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Best End-of-Summer New-Car Deals
Best End-of-Summer New-Car Deals
Big savings on good cars, minivans, SUVs, and trucks
As summer winds down, the airwaves are alive with promotions for model-year-end sales to clear the dealer lots of older cars and make way for incoming 2019 models. This can be a time to get a great deal, though bear in mind these 2018s will be considered a year old in just weeks.
Our list of best end-of-summer new-car deals was created by focusing on the models with the greatest percentage of potential savings compared with their sticker price.
They are selected from vehicles with a strong Overall Score, which factors in road-test performance, owner satisfaction, reliability, and safety. (Learn more about CR car ratings.)
Using these filters, we have curated a collection of vehicles that are from 15 to 19 percent below the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, with potential savings from $2,950 to $6,600 once nationwide incentives are applied. The models listed below are ranked by percentage of potential savings, starting with the greatest.
These extreme savings come with trade-offs, though. It’s the end of the model year, and any 2018 car purchased now will see accelerated first-year depreciation, especially models being redesigned, such as the Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, Nissan Altima, and Ram 1500.
That may not matter if you plan to hold on to the vehicle for several years, especially if you’re a high-mileage driver. And while the all-new models may sound tempting with their advanced features, their performance and reliability is unknown. Models are typically most reliable in their last year of production.
