New Car Rebates and Incentives: July 21, 2011

The July heat is making the mercury rise, but it’s also helping to lower prices on brand new cars and trucks as automakers encourage summer sales through the judicious application of rebates and incentives. This week’s list begins with the full-size 2011 Ford Flex and 2011 Buick Enclave crossovers, each of which can be had with either $2,000 cash back or the choice of zero percent financing. Next up is the 2011 GMC Canyon Extended Cab mid-size pickup truck, which provides a generous $3,000 cash rebate or available 0.0% financing, followed by the 2011 Nissan Xterra mid-size SUV which comes with an available $2,000 cash back or zero percent purchase financing. Closing our list is the 2011 Jeep Wrangler mid-size SUV, which offers a competitive $1,000 cash back or an available finance rate of 0.0%.

Let’s take a closer look at the automobiles that comprise this week’s list of the most compelling rebates and incentives currently available on the market.

2011 Ford Flex

The 2011 Ford Flex has been called a crossover and it has been called a tall wagon, but one this is certain: this full-size people mover has a lot to offer in terms of practicality. Specifically, the Ford Flex can seat as many as seven people within its roomy confines, and with the second and third row of accommodations out of the picture it can also swallow as much as 83 cubic feet of luggage.

The 2011 Ford Flex starts out with a perky 3.5-liter V-6 engine that is good for 262 horsepower and 248 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is available as an option with this motor, and a six-speed automatic transmission is standard. The EcoBoost model introduces a twin-turbo edition of this same engine, one which grinds out 355 horses and 350 lb-ft of twist. A six-speed auto is also used, and all-wheel drive becomes standard. Interestingly, the EcoBoost Flex’s fuel economy figures are only slightly lower than those of the entry-level model (17 miles per gallon city and 24 miles per gallon highway for the front-wheel drive edition, 16 miles per gallon city and 21 miles per gallon highway for the all-wheel drive twin-turbo).

There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest or $2,000 cash back on the 2011 Ford Flex available until 10/03/2011.

2011 Buick Enclave

The 2011 Buick Enclave offers premium features and a smooth ride for full-size luxury crossover buyers. Seating for seven combines with a total interior storage capacity of 116 cubic feet, and the Buick Enclave also offers available equipment such as three zones of automatic climate control, heated leather seats and a dual pane sunroof.

All versions of the 2011 Buick Enclave are outfitted with the same V-6 engine. Displacing 3.6-liters, the motor is capable of generating 288 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque, and can be ordered in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive editions. A six-speed automatic transmission comes with both models, and fuel mileage for the Enclave checks in at 17 miles per gallon in stop and go driving and 24 miles per gallon on the highway.

There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest or $2,000 cash back on the 2011 Buick Enclave available until 09/06/2011.

2011 GMC Canyon Extended Cab

The 2011 GMC Canyon Extended Cab crams quite a lot of utility into its mid-size pickup truck platform. In addition to its six-foot cargo bed, the GMC Canyon Extended Cab offers seating for three additional passengers behind the front two positions.

The 2011 GMC Canyon Extended Cab also offers three different engine configurations to go with its practicality. The entry-level, 2.9-liter four-cylinder motor offers up 185 horsepower, while the vehicle’s 3.7-liter five-cylinder unit puts out 242 ponies and 242 lb-ft of torque. The Canyon’s range-topping 5.3-liter V-8 engine trumps each of these options with 300 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque. The four-cylinder motor’s fuel economy shows as 18 miles per gallon in city driving and 25 miles per gallon on the highway, numbers that are just barely a cut above those provided by the five-cylinder engine. The V-8 drops fuel economy to 14 miles per gallon around town and 20 miles per gallon on the highway. Transmission choices include a five-speed manual (2.9-liter only) and four-speed automatic.

There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest or $3,000 cash back on the 2011 GMC Canyon Extended Cab available until 09/06/2011.

2011 Nissan Xterra

The 2011 Nissan Xterra is somewhat unique in its approach to the mid-size SUV market in that it favors a balance between off-road competency and on-pavement civility. In addition to its available Pro-4X trail-ready trim level, the Nissan Xterra also offers seating for as many as five passengers as well as 66 cubic feet of interior storage space behind the front row.

The 2011 Nissan Xterra comes exclusively with a 4.0-liter V-6 under the hood, and this engine is rated at a healthy 261 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque. Four-wheel drive is optional, and the Xterra can be found with either a five-speed automatic or six-speed manual tranny handling the gear shifting duties. Fuel mileage figures for the SUV are reported as 15 miles per gallon in the city and 21 miles per gallon during highway cruising.

There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest or $2,000 cash back on the 2011 Nissan Xterra available until 08/01/2011.

2011 Jeep Wrangler

The 2011 Jeep Wrangler is a dedicated trail beast, a mid-size sport-utility vehicle that has seen its off-road prowess honed by years of real-world testing and abuse. The five-passenger Jeep Wrangler’s Rubicon trim level adds even more rock-climbing fun to the mix thanks to its rugged suspension system, knobby all-terrain tires and locking front and rear differentials.

The 2011 Jeep Wrangler keeps things simple in the engine bay, with a 3.8-liter V-6 included as the standard engine across the entire lineup. The 202 horsepower and 237 lb-ft of torque produced by this engine are more than enough to keep things moving forward regardless of how far from civilization a driver might be, and two different four-wheel drive systems are also available with the SUV. Six-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions are the order of the day for the Wrangler, and fuel economy for the vehicle is listed as 15 miles per gallon around town and 19 miles per gallon on the highway.

There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest or $1,000 cash back on the 2011 Jeep Wrangler available until 09/06/2011.