Top 10 New Car Deals for December 2012

Once a month, automakers report their sales. The numbers game is always a big one. Did Company A outsell Competitor B again? Are trucks making a comeback? Are compact cars still big? How about crossovers? Of course, there are a lot of bragging rights, too. Being able to say that your car is the best-selling in its class has a lot of clout with people: If it's the best-selling, it must be the best, right? It's not like all those people are making a bad choice, are they? Actually, yes. A lot of times they are. But that's another story for another time. One way that automakers will try to one-up each other in these closely watched sales games is with incentives. Cash-money, sitting on the hood (figuratively speaking), to help close the deal between the dealer and you. A lot of times, they're on cars that we wouldn't wish on our worst high-school bully. But sometimes a legitimately good car gets a nice little perk. Which brings us to this month's Top 10 New Car Deals.

2013 BMW ActiveHybrid 5
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$4,500 Cash Incentive
Expires 1/2/13
The luxury car market is changing. Fast. It used to be that to make a luxury statement, you simply bought the most expensive car. This guaranteed you the best features, softest leather, most powerful engine...and usually pretty terrible fuel economy. For the most part, the game is the same, with the exception of the fuel economy part. That's because today, being environmentally friendly is more important in some circles than how many gallons of gas you conspicuously consumed as you backed down your driveway. The 2013 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 is the kind of car that will appeal to those who want to burnish their green credentials--the 335-horsepower drivetrain gets up to 30 mpg on the highway--but without having to settle for something as common as a Prius. The $4,500 price cut is only valid if you finance through BMW, but hey, it's worth it.
2012 BMW X5 xDrive35d
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$4,500 Cash Incentive
Expires 1/2/13
Diesel in the United States hasn't had a fair shake since the 70s. But it lived on in Europe, and in the intervening decades, diesel engines have grow in sophistication that you 'd never know what was powering your car. In fact, diesel has even become the alternative fuel de jour for the in-crowds, thanks to their excellent power, outstanding fuel economy, and the fact that you can get hybrid-like range without having to give up space inside for a battery pack. Still, trucks seem to make the most sense for diesels in the U.S., which is probably why BMW is so adamant about selling you one of its trucks--the X5--with a diesel engine. In fact, they're so eager to get you to try out their 2012 BMW X5 xDrive35d that they'll take an extra $4,500 if you finance through BMW. That's a lot of diesel fuel right there.
2012 Chevrolet Avalanche
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$4,500 Cash Incentive
Expires 1/2/13
After initial excitement about the Chevrolet Avalanche when it was first introduced a decade ago, sales quickly dwindled. We're not sure why--probably because it was rejected by "real" truck guys--but the Avalanche could be the perfect vehicle for a lot more people than actually buy it. Consider: It has a fully enclosed bed, but it can be opened up fully to accept huge loads. It can tow as much as a standard pickup, but it offers up the interior quiet and solitude of an SUV. This is because the Avalanche resides in the netherworld between a pickup and an SUV, offering the advantages of both. If you're having trouble deciding between the two kinds of vehicles, maybe $4,500 cash back from GM will help you make up your mind. The incentive is good on all models; two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive.
2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 Extended Cabs
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$3,500 Cash Incentive
Expires 1/2/13
In just over a month, Chevrolet and GMC are going to introduce their next-generation pickup trucks at the Detroit Auto Show. Maybe that's why sales of the big trucks fell off last month; buyers are just waiting for the new and shiny versions in the pipeline. Maybe it's because the big GM trucks are the oldest of the Big Three's trucks on the market today; sorry Toyota and Nissan, but you're still niche players here. But whatever the reason, GM really wants to get you into one of their trucks, and it'll even give you $3,500 if you buy a 2012 model with an Extended Cab (Crew Cab models get $3,000 back). This is for 2012 models, true, but since there's virtually no difference between this and the 2013 model, we see no reason to spend extra money just to get a "newer" truck.
2012 Ford Expedition and 2012 Lincoln Navigator
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$3,000 Cash Incentive
Expires 1/2/13
Remember when giant SUVs were clogging up every single parking lot and freeway in America? So does Ford, and it wants to repeat those days. OK, maybe not repeat outright, but it sure would like to get a few of its big Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator models out the door before the year ends. Truth be known, if you really need a big family hauler that can tow a boat or heavy camper, you could do worse. The Expedition is comfortable and quiet, and while fuel economy is admittedly pretty awful, if you need the kind of capability the Expedition offers, there are few other choices out there (two are below, however). If you like the idea of the Expedition, but need more chrome on the grille, the Lincoln Navigator is a high-stylin' luxury icon of its own. Now, both are $3,000 cheaper.
2013 Ford Focus SE and Titanium
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$2,500 Cash Incentive
Expires 1/2/13
On nearly the opposite end of the Ford product spectrum is the 2013 Ford Focus. This compact has been making friends everywhere it goes, and it's easy to understand why. It looks great, for starters. Both the sedan and hatchback version are nicely proportioned head turners. They also offer up a lot of value for the money, with tons of features--including Ford's Sync voice-activated infotainment system-- and they're fun to drive, too. So why the incentives? Because the Honda Civic is out there, and so is the Toyota Corolla, and Ford would be oh-so-happy to beat them in the compact car game. We don't think it'll make it, but it'll be close, and an extra $2,500 on an already hot-selling car isn't going to hurt.
2012 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban; GMC Yukon and Yukon XL
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$2,000 Cash Incentive
Expires 1/2/13
If you were enticed by all the talk of big, hulking SUVs to tow your boat and haul your family to distant lands, but just happen to be one of those rather-push-a-Chevy-than-drive-a-Ford types, well good news for you. GM is offering up a similar--though slightly less generous--incentive on the 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe and Subaurban, along with its GMC counterparts, the Yukon and Yukon XL. Like their Ford competition, these big trucks are past their popularity heyday, but at the same time, they're inherent usefulness is inescapable if your lifestyle dictates it. If you need a little extra luxury in your daily trail blazing, don't worry: the same $2,000 incentive applies to the luxurious Denali versions of the Yukon and Yukon XL, too.
2012 Lincoln MKX
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$2,000 Cash Incentive
Expires 1/2/13
Not too long ago, we drove the Lincoln MKX's brother, the Ford Edge. And we liked it. True, you can't get the MKX with the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine we had in our Edge. But the 3.7-liter, 305-horsepower V-6 that's standard on every MKX tickles the luxury fancy a little better anyhow. Its restyling a few years ago gave it a controversial grille, but it's still an improvement, and the interior is downright elegant. It's just as roomy and comfortable as the Edge, too, with a huge cargo area, cavernous rear seats, and a great driver's seat for long hauls, or around town. There aren't any noteworthy changes for the 2013 model year, so the $2,000 you get back for buying a 2012 Lincoln MKX sounds like a sweet deal to us.
2013 Ford Escape
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$1,500 Cash Incentive
Expires 1/2/13
The 2013 Ford Escape was on our list last month, too, and for the same reason: $1,500 back on an already very good and inexpensive crossover is just too good to pass up. The reason is simple: Ford wants the Escape to hold the title of Best Seller in its class, a title currently held fast by the Honda CR-V. While Honda isn't offering more than some financing deals (which, in fairness, are pretty good), Ford's going the traditional route, throwing a bunch of cash right there on the hood. As for us, either vehicle is a good bet, but if it all comes down to price for you, that extra $1,500 may be the deciding factor.
2012 Kia Sorento
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$1,500 Cash Incentive
Expires 1/2/13
There's a new, heavily refreshed Kia Sorento coming this spring, and wearing a 2014 model year. Kia did a great job of addressing our concerns with the new vehicle, and we think it'll do well. But for now, there's $1,500 cash back to you if you get the current Kia Sorento. And it's not like the current Sorento is a bad car. Quite the opposite; with a thrifty four-cylinder or powerful V-6 engine, room for seven, good cargo space, sharp styling and plenty of features even in base models, the Sorento has earned its spot on Kia's bestseller list for good reason. While the new one is worth waiting for, if you can't wait, then Kia has 1,500 reasons to make the jump now.