We have paid cash, taken out loans, and used leased. All can be done intelligently or recklessly. Each have their place in financial planning.
My 2024 Tacoma is a lease. I trade trucks so often, it made sense to have a slightly better truck than if I financed something. Whoever gets my truck will get a pretty nice maintained truck, with low miles. I still maintain it like it's something I "owned". Heck, it's even undercoated.