Best new car buys for President's Day
As the United States goes through the Primary process for selecting presidential candidates, the media is awash in promises and hyperbole. Likewise, in the car world, President's Day sales are often promoted with print and broadcast ads that pledge change and a better economic package. In both races, it is clear not all promises will be kept.
With some research, you can make a smart, informed decision, saving money along the way. As the sound bites fly, the multimedia propaganda can sidetrack you from choices that might be a better fit for your needs and distract you from thoroughly researching your prospective purchase. It is important to note that beyond the advertised promotions, dealers might be more willing to negotiate during this sales period, as winter weather can often mean fewer serious buyers are visiting showrooms in some parts of the country.
Consumer Reports Auto Price Service has cut through the marketing oratory to highlight the best deals for February. As they do each month, our analysts scrutinize the available incentives on Consumer Reports recommended vehicles to assist shoppers in finding good deals on good cars. (For the monthly best new-car deals for Canada, visit crcanadacars.org.)
Featured best new car deals for February
2008 Acura RL. This luxury sedan achieved a Very Good rating in Consumer Reports' testing, but ranks only mid-pack in the competitive luxury sedan class. The RL will be significantly updated for 2009.
2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 crew cab LT V8 4WD. This redesigned Silverado has a selectable, full-time, four-wheel-drive system and generous load capacity. The truck has a very good ride and it's fairly easy to get into the cabin, but its braking distances were long.
2008 Saturn Aura XE V6. The Aura uses the same platform as the new Chevrolet Malibu. The XE model has a coarse 3.5-liter V6 paired with a four-speed automatic and returned 20 mpg overall in our testing. Our tested XE was nimble and responsive and had well-weighted steering. We only recommend the XE; the XR trim line has below-average reliability.
See the complete list of best new car deals with prices.
Read our complete report on how to get a great deal during the President's Day sales.
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