Top 10 New Car Deals for September 2012

For automakers, customer incentives take many forms. Sometimes they're cut-rate financing, sometimes it's cash back to use for your down payment. Heck, sometimes it's just free balloons and pony rides for the kids. But carmakers will continue to use them until the end of time, for one simple reason: They work. Of course, a lot of time, incentives are used on vehicles that aren't very popular to help dealers get rid of unwanted inventory. But once in a while there will be an enticement on a car or truck that would already be on most buyers' short lists, making the pot that much sweeter. And that's where this list comes in. Rather than just list the best deals out there, we're showing you the deals on vehicles we'd actually recommend you buy anyhow. After all, even if a manufacturer offers $5,000 off a piece of junk, it's still a piece of junk at the end of the day. But $1,000 back on a car we already like? That's something worth considering. Here are this month's 10 favorite deals, in alphabetical order. This is an act-now list, since the expiration date for many of these deals is coming up fast on October 1. But don't worry, because we'll have an updated version out soon. Happy hunting.

2012 Chevrolet Silverado LS Crew Cab
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$3,000 Cash Back
Expires 10/31/12
It's no secret that a new Chevrolet Silverado is around the corner, and that the current model Chevy Silverado is getting long in the tooth. But so what? The current truck is still a tough customer and a top seller, and an extra $3,000 on the hood seems like a good reason to jump behind the wheel if you're in the market. Note that this is for the base LS model, but as far as we're concerned, that's beside the point. The LS is the meat-and-potatoes work truck version anyhow, and if you're looking for a truck to tow and haul, and still take your friends with you, the Silverado Crew Cab is a good way to go.
2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist
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$1,500 Cash Back
Expires 10/31/12
The 2012 Buick LaCrosse eAssist is just the kind of car that couldn't have existed a decade ago: A no-compromises full-size premium sedan that gets astoundingly good fuel economy. How astounding? How about 36 mpg on the highway, 25 mpg in the city, and 29 mpg combined? That's about the same as a Toyota Corolla, but with significantly more room for people and things, plus a high-quality interior as well. About the only barrier to entry is the price, which starts just below $30,000. But hey, that extra $1,500 sweetens the pot.
2012 BMW 328i, 335i, M3 Coupe
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$3,200 Option Allowance
Expires 10/1/12
Keep in mind that the BMW 3 Series coupes are still the previous-generation cars, and not the same as the new BMW 3 Series sedans that were recently introduced. Despite this, we still think $3,200 toward additional options on a new 3 Series of any flavor is worthwhile. BMW's 3 Series is considered the yardstick by which any other luxury sport sedan (or coupe) is judged; that goes double for the V-8 powered M3 coupe. A common complaint about BMW though is how quickly the price escalates when you start adding options, which makes the option allowance offer that much sweeter. But act fast; it ends on October 1.
2012 Fiat 500
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$2,000 Cash Back
Expires 10/1/12
The Fiat 500 is fun, funky, cute, fuel efficient, and not very expensive. Despite all this, Fiat has been struggling to get the little car off lots, but we think an extra $2,000 might help. Note that this doesn't apply to the fire-breathing Abarth version, but it does apply to the rest of the Fiat 500 lineup. Considering that the base price of a Fiat 500 is only about $16,000 including the destination charge, $2,000 is a more than 10 percent discount, a not too shabby price drop on a pretty nifty little car.
2013 Ford Edge Limited 2WD
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$1,000 Cash Back
Expires 10/1/12
The Ford Edge was originally introduced in 2006, but a thorough refresh a couple years ago has kept this five-passenger crossover fresh in the minds of buyers. We drove a 2012 Ford Edge with the four-cylinder EcoBoost engine not too long ago, and found it to be a solid family hauler, with plenty of room for five, lots of cargo space, and even decent fuel economy for such a large vehicle. But there's no escaping the fact that, under the modern sheetmetal, the Edge is still essentially the same crossover that was introduced so many years ago. To keep things moving--and make way for the 2013 Ford Edge models that are already leaving factories--Ford's throwing a little sweetener on the hood of their crossover in the form of an extra $1,000.
2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid
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$1,000 Cash Back
Expires 10/1/12
First off, keep in mind that this cash back is for the old Ford Fusion, the one that is being replaced as we speak by a new and much updated sedan. However, the biggest sin the old Fusion committed was simply being old. It's a solid car, and the hybrid gets excellent fuel economy, as we learned when we drove a 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid a while back. It has plenty of power, a good sized trunk, a roomy back seat, and plenty of features, including Ford's Sync. Besides, how often do you see discounts on hybrids?
2012 Ford Taurus Limited
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$2,500 Cash Back
Expires 10/1/12
The Ford Taurus is a modern throwback. It's a big, five-passenger sedan with an enormous trunk, comfortable highway ride, lots of features, and a reasonable price that's strongly reminiscent of the big land yachts of yore, such as the Ford Crown Victoria. The thing is, the Taurus is actually quite pleasant to drive, even if that "traditional" American sedan isn't really your thing. Its back seat and trunk can take all comers, and its plentiful standard and optional equipment put it on par with many entry-level luxury vehicles, at a much lower cost. Thanks to $2,500 sitting on the hood, that cost is even lower.
2012 Hyundai Veracruz GLS AWD
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$1000 Cash Back or 0.0-2.9% financing
Expires 10/1/12
There's a new, seven-passenger version of the all-new 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe coming out soon. The new Santa Fe essentially replaces the Hyundai Veracruz in the company's lineup, as the midsize crossover is heading out to pasture at the end of the 2012 model year. The Veracruz never sold very well, but not for lack of merit. Hyundai actually targeted the previous-generation Lexus RX 350, and it shows in the Veracruz's design, especially the interior. So if you're looking for a good deal on a brand new, Lexus-ish seven-passenger Korean crossover, and you just can't wait for the new Santa Fe, an extra $1,000 should sweeten the pot.
2013 Hyundai Sonata GLS
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$1,000 Cash Back or 0.9-3.9% financing
Expires 10/1/12
Wait, what? Hyundai's offering a cash incentive on its already hot-selling Sonata sedan? What gives? To be honest, we're not sure. Maybe Hyundai's trying to pump up its sales numbers in advance of the all-new 2013 Honda Accord? Whatever the reason, an extra $1,000 off on a Hyundai Sonata GLS is no bad thing. Keep in mind that even though the GLS may not be the range-topping model, the extra money more than covers the $825 Popular Equipment Package, which dresses up the interior with things like door panel inserts, heated front seats, and a power driver's seat.
2012 Suzuki Kizashi S AWD
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$1,500 Cash Back
Expires 10/1/12
Suzuki? Yeah, Suzuki. The 2012 Suzuki Kizashi is one of the nicest cars that nobody buys. The critically acclaimed smallish sedan slots into the lower-end of the midsize segment, even though it's styled and priced more like a compact sedan. But with all-wheel drive, a spunky four-cylinder engine, roomy interior and decently sized trunk, the Kizashi is already nicely equipped, but the extra money can nearly cover the $1,570 for a navigation system with satellite radio. The only downside we see is everyone saying "gesundheit" when you tell them what you drive.