Most months there are a few models that are given an extra push with incentives tied to supply and/or a coming redesign. Automakers and dealerships need to make room for new vehicles. These days there’s plenty of room, but some models are still more popular than others.
Transaction prices remain elevated for most vehicles, though, and the amount you can save varies greatly by model and even trim. It might seem surprising, but there are many vehicles that are selling for close to the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. Supply and demand still rule the day.
For this list, we focused on what people paid, and we didn’t limit the selection to models that meet the stringent criteria to be recommended by CR. We identified 10 that were selling for below their sticker price. Clearly, inflation and elevated gas prices are having an impact. There are some higher-end models that we skipped over from BMW, Infiniti, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo.
In this unusual market, it pays to be flexible because choices at dealerships are now limited. In fact, some of these deals are on a rather specific version, such as front drive, when all-wheel drive may be more desirable.
Of course, you may be able to negotiate an even lower price, but bear in mind that there’s a limit to how low prices can go, especially as demand is often outstripping supply these days. And as we’ve found in buying cars for testing, a decent deal can vanish quickly, so you may need to act quickly.
Something else to keep in mind is that deals can vary not only by vehicle but also by geographic region. Being armed with the latest information on pricing, rebates and transaction prices in your area can help you net a good deal.
The most discounted cars are all 2023 models, and they’re listed below in descending order of savings off MSRP by percentage. Other buyers have recently purchased these vehicles for 2 to 5 percent off the original price.
Pricing details on these versions and other trims are available on our model pages, along with complete road tests, reliability, owner satisfaction, and other key information. CR members can log in to see the car ratings.
Even though these deals are relatively good, it’s wise to buy when the time is right for you. Dealerships are happy to sell you a car anytime. But the market is likely to improve, so waiting could be a good idea. (If you want to buy now, read about CR’s Build & Buy Car Buying service below.)
See all the current best new-car deals or use our dynamic ratings chart to create your own list of vehicles by sorting and filtering by the factors that matter most to you.