New Car Rebates and Incentives: December 22, 2011

The countdown to the holidays has almost run down to the zero hour, but there are still deals to be had on brand new cars and trucks that you can lump in with all the rest of your last-minute shopping. Our weekly roundup of the best rebates and incentives available starts out with the 2011 Nissan Sentra compact sedan, which features the choice of either zero percent financing plus a $500 cash bonus or $1,500 in total cash back. Next is the 2011 Chevrolet Colorado Extended Cab mid-size pickup, which is being offered with 0.0% purchase financing or $3,000 in cash back, followed by the 2012 Jeep Compass compact SUV that provides buyers with 0.0% financing or an available $500 factory cash rebate. The final two entries on our list include the 2011 Lincoln MKZ mid-size luxury sedan, which comes with a hefty zero percent financing plus $1,500 cash back offer or the option of $4,000 in total cash discounts, and the 2011 Buick Lucerne full-size sedan that also boasts $4,000 cash back (or the option of 0.0% purchase financing).

Just a few short weeks are left in the year, so if you are currently in the market for a brand new vehicle your window for the best deals on leftover 2011 models is right around now. Make sure to check out your local dealerships as soon as you can to make sure that you are able to score a great price on an automobile with the exact features and options you are looking for.

2011 Nissan Sentra

The 2011 Nissan Sentra is an affordable compact sedan that trades on its solid fuel economy at the entry-level and its potent powertrains when shopping sportier models. The Nissan Sentra also features the ability to add some of its performance-oriented styling cues to its more practical editions, which can dress up the conservative-looking four-door quite nicely.

The 2011 Nissan Sentra starts out with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine under its hood that is good for 140 horsepower and 147 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy for the unit is rated at 27 miles per gallon in city driving and 34 miles per gallon on the highway when outfitted with the optional continuously-variable automatic transmission. A six-speed manual is also available with this car, and is standard on all other editions of the Sentra including the SE-R (which features a 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 177 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque) and the SE-R Spec V (offering a 200 horsepower edition of the same engine that is also tuned to provide 180 lb-ft of torque). Fuel economy for the SE-R checks inG at 24 miles per gallon around town and 30 miles per gallon highway, while the SE-R Spec V returns 21 miles per gallon city and 28 miles per gallon during highway cruising.

There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest plus $500 cash back or $1,500 total cash back on the 2011 Nissan Sentra available until 01/03/2012.

2011 Chevrolet Colorado Extended Cab

The 2011 Chevrolet Colorado Extended Cab pickup is a mid-size truck that offers easier access to its stretched passenger compartment via the addition of a small set of rear doors. The Chevrolet Colorado Extended Cab also features a six-foot cargo bed as well as the ability to tow up to 6,000 lbs.

The 2011 Chevrolet Colorado Extended Cab offers an array of engine choices, starting out with a 2.9-liter, four-cylinder that generates 185 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque while offering fuel economy of 18 miles per gallon city and 25 miles per gallon highway. Next up is a 3.7-liter, five-cylinder mill that provides 242 horses and 242 lb-ft of twist while dropping two miles per gallon from each respective measure. The king of the Colorado mountain is the truck's available 300 horsepower, 5.3-liter V-8. Also capable of churning out 320 lb-ft of torque, this motor delivers 16 miles per gallon around town and 20 miles per gallon on the highway. A five-speed manual transmission can be ordered with the four-cylinder edition of the pickup, while all other models are matched with a four-speed automatic (optional on the base truck). The Colorado can also be equipped with four-wheel drive.

There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest or $3,000 cash back on the 2011 Chevrolet Colorado Extended Cab available until 01/03/2012.

2012 Jeep Compass

The 2012 Jeep Compass is a compact crossover SUV that allows buyers to choose between urban practicality (five passenger seating, 53.6 cubic feet of total cargo space) and all-terrain mastery (via the Freedom Drive II Off-Road package). The latter edition of the Jeep Compass includes low-range gearing for the vehicle's four-wheel drive system, skid plates, knobby tires and a number of trail-oriented electronic driver's aides.

The 2012 Jeep Compass features two four-cylinder engine choices. The base model makes do with a 2.0-liter motor that puts out 158 horsepower and 141 lb-ft of torque on its way to achieving fuel mileage of 23 miles per gallon around town and 29 miles per gallon highway. All other editions of the Compass come with a 2.4-liter that provides 172 horses and 165 lb-ft of twist, along with fuel economy of 22 miles per gallon city and 28 miles per gallon highway. A five-speed manual transmission is standard with the Jeep Compass, but a continuously-variable automatic is available as an option - as is a pavement-oriented four-wheel drive system (Freedom Drive I) as an alternative to what the Off-Road package has to offer.

There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest or $500 cash back on the 2012 Jeep Compass available until 01/03/2012. 

2012 Lincoln MKZ

The 2011 Lincoln MKZ offers mid-size premium sedan shoppers with the chance to sample a number of high tech features and options. The Lincoln MKZ can be ordered with equipment such as a touchscreen navigation system, a THX surround sound audio system, adaptive HID headlights, a blind-spot warning system and the SYNC vehicle interface.

The 2011 Lincoln MKZ's sole engine choice is a 3.5-liter V-6 that is rated at 263 horsepower and 249 lb-ft of torque. This output is sent to the front or all four wheels (if all-wheel drive is selected as an option) via a six-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy for the Lincoln MKZ shows as 18 miles per gallon in stop and go driving and 27 miles per gallon on the highway.

There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest plus $1,500 cash back or $4,000 in total cash back on the 2011 Lincoln MKZ available until 01/03/2012.

2011 Buick Lucerne

The 2011 Buick Lucerne is the brand's last remaining link to its previous persona as the purveyor of plush, insulated and somewhat disconnected luxury cars. The Buick Lucerne can seat up to six passengers thanks to the availability of a front row bench, and it offers a long list of premium features including a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled leather seats and even an adaptive suspension system.

The 2011 Buick Lucerne is initially outfitted with a 3.9-liter V-6 engine that generates 227 horsepower and 237 lb-ft of torque. A four-speed automatic transmission handles the gear shifting duties for this engine, and fuel economy is reported as 17 miles per gallon city and 27 miles per gallon highway. The Lucerne Super keeps the four-speed auto but replaces the sedan's V-6 with a 292 horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8 that is also capable of producing 288 lb-ft of torque. Fuel mileage for the eight-cylinder Lucerne is rated at 15 miles per gallon around town and 23 miles per gallon on the highway.

There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest or $4,000 cash back on the 2011 Buick Lucerne available until 01/03/2012