Everywhere.

Nearly every car company is currently offering incentives of some kind. Deals are actually not hard to find if you know where to look.

Some of these deals are outstanding, some very good, and others only so-so.

Luxury Brands

High-end luxury car companies, such as Porsche, Audi, Land Rover, Jaguar, and Mercedes, don’t normally offer common incentives for fear of looking like a discount car brand. When they do, it’s in the form of “bonuses” or “allowances” but not “rebates.” Or it might be in the form of special leases, where the “discounting” is not so obvious.

For example, at the time of this writing, Mercedes is offering a number of very attractive lease deals across its model lines. They are also offering 1.9% APR loan deals but in these days of record-low finance rates, 1.9% is good but not really an outstanding deal, especially when it’s limited to 24-36 month loans. The lease deals are better.

Same for Infiniti, who is currently (January 2012) offering a number of very good lease deals (all $0 cash due at signing) on all 2012 models except hybrids, and 1.9% APR loans for up to 60 months (better than Mercedes). Depending on where you live, there may be deals on left-over 2011 models.

Audi currently has no incentives for January (at the time of this writing) but even those for December 2011 were not very interesting – a few mediocre lease deals in which they make the first month’s payment and waive the security deposit (who doesn’t). Not much to get excited about.

BMW actually has some outstanding lease deals going on at this time (see New BMW Lease Offers for January) and some factory-to-dealer cash on a few models that translate into purchase price discounts.

Acura offers good lease deals on one selected style within each of its model lines. These are of the $0-$0-$0 variety ($0 down, $0 first payment, $0 security deposit) and are genuinely good deals.

Lexus has no deals worth mentioning, except possibly on a few left-over last-year’s models, or certified used cars.

Land Rover has lease deals on the Ranger Rover Sport and LR4 that are only rated Good by LeaseGuide.com, as well as 1.9% APR loan rates for only 36 months. Nothing here to jump up and down about.

Non-Luxury Brands

The very best deals in 2012 will come from American car brands such as Ford, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, GMC, and Ram. They offered some of the best incentives in the business in 2011 and are expected to do the same or better in 2012.

The most recent deals from these American companies include generous rebates, 0% APR loans (and other low-interest loans), special lease deals (although usually not as good as foreign car brands), and factory-to-dealer cash that dealers use to discount prices. Cadillac is offering a number of good $0 down leases. Left-over 2011 models are especially good deals right now.

At this time, Honda and Toyota are offering a few good deals, especially on leases, but you’ll have to wait until they’ve fully recovered from last years disasters in Japan before you see the best deals. Honda continues to offer their popular “$0 due at signing“ leases. These are genuinely good lease deals — much better than customers could negoitate for themselves.

Hyundai is coming on strong with some great deals on selected models. Their award-winning Elantra model is now being offered with a special lease deal (see Car of the Year for Only $179).

Nissan has 0% APR loan rates — for up to 60 months — on nearly every model, including 2012 and left-over 2011 models.

Subaru’s current incentives include 42-month lease deals on one style of each of its models or 1.9% APR loan rates. However, we don’t recommend 42-month leases on vehicles that only have 36-month warranties. You’re exposed for 6 months to paying for expensive out-of-warranty repairs near the end of the lease.

Mazda currently has a whole variety of new incentives including a number of moderately attractive 36 month leases with relatively low down payment requirements, a few 1.9% APR loan deals for up to 60 months, and a number of 0.0% APR loan deals that are combined with up to $1000 customer cash (rebate).

Mitsubishi is offering outstanding 24-month leases on its 2012 Lancer ES and SE ($189/month) and Lancer Sportback ES ($196/month). There are also 0% APR loan deals for up to 36 months on 2012 models and up to 60 months on 2011 models. Also available are rebates of up to $3500 on 2011 models and customer loyalty bonuses of $500. All in all, a nice set of deals from Mitsubishi.

Volkswagen usually has a nice selection of special lease deals across its model line. These are nearly always good deals and are better than customers could negotiate for themselves. They also offer a number of 0% APR loans for up to 72 months, which is a bit unusual.

Saab, the car company, has filed bankruptcy but dealers still have left-over vehicles at low, low prices.

Fiat has announced new $0 down leases its 500 and 500c models.

Deals Can Change

As you probably already know, car deals and incentives can (and usually do) change month-to-month, and sometimes week-to-week. Deals can vary depending on the region of the country you live in and can differ by dealer.

One of the best ways to know exactly what deals are best in your area is to use an online service such as TrueCar that not only shows you what local people are paying for specific car makes and models, but also the lowest price you should expect to pay, factoring in all current incentives. It’s free and they give you a guaranteed price quote that will be honored at local dealers.

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Fifty independent auto journalists voted on a number of finalists including not only the Hyundai Elantra but also the Volkswagen Passat and Ford Focus.

This award is like winning an Oscar in the movie business and is significant because the voters are people who really know cars and review them day in and day out.

Hyundai has created a solid reputation for building cars with innovative styling, quality, reliability, safety, and luxury at affordable prices. The award-winning Elantra is no exception.

Special Low-Payment Lease Deal on 2012 Hyundai Elantra – Car of the Year

The best news for automotive consumers is that Hyundai is currently offering the 2012 Elantra GLS with auto transmission at only $179/month with a special lease deal that is good through January, until January 31, 2012.

The deal is based on a reduced capitalized cost (lease price), low money factor (finance rate), and a high lease-end residual value. It is a 36 month lease with 36K miles allowance. It requires a $1820 down payment and $179 first month’s payment, both due at lease signing along with any local taxes and official fees.

LeaseGuide.com has evaluated this deal and gives it a Lease Value Score of 79, which rates as Excellent on a 5-level scale of Poor/Average/Good/Excellent/Outstanding. This is a deal well worth considering and a deal that a customer could not negotiate for themselves.

Hyundai is currently offering other special lease deals on the following vehicles:

2012 Hyundai Accent – $169/month, $1530 down payment

2012 Hyundai Elantra Touring – $199/month, $2000 down payment

2011 Hyundai Equus Signature – $739/month, $2260 down payment, plus up to $3000 bonus cash that would reduce lease payment

2012 Hyundai Equus Signature – $739/month, $4260 down payment

2012 Hyundai Genesis Sedan – $399/month, $2600 down payment, plus up to $3000 bonus cash that would reduce lease payment

2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0 Manual Transmission Standard Package – $259/month, $2440 down payment

If you need to learn more about car leasing and whether it is right for you, please visit LeaseGuide.com for free information and advice.

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Hyundai

These deals apply to both 2011 and 2012 models, although you can naturally expect the 2011 offers to be a little better — but not by much.

All the October special leases are for 36 months, 36,000 miles, and end on October 31, 2011. All require a down payment and the first month’s payment to be made at time of signing. The sum of down payment and first month’s payment is called the amount “due at signing.” You will, of course, also pay any official tax, tag, and registration fees.

The Hyundai leases for October have been evaluated by LeaseGuide.com and are presented below with the best deals listed first.

2012 Hyundai Elantra GLS – $179/month, $1999 due at signing (Rated 79 – Excellent)

2012 Hyundai Accent GLS – $169/month, $1699 due at signing (Rated 77 – Excellent)

2011 Hyundai Elantra 1.8 GLS – $169/month, $1699 due at signing (Rated 85 – Excellent)

2012 Hyundai Sonata 2.4 GLS – $199/month, $2599 due at signing (Rated 81 – Excellent)

2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.4 GLS – $199/month, $2399 due at signing (Rated 82 – Excellent)

2012 Hyundai Veloster 1.6L GDI – $179/month, $1999 due at signing (Rated 79 – Excellent)

2012 Hyundai Veracruz- $299/month, $3199 due at signing (Rated 77 – Excellent)

2011 Hyundai Veracruz- $299/month, $2699 due at signing (Rated 80 – Excellent)

2011 Hyundai Genesis Sedan – $739/month, $1500 due at signing (Rated 79 – Excellent)

2012 Hyundai Elantra Touring GLS – $199/month, $2199 due at signing (Rated 71 – Good)

2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring GLS – $199/month, $1999 due at signing (Rated 72 – Good)

2011 Hyundai Equus Signature – $739/month, $2999 due at signing (Rated 73 – Good)

2012 Hyundai Genesis Sedan 3.8L V6 – $399/month, $3499 due at signing (Rated 732- Good)

2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0 – $259/month, $2999 due at signing (Rated 69 – Good)

2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0 – $259/month, $2699 due at signing (Rated 71 – Good)

2012 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS – $269/month, $2999 due at signing (Rated 70 – Good)

2011 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS  - $269/month, $2699 due at signing (Rated 71 – Good)

2012 Hyundai Tuscon 2.4 GLS  FWD – $259/month, $2699 due at signing (Rated 70 – Good)

2011 Hyundai Tuscon 2.4 GLS  FWD – $259/month, $2499 due at signing (Rated 71 – Good)

All of the Hyundai special lease deals listed above are better than average — and better in most cases than any deal you could negotiate for yourself. This is most true of the deals rated as “Excellent.”

One of the requirements to get these limited-time promotional lease deals is that they are only available to “qualified customers.” This means customers with good credit scores. Before you go to a dealer seeking one of these deals you should already know your credit score to avoid being surprised. It’s easy enough to get your latest score online from a service such as FreeCreditScore.com. Don’t let a dealer know more about you than you know about yourself.

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Because of shortages of both vehicles and parts created by the recent Japanese earthquake, automakers are not offering nearly the number of great incentives in June that we were seeing in the first months of 2011.

However lets take a look at where you can still find some good deals. Most of the deals expire on June 30, 2011. A few expire on July 5, 2011.

BMW is offering low APR interest rates (1.9%-3.9%) on the 2012 1-Series, 7-Series, X5, and X6 models. The company is also offering 0.9%-3.9% APR loan rates on 2011 models of the 3-Series, X5, Z4 7-Series, M3, 5-Series, 1-Series M, and X3. There is also a $3500 “Eco Credit” on some diesel models including the 2011 335d sedan, as well as special “Option Credits” available on many models (BMW doesn’t like to call them “rebates” — it sounds too cheap). Up to $2000 in factory-to-dealer cash is available on selected 7-Series models. Additionally, BMW is offering many excellent promotional lease deals in nearly every model line.

Chrysler has announced a few rebates and a number of low-interest loans, including 0% APR rates, across its 2011 model lines. These deals expire on August 1, 2011. Up to $1500 rebate or 0% APR loan is available on the Chrysler 200, 300, and Town & Country. 0% APR is also available on the Dodge Grand Caravan, Nitro, Avenger, Caliber, Journey, Dakota, Jeep Liberty, Compass, Patriot, and Ram trucks. Jeep Liberty has a $3000 rebate offer. Up to $3000 is also available on the Dodge Grand Caravan, Nitro, Avenger, Caliber, and Journey. There is a nice $4500 factory-to-dealer rebate on the Dodge Dakota.

Ford also has a number of 0% APR loan rates — on the 2011 Ford Ranger, Super Duty trucks, E-Series, Fiesta, Flex, Focus, Mustang, Fusion, and Taurus. Lincoln has 0% APR rate offers on the Lincoln Town Car, Navigator, MKS, MKZ, and MKT. Rebates up to $3000 are offered on the F-150 and Lincoln Town Car. Smaller rebates are offered on many other models. Large factory-to-dealer rebates are offered on the Mercury Grand Marquis ($5500), as well as the Mariner, and Milan (up to $3500).

Honda, which was seriously affected by the earthquakes in Japan is only offering a few low interest rate loans on some 2011 Acura and Honda models. The company is also offering a number of special lease deals on certain models and styles, such as the Honda Crosstour, Accord Sedan, CR-V, Odyssey, and Pilot. As you may know from reading this web site in the past, Honda lease deals are always great deals, if you like the model and style being offered. The 2011 Acura ZDX gets $2000 in factory-to-dealer cash. 

Hyundai/Kia is also in the 0% APR loan rate game with zero-percent deals on nearly every model, including both 2011 and 2010 models. In addition, there are a number of attractive rebates — $1000 on the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe and $2500 on the 2010 Hyundai Sonata. Smaller rebates are available on other models.

Jaguar has 0% APR loan deals on the 2011 Jaguar XF, XJ, and XK.

Mitsubishi has 0% APR rates on nearly every model, including the 2012 Mitsubishi Eclipse and Eclipse Spider.

Saab is offering 0% APR rates on the 2010 and 2011 Saab 9-3 and 9-5. In addition, the 2011 9-3 and 9-5 get $3000-$4000 factory-to-dealer cash.

Toyota, also hit hard by the Japanese earthquakes, has 0% APR deals on the 2011 Toyota Camry, Tundra, Corolla, Venza, Avalon, Highlander, and Sienna. A $2500 rebate is offered on the Toyota Tundra truck, as well as up to $2500 in factory-to-dealer cash.

Volkswagen/Audi has low-interest rate deals, including a few 0% APR rates, on nearly every 2011 Audi and Volkswagen model, and the 2012 Audi A7, Volkswagen CC, and Eos.  Leftover Audi 2010 models get some very large factory-to-dealer cash, up to $9500 but averaging about $4000-$5000.

Volvo has 0% APR deals on the 2012 S60 and most 2011 models except the XC70 and XC-90 (which have 2.9% rates).

You can get free price quotes on any of the above vehicles from Edmunds.com.The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

All current Hyundai incentives expire on May 2, 2011. 

These leases are made possible by reducing vehicle prices, reducing finance cost (lease money factor), and boosting estimated lease-end residual values. The combination of all these factors means you get a low monthly payment without need to negotiate. In fact, you could not get these kinds of deals by negotiating with a dealer — who doesn’t have the ability to change money factor or residual values, only price.

If you don’t understand car leasing or how to determine if you are a good leasing candidate, we recommend you visit LeaseGuide.com where you’ll find not only a great (free) car leasing guide and expert advice, but also a useful lease calculator with which you can determine your monthly lease payments based on changes to various factors.

Here are some of the current Hyundai special lease offers. All these leases have been rated “Good” to “Excellent” by LeaseGuide.com.

2011 Hyundai Elantra 1.8L GLS Auto – $169/month, 36 months, $1699 due at signing.

2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring GLS Auto – $199/month, 24 or 36 months, $1999 due at signing. (Hint: the 36 month lease is the better deal)

2011 Hyundai Equus Signature – $739/month, 36 months, $4999 due at signing.

2011 Hyundai Genesis Sedan 3.8L V6 Standard Package – $399/month, 36 months, $2298 due at signing.

2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T Manual – $259/month, 36 months, $2699 due at signing.

2011 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS Manual – $299/month, 36 months, $2699 due at signing.

2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.4 GLS Auto – $199/month, 36 months, $2399 due at signing.

2011 Hyundai Tucson 2.4 GLS FWD Auto – $259/month, 36 months, $2499 due at signing.

2011 Hyundai Veracruz – $359/month, 36 months, $2299 due at signing.

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Hyundai

March 2011 incentives come in all forms, depending on the model and style — rebates, low-interest loans, special lease deals, and factory-to-dealer cash (which dealers return to customers as discounts). Deals are especially good on leftover 2010 models, of which dealers apparently have good supplies remaining.

 Following are some examples of the best Hyundai deals for March, ending on 3/31/2011:

2011 Hyundai Veracruz – $1000 rebate or 0.9% APR loan or $359/month special lease for 36 months

2011 Hyundai Santa Fe – $1000 rebate or 1.9% APR loan

2011 Hyundai Elantra – 1.9% APR loan or $169/month special lease for 36 months

2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring – $500-$1000 rebate or 1.9% APR loan

2011 Hyundai Equus – 0.9% APR loan rate or $739/month special lease for 36 months — $1000 factory-to-dealer cash

2011 Hyundai Genesis – Up to $1500 rebate or 0.9% APR loan or $399/month special lease — $1000 factory-to-dealer cash

2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe – 1.9% APR loan or $259/month special lease for 36 months — $1000 factory-to-dealer cash

2011 Hyundai Sonata – 0.9% APR loan or $199/month special lease for 36 months

2010 Hyundai Accent - $500-$1000 rebate or 1.9% APR loan rate

2010 Hyundai Sonata – $2500 rebate or 1.9% APR loan

2010 Hyundai Veracruz – $1500 rebate or 0.9% APR loan rate

2010 Hyundai Elantra – $1500 rebate or 1.9% APR loan rate

2010 Hyundai Genesis – Up to $1500 rebate or 0% APR loan rate — $1000 factory-to-dealer cash

Be aware that Hyundai, like all carmakers, may vary incentive programs by region. And some incentives such as low interest rates or special lease deals may not be available to customers with low credit scores.

You can get free price quotes on any of the above vehicles from Edmunds.com.The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

Hyundai

The current rebates are significant enough that, if you have been considering a Hyundai, this could be a good time to buy. These are some of the best deals out there right now. For example, the highly rated Hyundai Genesis now has a $1250 rebate, making it a good buy.

Let’s take a look at the current Hyundai deals:

$1000 rebate – Hyundai Tucson, Azera, and 2010 Genesis

$1250 rebate – 2009 Hyundai Genesis

$1500 rebate – Hyundai Accent, Elantra Touring

$2000 rebate – Hyundai Elantra, Santa Fe, Sonata

If you can find dealers who still have left over 2008 models, you can get even larger rebates. For example, a $4000 rebate comes with the 2008 Hyundai Entourage and Hyundai Veracruz, $3500 on the 2008 Santa Fe, and $3000 on the 2008 Tiburon and Sonata, and $2500 on the 2008 Azera.

Be reminded that these rebates come from manufacturer, not out of a dealer’s pocket. Regardless of the rebate, you can still negotiate additional price discounts, called “dealer contribution.”

You can get free price quotes on any of the above cars from Edmunds.com. The quotes will automatically include any cash-back rebates or discounts that are currently available.

Plus , there’s an additional $750 rebate if you finance through the dealer’s “captive finance company, Hyundai Motor Finance Company.

All these deals expire 3/31/2009 but will likely be replaced after April 1 with other good deals. However, we can never know if the new deals will be better than the old deals.

There is also a $239 a month special lease deal on the Hyundai Elantra Touring model.

Even the new “Car of the Year” 2010 Hyundai Genesis, which competes with BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes (at a much lower price) is being offered with a good lease deal ranging from $329 a month to $399 a month, depending on specific model. These are 36 month leases, 12K miles per year, and no security deposit. However, there is a modest down payment required to get these deals.

If you want a 2008 model, you can get $4000 cash-back on the Hyundai Veracruz and Entourage, $3500 on the Santa Fe Limited, $3000 on the Tiburon and Sonata, and $2500 on the Tucson and Azera. What’s the catch?  None, except that dealers might not have the exact car you want since these are leftover new models and supply might be limited. But if you are flexible, you might just find a great deal.

Get more details about Hyundai deals, get specifications, and owner reviews at Edmunds.com.