15% extra as a cushion.
4. Avoid overkill on the buffer. Remember, if you massively overestimate and choose, for example, a 15,000-mile plan but only end up driving 8,000 each year, you’ve paid for a lot of miles you didn’t use. You won’t get money back for unused miles.

If you’re still unsure, have a chat with the leasing company or use their calculators. Leasing consultants have plenty of experience and can advise based on your situation – after all, they want you to be happy with your mileage choice, too.

Choose the Right Lease Deal with cars2buy

Avoiding a lease car excess mileage charge comes down to smart planning and open communication, and with cars2buy, we help you have both. We are the UK’s number-one destination for finding new car leases, allowing you to browse the very best personal car leases from hundreds of trusted dealerships across the UK. Maybe you require business car leasing options for your company car or fleet, or are eyeing the latest eco-friendly ride. If so, no problem – check out our electric car leasing deals.

Whatever you desire, we’ve done the hard work for you, so you can compare all the latest leases all in one transparent service that lets you get the full scope of what’s out there. Get your hands on the perfect new lease car for you without the hassle with cars2buy today.