Holiday, Year-End Car Shopping: 10 Best New-Car Deals For December
 2015 Chevrolet Malibu |
IRVINE, CA -- Dec. 17, 2014: Just in time for the holidays and year-end bargains, the experts from Kelley Blue Book have assembled their list of the 10 best lease, financing and cash back deals available in December from a variety of auto manufacturers.
Kelley Blue Book Ranks Best Cash Back, Financing, Lease Deals Available Between Now and New Year; Experts Provide Tips for End-of-Year Car Shopping
"Year-end is one of the best times to buy a new car as automakers look to maximize sales numbers for the calendar year," said Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com. "In the wake of Lexus' highly successful 'December to Remember' campaign that first launched years ago, many automakers have been offering holiday sales events, making now an opportune time for shoppers to get a deal on a car they may have been eyeing all year. Our 10 Best Deals this month include some 2015 models and some outgoing 2014s, from compact cars to luxury vehicles to three-row SUVs, all with money-saving offers so shoppers can ring in the new year with a brand-new car."
Below are the KBB.com editors' picks for standout new-car lease, financing and cash back deals, all available at least through January 2, 2015:
KBB.com 10 Best New Car Deals of the Month – December 2014
| Rank | Year | Make | Model |
MSRP2 | Kelley Blue Book® Fair Purchase Price3 | Lease Term (months) | Monthly Payment | Amount Due at Signing |
| 2 | 2015 | Chevrolet | Malibu | $24,560 | $23,393 | 36 | $189 | $1,369 |
| 4 | 2014 | Infiniti | Q50 | $40,905 | $37,031 | 39 | $329 | $2,799 |
| 5 | 2014 | Toyota | Prius v | $27,575 | $25,358 | 36 |
$249 | $999 |
| 7 | 2015 | Mazda | Mazda6 | $23,715 | $22,131 | 39 | $189 | $1,989 |
| 8 | 2014 | Honda | Civic | $20,010 | $17,763 | 36 |
$149 | $1,999 |
| 9 | 2015 | Buick | Regal | $32,675 | $31,133 | 39 | $259 | $3,109 |
Financing Deals
| Rank | Year | Make | Model | MSRP2 | Kelley Blue Book® Fair Purchase Price3 | Financing APR4 |
| 10 |
2014 | Volkswagen | Passat | $27,495 | $24,374 | 0% for 60 months |
Cash Back Deals
| Rank | Year | Make | Model | MSRP2 | Kelley Blue Book® Fair Purchase Price3 | Cash Back5 |
| 1 | 2014 | Mazda | CX-9 | $30,815 | $27,749 |
$4,000 cash back |
| 3 | 2014 | Toyota | Avalon | $32,415 | $28,716 |
$1,000 cash back + 0% financing for 60 months |
| 6 | 2014 | Chrysler | 300 | $31,990 | $29,767 |
$4,250 cash back |
2 MSRP is Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price.
3The Kelley Blue BookŪ Fair Purchase Price (FPP) is updated weekly to show shoppers what others have been paying for this car recently. FPP data in chart was sourced from KBB.com on December 15, 2014. Tax, title, license extra.
4Monthly payment assumes 60 months at default APR 3.5%, unless otherwise noted.
5Purchase payments assume cash back applied as down payment.
Tips for End-of-Year Car Shopping
Dealers trying to hit monthly and yearly sales targets could well be more inclined to discount vehicles at this time of year to attain those goals. Further, in many parts of the country, bad weather and holiday shopping combine to slow dealer foot traffic to a crawl, so dealers may be more inclined to discount to close a deal rather than risk making no sales at all. Kelley Blue Book experts recommend the following:
Research new and used vehicle Fair Purchase Prices on KBB.com to determine what other consumers have recently paid for the vehicle you seek.
Understand what your current car is worth; use KBB.com to determine the trade-in value of the car you currently own.
Look at your personal situation to determine if you are better off leasing or buying. When examining promotional deals, make certain the deal is available on a car equipped as you'd like.