Every major automaker introduced deals and assistance programs in response to COVID-19. However, unprecedented offers like 0% APR for 84 months have been drying up and changes in manufacturer incentives for cars, trucks, and SUVs have had a significant impact on the cost of both buying and leasing.
CarsDirect has put together the most comprehensive list of new car specials from well over two dozen brands based on a mix of public offers and unadvertised deals you won't hear about anywhere else. In some cases, we're finding that benefits like deferred payments and job loss protection are still available.
Brands are listed below are in alphabetical order.
Updated September 15, 8:49 am
Hyundai has expanded a deferred payment option
Fiat Chrysler is continuing to offer payment deferrals
Ford has scaled back 0% APR incentives
BMW is no longer advertising 90-day payment deferrals
Mazda is continuing to offer 0% APR plus deferrals
BMW & MINI COVID-19 Offers
BMW is no longer advertising an offer promising up to 90 days to make your first month's payment.
Back in May, BMW began offering lower rates on every single model. You can still find 0.9% APR for 60 months plus APR Credits worth anywhere from $2,000 to $7,500 depending on model, as well as surprisingly good deals on performance models.
For example, the popular 2020 BMW X3 features 0.9% for 60 months plus a $2,500 credit plus an additional $500 when coming from another BMW or a competing brand. That's $3,000 in potential savings on top of low-interest financing.
Offers end on September 30.
FCA COVID-19 Offers (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, RAM)
FCA is continuing to offer 0% APR for 72 months on select Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, and RAM models. That said, rates have gone up and down over the past several months and are still nowhere near as good as a stellar 0% APR deal for 84 months that largely ended back in May.
90-day payment deferrals are still available when financing through Chrysler Capital. That's not as good as an earlier offer of up to 120 days. The 2020 Pacifica minivan remains a top deal with up to $7,097 in savings in some parts of the country thanks to Employee Pricing.
Employee Pricing is worth 5% below the dealer's invoice plus a $200 fee. Unfortunately, the 2020 Jeep Gladiator is no longer eligible in August. The move follows a similar change back in June that made the 2020 Wrangler ineligible for the incentive.
Offers end September 30.
Ford & Lincoln COVID-19 Offers
Ford was one of a handful of brands that offered 0% APR for 84 months at the start of the pandemic. Although you can still find interest-free financing on most models, the best deals are now limited to 72 months.
A popular 120-day payment deferral program ended in June and hasn't been replaced. In addition, rate hikes on the 2020 Mustang and Ranger have made financing the two models quite a bit more expensive. That said, Ford is offering a program called Ford Promise worth up to $15,000 in the event you lose your job.
Most offers end on September 30.
GM COVID-19 Offers (Chevy, Buick, GMC, Cadillac)
GM's COVID-19 incentives have seen drastic changes since the start of the pandemic. At the moment, Chevy is offering a deal promising up to 15% off MSRP. To put that into perspective, GM initially offered 0% APR for 84 months back in March.
However, the APR deal ended in June and was replaced by a similar offer when financing for 72 months. An offer to defer your first monthly payment for 120 days is gone as well.
Sign & Drive leases continue from Chevy and offer some great opportunities to save. For example, the 2020 Chevy Silverado continues to rank as one of the best trucks you can lease. Believe it or not, better incentives can make it cheaper than a Chevy Sonic.
Looking for a great financing deal? The latest offers from Chevy have brought back 0% APR for 84 months. However, only two models are eligible: the 2020 Chevy Trax and Equinox. Sadly, we don't expect to see that rate on any of the brand's trucks anytime soon.
Most offers end September 30.
Honda & Acura COVID-19 Offers
Honda and Acura ended an offer to defer your first payment for 90 days back in July. That said, Honda is continuing to offer some of the best leases to date after lowering lease payments by anywhere from $10 to $30 back in April. Sign & Drive leases on vehicles like the 2020 Honda CR-V also rank among the best lease deals.
Acura rolled out some impressive loyalty discounts across most of its lineup. For example, the 2020 RDX featured a $3,000 bonus that could be combined with other offers through August 31. 72-month financing rates improved ahead of Memorial Day and continue to offer a good option for prospective buyers.
Healthcare workers were eligible for special discounts from Honda and Acura between April 1 and July 6. However, we're seeing no evidence that the program was extended even though first responders and healthcare professions remain heavily affected by the demands of the coronavirus pandemic.
Offers end November 2.
Hyundai & Genesis COVID-19 Offers
Hyundai is one of the few major brands still offering a payment deferral option for buyers. However, our analysis finds that September incentives appear to limit the option to those financing a vehicle at 0% APR. That means you'll need top-tier credit to qualify.
Hyundai stopped offering 84-month financing at 0% back in June. Originally available on its 2019 lineup and later the 2020 Elantra and Tucson, now there are no vehicles eligible. That said, current offers feature 0% APR for 72 months on models like the Sonata, Tucson, an Santa Fe.
Similarly, an offer to waive your first payment for 120 days was scaled back to just 90 back in May on select models. Unfortunately, a Job Loss Protection Program introduced earlier this year only applied to vehicles purchased through April 30 and was not extended.
Healthcare workers can continue to take advantage of a $500 First Responder discount. Previously, healthcare professionals did not fall within that category. The offer is set to end on January 4, 2021. Finally, warranty extensions were introduced for some owners.
Most offers end November 2.
Jaguar & Land Rover COVID-19 Offers
Jaguar and Land Rover are offering 0% APR for 72 months on just about every single vehicle. Even all-new models like the 2021 Jaguar F-TYPE are eligible. However, we're no longer seeing an option to defer your first month's payment for up to 90 days as of July.
That said, we're seeing no major changes in lease prices. As a result, these offers favor those looking to buy rather than lease. For example, 2020 F-TYPEs are eligible for up to $12,000 in unadvertised dealer cash incentives that can save you serious money.
Jaguar remains one of many ultra-luxury brands offering unprecedented deals in the wake of COVID-19.
Current offers end September 30.
Kia COVID-19 Offers
Special offers from Kia have changed considerably over the past several months. First, an offer to defer your first payment for 120 days ended back in June. Next, a loyalty discount worth up to $1,500 was taken away in July. Fortunately, you can still get 0% APR for 75 months on models like the 2020 Optima and Sorento.
Although we never saw 0% APR for 84 months like Hyundai, Kia is one of the few remaining automakers offering 84-month rates as low as 1.9% APR. Lease prices remain largely unchanged which means current offers favor those buying rather than leasing.
Sadly, hotter sellers like the Kia Telluride offer zero advantage and can be incredibly difficult to find in stock.
Offers end September 30.
Mazda COVID-19 Offers
Mazda is offering 0% APR on every vehicle in its lineup. Even vehicles like the MX-5 Miata and all-new CX-30 are eligible. Mazda is also offering no payments for 90 days on new and used vehicles purchased through Mazda Financial Services.
In the case of the CX-30, this results in a big cut in the cost of borrowing. The previous best rate was 1.9% here in Southern California. On a $25,000 vehicle, the latest offer translates to a difference in interest cost of over $1,200 in addition to a lower payment.
Unfortunately, an offer to double Mazda's loyalty discount to $1,500 ended in July. Up until June, healthcare workers were eligible for a $500 bonus in many parts of the country. A separate offer involved free oil changes for healthcare workers.
Offers end September 30.
Mercedes-Benz COVID-19 Offers
Mercedes-Benz has largely eliminated 0% APR from most vehicles as of September. Previously, you could find zero-interest financing on a number of popular models such as the A-Class, C-Class, E-Class, and GLA plus the added benefit of deferred payments for 90 days.
On the rest of the lineup, we're seeing a much higher rate of 2.99% with no payment deferral option.
Although an earlier promo involved a $500-750 credit on your first month's payment, the deal ended back in June. That said, unusually large loyalty discounts continue on select models, with the 2020 S-Class offering up to $5,000 off in addition to other incentives.
Most offers end September 30.
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Nissan & Infiniti COVID-19 Offers
Nissan cut financing rates to as low as 0% across much of its lineup. Meanwhile, Infiniti introduced 0% APR for 72 months on every vehicle and has extended the offer through September 30. Interestingly, this could result in quirks like lower payments compared to Nissan.
Unfortunately, both brands have removed any reference to a 90-day deferral on your first month's payment. An offer of 0% for 84 months from Nissan on the 2019 Frontier is virtually useless now that the truck is sold out in most of the country.
Back in May, Nissan leaned heavily into advertising "up to 2 months payment relief." However, our analysis found that the promo assumed as little as $500 could cover your first two payments. Nissan is continuing to offer incentives that heavily favor financing.
Offers end September 30.
Subaru COVID-19 Offers
Subaru is continuing to offer the best rates to date on nearly its entire lineup. Incentives for buying have been excellent since the offers rolled out back in March.
You can now find offers like 0% APR for 63 months on the 2020 Ascent, Forester, Impreza, Legacy, and Outback. Even rates on the BRZ and WRX were cut by 2% to as low as 0.9% for 48 months.
We've also learned that Subaru is giving dealers up to $1,500 in dealer cash to provide better deals on the Ascent. However, since this isn't treated like a traditional cash incentive, be sure to shop around to get the lowest possible price.
Looking to buy used? Subaru is now offering 0.99% APR for 48 months on certified used vehicles. Previously, the deal was limited to loans of up to 36 months. As a result, shoppers are in a position to lower their monthly payments.
Offers end September 30.
Toyota & Lexus COVID-19 Offers
Toyota and Lexus are no longer advertising an offer to defer your first payment for 90 days. Although Toyota cut rates to as low as 0% APR back in April on the Camry, RAV4, and Tacoma, the brand quickly raised rates in response to a growing inventory shortage.
Lexus began offering 0% APR for 60 months on every model back in May (previously 0.9%). Shoppers this fall will also find the option to enjoy some generous cash incentives on 2020 Lexus stock now that 2021 inventory is starting to arrive at dealers.
Offers end September 30.
VW & Audi COVID-19 Offers
VW introduced 0% APR for 72 months on most of its lineup back in March. Most of those offers continue through September, although the new Atlas Cross Sport is now limited to interest-free financing for 60 months (as are the Golf and GTI).
An aggressive payment deferral offer initially promised up to 180 days of flexibility. However, that was shorted to 120 days back in May and discontinued in July. In May, VW began offering free job loss protection with its new vehicles. The incentive, called the Volkswagen Pledge, is worth up to $4,500 and is meant to provide assurance amid some of the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19.
Looking to buy used? Expect to see higher rates. VW briefly offered 0% APR for 60 months on certified pre-owned vehicles. However, the deal was scaled back to just 36 months in July and was subsequently discontinued in August.
Offers end September 30.
Volvo COVID-19 Offers
Volvo began offering 0% APR for 60 months on every model in its lineup in June. Previously, the deal was limited to just the 2020 S60, XC60, and XC90. On a $40,000 vehicle, that translates to a difference of over $3,100 in interest with a $52 cut in monthly payment compared to a previous offer of 2.99% APR.
Even better, Volvo is now offering cash bonuses on models like the XC60 that can be combined with 0% financing. Loyalty discounts remain outstanding whether you're buying or leasing. For example, Volvo is offering customers a $2,000 loyalty bonus when buying and $1,000 when leasing here in Southern California.
At the moment, the 2020 Volvo XC90 Hybrid features one of the largest discounts on an SUV with up to $10,000 in savings when factoring in the loyalty bonus.
Offers end September 30.