Find the Best Car Deals Near You ⤵
Car Incentives Expected to Drop in 2013
January 10, 2013
2012 was a great year for car dealers, but that could mean trouble for car buyers in 2013.
According to Automotive News, about 14.5 million cars were sold in the US in 2012, a 13 percent increase over 2011.
The car industry is currently basking in the glow of a great sales year, however analysts are predicting consumers will see less incentives in 2013.
Additionally, TrueCar says the median price for a vehicle was $31,228 last month, a 1.8 percent increase from December 2011 and a 1.3 percent increase over prices in November 2012.
TrueCar estimates the average incentive was $2,409 in December 2012, a 9 percent decrease compared to the same time in 2011.
All this means consumers looking for a great deal will need to be diligent about doing their homework. Below is a look at how both car prices and incentives in 2012 compared to 2011. As always, make sure to start with the RydeShopper when you're ready to negotiate your deal.
Car Prices Comparison: 2012 vs 2011
| Manufacturer | Dec 2012 Price | Nov 2012 Price | Dec 2011 Price | % Change Dec 2011 to Dec 2012 | % Change Nov 2012 to Dec 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrysler (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat) | $30,011 | $29,796 | $29,322 | 2.3% | 0.7% |
| Ford (Ford, Lincoln) | $33,010 | $32,543 | $31,912 | 3.4% | 1.4% |
| GM (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC) | $33,219 | $32,891 | $33,241 | -0.1% | 1.0% |
| Honda (Acura, Honda) | $27,062 | $26,897 | $26,086 | 3.7% | 0.6% |
| Hyundai/Kia | $22,547 | $22,342 | $21,426 | 5.2% | 0.9% |
| Nissan (Nissan, Infiniti) | $28,127 | $27,704 | $28,298 | -0.6% | 1.5% |
| Toyota (Lexus, Scion, Toyota) | $28,576 | $28,396 | $27,349 | 4.5% | 0.6% |
| Volkswagen (Audi, Volkswagen) | $33,914 | $33,610 | $33,781 | 0.4% | 0.9% |
| TOTAL INDUSTRY | $31,228 | $30,832 | $30,686 | 1.8% | 1.3% |
Car Incentive Comparison: 2012 vs 2011
| Manufacturer | Dec 2012 Incentives | Nov 2012 Incentives | Dec 2011 Incentives | % Change Dec 2011 to Dec 2012 | % Change Nov 2012 to Dec 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrysler (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat) | $3,206 | $3,043 | $3,248 | -1.3% | 5.4% |
| Ford (Ford, Lincoln) | $2,633 | $2,526 | $2,926 | -10.0% | 4.2% |
| GM (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC) | $2,952 | $2,921 | $3,118 | -5.3% | 1.1% |
| Honda (Acura, Honda) | $1,845 | $1,871 | $2,336 | -21.0% | -1.4% |
| Hyundai/Kia | $1,573 | $1,359 | $1,254 | 25.5% | 15.8% |
| Nissan (Nissan, Infiniti) | $2,449 | $2,403 | $2,970 | -17.5% | 1.9% |
| Toyota (Lexus, Scion, Toyota) | $1,756 | $1,632 | $1,904 | -7.8% | 7.6% |
| Volkswagen (Audi, Volkswagen) | $2,391 | $2,264 | $2,518 | -5.1% | 5.6% |
| Industry | $2,409 | $2,310 | $2,647 | -9.0% | 4.3% |
Signup for The Weekly Newsletter
Each week, I'll keep you up-to-date on the latest car deals and news that might affect your purchase. This includes...
- Best Rebates, Incentives, and Lease Deals
- Latest Car Buying Scams and Tricks
- The Best & Worst Time to Buy a Car
- Which Cars You Should Avoid
About The Author
Gregg Fidan is the founder of RealCarTips. After being ripped off on his first car purchase, he devoted several years to figuring out the best ways to avoid scams and negotiate
the best car deals. He has written hundreds of articles on the subject of car buying and taught thousands of car shoppers how to get the best deals.
Latest Weekly Car Buying Tips
February 2025
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Feb 20, 2025
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Feb 20, 2025
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Feb 20, 2025
- Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates Feb 20, 2025
- All SUV Lease Deals Compared February 2025 Feb 13, 2025
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars February 2025 Feb 13, 2025
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Right Now Feb 13, 2025
- Real Prices of Midsize SUVs Feb 13, 2025
- Best 0% Finance Deals February 2025 Feb 06, 2025
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Feb 06, 2025
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Feb 06, 2025
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Feb 06, 2025
January 2025
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Jan 30, 2025
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Jan 30, 2025
- Best Used Cars Under $5,000 Jan 30, 2025
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Jan 30, 2025
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Jan 23, 2025
- Cheapest Luxury Lease Deals Jan 23, 2025
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Jan 16, 2025
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Jan 09, 2025
- Best Car Deals by Category Jan 02, 2025
- Which Cars Better to Lease or Buy Jan 02, 2025
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!
