Best Car Deals: December 2011

It’s the time of year when car companies try to entice shoppers into their showrooms with big bows in hopes of landing some big sales. And if you’re looking for a new car discount, those sales can be pretty tempting. With car makers promoting their “best deals of the year,” it’s easy to get dazzled by the new car incentives and offers.
But you may not want to get your sleigh ready to trade in just yet. New car sales in November were very strong, reflecting a lot of pent-up demand. And, as any economics 101 student can tell you, when demand rises, prices tend to rise too.

While December new car deals don’t show that new car prices are going up, for the most part, they’re not any better than the new car discounts and incentives that car companies offered in November – and October, for that matter. If you’re looking for a good deal on a new car, you’ll probably find one. But, amid all the holiday promotions, don’t forget to do your homework. Not all holiday sales are created equal, and you’ll do better if you look out for your bottom line by looking for the best price (while still taking advantage of financing and cash back offers), and comparing December new car incentives.

If you’re looking for a deal on a new compact SUV, you can get a 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan with 0.9 percent financing for up to 60 months. The Tiguan is one of the most fun-to-drive compact SUVs you can buy. If you’ve been dreading giving up a sports car or sporty sedan for something more family-friendly, the Tiguan is a great way to go, especially since financing through Volkswagen can get you such a low rate now.

Choosing between a cash back offer or a low interest financing deal can be tough. For example, the Ford Fusion is available with zero-percent financing for 60 months or you can choose to take $2,000 cash back and get financing from your bank or credit union. If you finance for 60 months at 4.5 percent, you’ll end up paying about $125 more over the life of the loan than if you went for the zero-percent financing deal. In this case, the deals are about equal.

We strive to keep this list of the best car deals up-to-date, but they can change without warning. In many cases, the deals available to you depend on where you live. The best way to find out if you can take advantage of these deals is to contact a dealer near you by using the form next to the car you’re interested in below.

Our best car deals for December cover purchase deals for Toyota, Nissan, Ford, Honda, Chevy, Hyundai, Kia, Mazda, Buick, GMC, Subaru, Lexus and Volkswagen vehicles. We also feature this month’s best lease deals and best deals on used cars. There’s a great deal out there for you, and we’ve done the research to help you find it.