You've been sold a bill of goods, or whoever tried to tell you this doesn't understand leasing.
ex-lease cars are just as good as new, come with a new car warranty, and don't come with the absurd depreciation.
look at cars that where released 3 years ago, that's the used cars we're talking about not a 1990s civic or whatever.
Poor people buy new cars, rich people lease them, smart people buy ex-lease cars.