Captive Lender
The manufacturer's in-house finance arm (Kia Motors Finance, GMF, Ford Credit, Toyota Financial). Sets the rates dealers use on that brand's leases and loans.
A captive lender is the financing subsidiary owned by a vehicle manufacturer — Toyota Financial Services, Ford Motor Credit, GM Financial, BMW Financial Services, Honda Financial Services, Kia Motors Finance, and so on. Captives publish a monthly rate sheet (buy rates and money factors tiered by credit) that dealers use on every lease and most loans for that brand. Captives subsidize promotional rates (subvented rates) and lease cash to move slow inventory. Knowing the captive's public buy rate before the F&I office means the dealer can't rate-bump you without you catching it. Edmunds and LeaseHackr publish current captive rate sheets by region.