As the year draws to a close, car dealerships are eager to make room for next year’s models. This creates a prime opportunity for savvy buyers to snag fantastic deals on new vehicles. The end-of-year sales events often feature significant discounts, attractive financing offers, and generous lease deals. If you’re in the market for a new car, now is one of the best times to buy.
Navigating the sea of options can be overwhelming, with every manufacturer claiming to have the best deal. To help you cut through the noise, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the 12 best cars to consider for your year-end purchase. This guide covers a range of categories, from efficient sedans and versatile SUVs to powerful trucks and eco-friendly EVs. We’ll explore what makes each vehicle stand out, giving you the information you need to make a confident and informed decision.
Why Buy a Car at the End of the Year?
Before we jump into our top picks, let’s briefly touch on why year-end car shopping is so advantageous. Dealerships and manufacturers operate on sales quotas, which are often tracked on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis. To meet these targets, they are highly motivated to sell their remaining inventory of the current year’s models before the new ones arrive. This urgency translates into substantial savings for you, the buyer. You’ll often find lower sticker prices, better trade-in values, and more favorable financing terms.
Top Sedans for Style and Efficiency
Sedans remain a popular choice for their blend of comfort, fuel efficiency, and driving dynamics. They are perfect for daily commutes, long road trips, and everything in between. Here are our top sedan picks for the year-end sales.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry has long been a benchmark for midsize sedans, and for good reason. It’s renowned for its unwavering reliability, comfortable ride, and excellent fuel economy. The current model continues this legacy with a sleek design and a host of standard safety features through Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+.
Inside, the Camry offers a spacious and well-thought-out cabin with user-friendly controls. Whether you choose the efficient four-cylinder engine or the more powerful V6, you’ll enjoy a smooth and composed driving experience. For those looking to maximize fuel savings, the Camry Hybrid is an exceptional choice, delivering impressive mileage without sacrificing performance. Year-end deals often make the already great value of the Camry even more appealing.
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is another titan in the midsize sedan category, consistently praised for its engaging driving dynamics, upscale interior, and advanced technology. It strikes a perfect balance between being a practical family car and a fun-to-drive vehicle. The standard turbocharged engine provides brisk acceleration, while the optional hybrid powertrain offers a compelling mix of power and efficiency.
The Accord’s interior feels more premium than its price tag suggests, with high-quality materials and a sophisticated design. The infotainment system is intuitive, and there’s ample space for both front and rear passengers. During year-end sales, you can often find attractive lease deals and financing offers on the Accord, making it an excellent time to get behind the wheel of this well-rounded sedan.
Hyundai Elantra
For those seeking a compact sedan that delivers bold style and incredible value, the Hyundai Elantra is a standout choice. Its sharp, angular design turns heads, while its feature-packed interior provides a level of equipment usually found in more expensive cars. The Elantra comes with a generous list of standard features, including a user-friendly touchscreen and a suite of driver-assistance technologies.
The Elantra offers several powertrain options, including a fuel-sipping standard engine, a sporty N-Line version, and a highly efficient hybrid model. Hyundai’s excellent warranty, one of the best in the industry, adds an extra layer of peace of mind. Look for special financing and cash-back offers on the Elantra as dealerships clear out their inventory.
Versatile SUVs for Every Adventure
SUVs have become the vehicle of choice for many families and individuals, thanks to their practicality, cargo space, and all-weather capability. Here are the top SUVs to look for during the year-end buying season.
Toyota RAV4
The Toyota RAV4 is a dominant force in the compact SUV market, and it’s easy to see why. It offers a winning combination of reliability, practicality, and efficiency. With its rugged styling and comfortable interior, the RAV4 is equally at home on city streets and dirt trails. The standard powertrain is capable and fuel-efficient, but the RAV4 Hybrid and plug-in hybrid RAV4 Prime models are particularly noteworthy for their impressive performance and fuel economy.
The interior is spacious and functional, with plenty of room for passengers and cargo. Toyota’s commitment to safety is evident with the standard Toyota Safety Sense package. Year-end incentives on the RAV4 can make this already popular SUV an even smarter purchase.
Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V has been a longtime favorite among compact SUV buyers for its spacious interior, comfortable ride, and exceptional fuel efficiency. It’s a master of practicality, offering one of the largest cargo areas in its class and a thoughtfully designed cabin that maximizes passenger space.
The CR-V is available with a responsive turbocharged engine or an advanced hybrid system that provides smooth power delivery and excellent mileage. The ride is composed and quiet, making it a relaxing vehicle for daily driving. Honda typically offers attractive lease programs and financing rates at the end of the year, making the CR-V an even more compelling option.
Ford Bronco
For those with a spirit of adventure, the Ford Bronco is an exciting choice. Revived to much acclaim, the Bronco combines retro-inspired design with serious off-road capability. Available in both two- and four-door configurations, it offers a range of powerful engines and advanced four-wheel-drive systems to tackle any terrain.
One of the Bronco’s most appealing features is its open-air driving capability, with removable doors and a removable roof. The interior is durable and water-resistant, designed for easy cleanup after a day on the trails. While high demand can sometimes make deals harder to find, the end of the year is a great time to look for opportunities as dealerships aim to meet their sales goals.
Powerful Trucks for Work and Play
Pickup trucks are more popular than ever, serving as capable workhorses, comfortable family vehicles, and rugged off-roaders. Here are the top trucks to consider.
Ford F-150
The Ford F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle in America for decades, a testament to its versatility, innovation, and capability. It’s available in a vast array of configurations, from a basic work truck to a luxurious, feature-laden cruiser. The F-150 offers a wide range of engine options, including an efficient hybrid and the all-electric F-150 Lightning.
One of its standout features is the Pro Power Onboard system, which turns the truck into a mobile generator. The interior is spacious and can be equipped with advanced technology like a large touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster. Year-end sales events are a fantastic time to find deals on the F-150, with significant rebates and financing offers often available.
Ram 1500
The Ram 1500 sets the standard for ride comfort and interior luxury in the full-size truck segment. Its unique coil-spring rear suspension provides a smooth, car-like ride that distinguishes it from its competitors. The interior is a highlight, with high-quality materials, a stylish design, and an available 12-inch touchscreen that is one of the best in the business.
The Ram 1500 offers a range of capable engines, including a mild-hybrid V6 and a powerful Hemi V8. The cabin is quiet and comfortable, making it an excellent choice for long journeys. Look for generous cash-back offers and low-APR financing on the Ram 1500 during year-end promotions.
Chevrolet Colorado
For those who don’t need the massive size of a full-size truck, the Chevrolet Colorado is a compelling midsize option. It offers a great balance of capability and maneuverability, making it well-suited for both work and daily driving. The Colorado is available with a powerful turbocharged four-cylinder engine in various states of tune, providing strong performance across the lineup.
The redesigned Colorado boasts a modern interior with a standard 11.3-inch touchscreen and a digital gauge cluster. It’s also available in several off-road-focused trims, including the rugged ZR2, which is one of the most capable midsize off-roaders on the market.
Eco-Friendly EVs and Hybrids
The market for electric and hybrid vehicles is rapidly expanding, offering buyers more choices than ever for efficient and environmentally friendly transportation.
Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model Y has quickly become one of the best-selling EVs in the world. As a compact electric SUV, it offers impressive range, exhilarating performance, and a minimalist, tech-forward interior. The Model Y provides ample cargo space and the option of a third-row seat, making it a practical choice for families.
Access to Tesla’s extensive Supercharger network is a major advantage, providing fast and reliable charging on the go. While Tesla’s pricing can be dynamic, the end of the quarter and year often brings incentives to help the company meet its delivery targets.
Hyundai IONIQ 5
The Hyundai IONIQ 5 is a standout electric SUV with its unique retro-futuristic design and innovative features. Built on a dedicated EV platform, it offers a spacious and airy interior with a flat floor. The IONIQ 5 is known for its ultra-fast charging capability, allowing it to charge from 10% to 80% in as little as 18 minutes at a compatible DC fast charger.
It delivers a smooth and quiet ride, with available dual-motor all-wheel drive providing quick acceleration. The IONIQ 5 has won numerous awards for its design and engineering, and year-end deals can make this cutting-edge EV even more accessible.
Kia Sportage Hybrid
The Kia Sportage Hybrid combines the bold styling of the standard Sportage with an efficient and powerful hybrid powertrain. It delivers excellent fuel economy without compromising on performance or practicality. The interior is modern and spacious, with a large, curved display that houses both the instrument cluster and the infotainment screen.
The Sportage Hybrid offers a comfortable ride and a generous amount of standard features. Kia’s industry-leading warranty provides long-term peace of mind. As dealerships make way for new models, you can expect to find attractive offers on this stylish and efficient hybrid SUV.
Your Path to a New Car
The end of the year presents a golden opportunity to get a great deal on a new vehicle. By focusing on models from Motorist that are due for a refresh or are part of a manufacturer’s year-end sales push, you can maximize your savings. Whether you’re in the market for a dependable sedan, a versatile SUV, a powerful truck, or an eco-friendly EV, the options on this list represent some of the best value available.
Before you head to the dealership, be sure to do your research, get pre-approved for a loan, and be ready to negotiate. With the right preparation, you can drive into the new year with a new car and a great deal.
