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
September 2025
- Best 0% Finance Deals September 2025 Sep 11, 2025
- Best Bang for Your Buck Lease Deals Sep 11, 2025
- Best Electric, Hybrid Lease Deals Sep 11, 2025
- Real Prices of Midsize Cars Sep 11, 2025
- Worst Cars to Lease Right Now Sep 04, 2025
- Best Car Deals Around the Country Sep 04, 2025
- Real Prices of Large SUVs Sep 04, 2025
- Largest Hidden Dealer Rebates Sep 04, 2025
August 2025
- The Best Labor Day 2025 Car Deals Aug 28, 2025
- Which Cars Better to Lease or Buy Aug 28, 2025
- Cheapest Luxury Lease Deals Aug 28, 2025
- Real Prices of Pickup Trucks Aug 28, 2025
- All SUV Lease Deals Compared August 2025 Aug 21, 2025
- New Cars with the Most Available Inventory Aug 21, 2025
- Cars With the Largest Rebates Aug 21, 2025
- Price Comparison of Subcompact SUVs Aug 21, 2025
- Top 100 Cheapest Lease Deals Aug 14, 2025
- Biggest Discounts on New Cars August 2025 Aug 14, 2025
- Top 100 Cheapest New Cars Right Now Aug 14, 2025
- Real Prices of New Compact SUVs Aug 14, 2025
- Real Prices of Compact Cars Aug 07, 2025
I welcome your car buying questions. Email Me and I'll be glad to answer them!
