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The Most Discounted New Cars to Buy Right Now Before Summer’s End

Still shopping for a new car, but don’t want to wait for a holiday sale and risk not finding the model you want? Automotive analysts from Consumer Reports say that these 10 models are now selling well below their sticker price.

Before Summer’s End Car Deals

Earlier we had reported that the post 4th of July car deals were still out there with some deep discount new car deals that were remarkable. Today, those deals have changed some and are ripe for the picking. However, even if the timing is not right for you and you want to wait until the Labor Day sales begin, you may still want to take a look at what is offered right now during your comparison shopping to uncover this recent reveal of the trends in pricing and availability.

Watching the trends is especially poignant right now when automakers and dealerships need to start making room for new vehicles. Armed with a few listings of what sold when and for how much, adds to your arsenal as you approach a new car dealer with the facts and your informed negotiating skills. In fact, you may find that the trade-in value of your used car is an even more important bargaining chip this year than it would have been before the pandemic.

Consumer Reports’ Analysis

Consumer Reports analysts have found that the current trend in new cars has changed this year. Rather than new car prices holding fairly stable from month to month, they report that, “Because of the coronavirus pandemic, new-car prices have become a roller coaster, affected by unique supply and demand forces.”

They note that while transaction prices remain aggressive for some models, many vehicles are selling for close to the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. As such, their latest analysis of what car buying customers paid recently for their new cars recently led them to identify 10 models covering sedans and SUVs that are selling for well below their sticker price.

That said, here is their updated list in descending order of savings off the MSRP by percentage ranging from 8 to 12 percent that they have found could translate into a winning deal for you. Especially notice that while some vehicles are repeats of their previous new car deals analysis, their rankings have changed and include some new additions and deletions of recommended models.


The 10 Most Discounted New Cars Right Now

For clarity, please note that “mpge” refers to “miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent”the fuel efficiency of vehicles that run on non-liquid fuels, such as hybrid and electric models.

#1. 2021 Cadillac XT5 (12% Off )
Price Range: $43,995 - $55,095
CR MPG: Overall 20 mpg / City 13 / Hwy 30 mpg
Rated #8 of 21: Luxury compact sport-utility vehicles

Specific Model: 2021 Cadillac XT5 Luxury AWD
MSRP: $45,995
Average savings off MSRP: $5,677
Average transaction price: $40,318

#2. 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE (10% Off)
Price Range: $54,750 - $116,000
CR MPG: Overall 20 mpg / City 13 / Hwy 29 mpg
#24 of 24: Luxury midsized sport-utility vehicles

Specific Model: 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 RWD
MSRP: $54,750
Average savings off MSRP: $5,597
Average transaction price: $49,153

#3. 2021 Volkswagen Arteon (10% Off )
Price Range: $36,995 - $46,995
CR MPG: Overall 24 mpg / City 16 / Hwy 36 mpg
Rated #5 of 15: Luxury compact cars

Specific Model: 2021 Volkswagen Arteon SE
MSRP: $36,995
Average savings off MSRP: $3,626
Average transaction price: $33,369

#4. 2021 Acura TLX (9% Off )
Price Range: $37,500 - $53,100
CR MPG: Overall 23 mpg / City 15 / Hwy 34 mpg
Rated #14 of 15: Luxury compact cars

Specific Model: 2021 Acura TLX SH-AWD with Technology Package
MSRP: $43,500
Average savings off MSRP: $3,830
Average transaction price: $39,670

#5. 2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio (9% Off )
Price Range: $42,350 - $81,250
CR MPG: Overall 24 mpg / City 17 / Hwy 32 mpg
Rated #19 of 21: Luxury compact sport-utility vehicles

Specific Model: 2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio RWD
MSRP: $42,350
Average savings off MSRP: $3,839
Average transaction price: $38,511

#6. 2021 Cadillac XT6 (9% Off )
Price Range: $48,045 - $57,445
CR MPG: Overall 18 mpg / City 12 / Hwy 26 mpg
#16 of 24: Luxury midsized sport-utility vehicles

Specific Model: 2021 Cadillac XT6 Premium Luxury AWD
MSRP: $54,945
Average savings off MSRP: $4,773
Average transaction price: $50,172

#7. 2021 Honda Clarity (9% Off )
Price Range: $33,400 - $58,490
CR MPGE: Overall 102 mpge / City 100 / Hwy 104 mpge
Rated #9 of 14: Midsized cars

Specific Model: 2021 Honda Clarity Plug-In Hybrid
MSRP: $33,400
Average savings off MSRP: $3,047
Average transaction price: $30,353

#8. 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia (8% Off )
Price Range: $40,350 - $75,250
CR MPG: Overall 27 mpg / City 18 / Hwy 39 mpg
Rated #15 of 15: Luxury compact cars

Specific Model: 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia AWD
MSRP: $42,350
Average savings off MSRP: $3,378
Average transaction price: $38,972

#9. 2021 Volkswagen Passat (8% Off )
Price Range: $23,995 - $29,995
CR MPG: Overall 28 mpg / City 17 / Hwy 43 mpg
#10 of 14: Midsized cars

Specific Model: 2021 Volkswagen Passat 2.0T R-Line
MSRP: $29,995
Average savings off MSRP: $2,255
Average transaction price: $27,740

#10. 2021 BMW X3 (7% Off )
Price Range: $43,000 - $69,900
CR MPG: Overall 24 mpg / City 16 / Hwy 36 mpg
#9 of 21: Luxury compact sport-utility vehicles

Specific Model: 2021 BMW X3 xDrive30i AWD
MSRP: $45,000
Average savings off MSRP: $3,128
Average transaction price: $41,872

And finally…

If you want to learn more about the vehicles listed above, be sure to use Torque News’ search option in the header above to find past articles and reviews on many models, both current and past.

For a more detailed breakdown of the data, please visit the CR website. Note that while access to some information requires a CR membership, the potential savings make it negligible in comparison when looking for the latest information to aid your car buying research.

COMING UP NEXT: Popular Compact Cars That are Winners and Losers

Be sure to check out other CR-related articles that covers buying recommended compact SUVs, midsized SUVs, and the best new SUVs to buy today.

Timothy Boyer is Torque News automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily Tesla and electric vehicle news.

Photo by Devon Janse van Rensburg on Unsplash