Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates
Hidden rebates, also known as "dealer cash", are rebates given to dealers by the manufacturer whenever they sell or lease a certain model. They're very similar to customer
cash-back rebates, but instead of YOU getting the rebate, the dealer gets to keep it - all while remaining hidden from the car buyer.
The purpose of hidden dealer rebates is to help vehicles sell or lease faster without the stigma of large discounts. In theory, dealers will pass the hidden bonus to consumers
through a lower purchase price, but if you don't take the time to comparison shop multiple dealers, you may never get the discount.
Hidden rebates are difficult to figure out because they're not published anywhere - only dealers know about them. However, I've been doing a lot of data analysis on incentives and pricing, and by combining a few of my data sources, I think I may have uncovered some of these hidden incentives - I've done my best to be as accurate as possible, but....
Please note this information is highly experimental and may be inaccurate, or may not be available in your region. Furthermore, some of these hidden rebates may only be available if you lease the vehicle versus buying it. This should not be considered a comprehensive list - there are probably models that offer hidden rebates which are not listed here, and models listed here with hidden rebates only available in very select regions.
What these hidden rebates suggest is that you may be able to negotiate the hidden rebate amount off MSRP as a minimum, and perhaps be able to negotiate the full hidden rebate off Invoice Price (again, some of these hidden rebates may only be available if you lease).
As always, I recommend using TrueCar No Haggle, CarsDirect and NADAGuides to quickly see what kind of deals you can get on these vehicles in your region.
Largest Potential Hidden Rebates Right Now
| Rank | Vehicle | MSRP | Hidden Rebate (Estimated) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021 Toyota Avalon | $38,229 | $3,800 |
| 2 | 2021 Honda Pilot | $41,885 | $3,700 |
| 3 | 2021 Toyota HIGHLANDER | $40,378 | $3,200 |
| 4 | 2021 Acura TLX | $42,545 | $2,600 |
| 5 | 2021 Toyota Venza | $34,014 | $2,100 |
| 6 | 2021 Kia Niro | $25,865 | $1,900 |
| 7 | 2021 Toyota RAV4 | $29,184 | $1,900 |
| 8 | 2021 Toyota Prius | $28,555 | $1,900 |
| 9 | 2021 Toyota Corolla | $21,519 | $1,800 |
| 10 | 2021 Toyota Camry | $27,624 | $1,800 |
| 11 | 2022 Toyota Corolla | $21,769 | $1,700 |
| 12 | 2022 Kia Stinger | $37,135 | $1,600 |
| 13 | 2021 Toyota Mirai | $67,420 | $1,600 |
| 14 | 2021 Kia Forte | $20,385 | $1,500 |
| 15 | 2021 Toyota C-HR | $23,533 | $1,500 |
| 16 | 2021 Kia Soul | $20,265 | $1,400 |
| 17 | 2021 Toyota Prius Prime | $29,474 | $1,300 |
| 18 | 2021 Kia Sorento | $30,565 | $1,300 |
| 19 | 2022 Kia Sportage | $25,265 | $1,200 |
| 20 | 2021 Toyota Tacoma | $33,903 | $1,200 |
| 21 | 2021 Kia Rio | $17,685 | $1,100 |
| 22 | 2021 Honda Accord | $31,535 | $1,100 |
My Recommendation for Car Shoppers
TrueCar No-Haggle, CarsDirect, and NADAGuides are the quickest way to see the lowest car prices in your area. These sites show you no-haggle prices from dealers closest to you - and the deals are usually really good. This should be the first step you take when negotiating your car price. Follow this up with my checklist to make sure you squeeze out every last bit of savings.- Gregg Fidan
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.
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