The Most Discounted New Cars Right Now

These models are selling below their sticker price, according to CR's exclusive analysis of car deals

By Jeff S. Bartlett and Todd Young

Updated April 13, 2023

2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Giulia driving — 2023 Alfa Romeo Stelvio (left) and Alfa Romeo Giulia

Discounts on cars are as hard to find as cars themselves because of the pandemic and related supply and demand forces. But Consumer Reports’ analysis shows that there are still cars, trucks, and SUVs that are selling for less than the sticker price. These are often specific trims or drive-wheel configurations rather than savings being consistent across a model range.

We recently published the best nationwide incentives for models recommended by Consumer Reports, the best new-car deals, and the best new SUV deals. Those forward-looking pieces show where the best deals on cars and SUVs can be found.

For the analysis presented here, we looked back at recent transaction data from TrueCar.com, a CR partner, to see where people are finding significant savings off the sticker price. The discounts are smaller than usual, although there’s still potentially more money to be saved on many vehicles through negotiation and shopping around. The savings can often be a couple of percentage points more than the typical transaction.

This underscores the importance of knowing how much room is available for negotiation and what others have paid, information that’s available on our car model pages. Extra savings are available, but people are leaving money on the table.

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 selections to models that meet the stringent criteria to be recommended by CR. We identified 10 that are 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 now are 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 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.

CR's Build & Buy Car Buying Service

In addition to research and reviews, Consumer Reports offers members access to the Build & Buy Car Buying Service at no additional cost. Through this service, members can compare in-stock vehicles, see what others paid for the car they want, and customize their payments online. Once they find the vehicle they’re interested in, members can get up-front price offers online from local certified dealers. On top of national incentives, Consumer Reports members are eligible for additional incentive offers from select manufacturers through the Build & Buy Car Buying Service. Plus, they can get an instant trade-in value for their current vehicle to use toward their next car purchase.

Become a member to read the full article and get access to digital ratings.

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