Reflecting market adjustments and noticeable change in domestic vehicle leasing volume, LeaseTrader.com declared more Americans are now leasing domestic units compared with pre-recession activity.

“Prior to 2008, domestic vehicle leases on LeaseTrader.com were one-sided with only the SUV/truck category representing any significant percentage of total marketplace inventory,” explained Sergio Stiberman, chief executive officer and founder of LeaseTrader.com.

“Today, domestic leased vehicles in economy, midsize and crossover categories have jumped into the mix, signifying a resurgence in leasing-program popularity among American drivers of domestic vehicles,” Stiberman continued.

Recently, LeaseTrader.com named the Ford Edge as its 2010 Domestic Car of the Year based on volume of customer searches and takeovers among all domestic brands.

LeaseTrader.com recapped that import vehicles have traditionally held a larger stake in leasing programs. But site officials have noticed foreign brands such as Toyota and Lexus have had inventory reductions on their site, possibly as a result of the company’s recent image issues.

The site also said Honda, Nissan and Infiniti all have seen inventory reductions, “mostly as a result of growing lease policy frustrations among customers.”

Furthermore, LeaseTrader.com contends domestic brands also have stolen some inventory market share from popular foreign brands such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz. However, the site went on to mention that Audi, Hyundai and Kia are showing strength, having added inventory and demand since pre-recession levels.

“Domestic automakers can now offer very competitive lease offers because of strengthened residual values and a much improved product lineup,” noted Jesse Toprak, vice president of industry trends and insights at TrueCar.com.

“In addition, leasing is critical for domestic automakers future sales as leasing provides higher customer loyalty and retention rates due to the vehicle being under warranty and consumers’ ability to test new vehicle technology,” Toprak added.