New Car Rebates and Incentives: December 29, 2011

The final week of 2011 features a good haul of rebates and incentives on a variety of new cars and sport-utility vehicles. The 2012 Buick Regal compact luxury sedan offers 1.9% financing or the choice of $1,000 cash back, while the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro muscle coupe features a 3.9% financing plus $1,000 factory cash back offer. The full-size 2011 Lincoln Navigator SUV boasts a whopping $4,000 in cash back or the option of zero percent financing, followed by strong offers on the 2012 Dodge Durango mid-size SUV (0.0% financing or $1,000 cash back) and the 2011 Mazda CX-9 mid-size crossover (zero percent financing plus $500 in cash back).

2012 is almost upon us, and the New Year will bring with it a fresh batch of bargains, deals and incentives designed to keep drivers in the buying mood throughout the winter months. Check back with us next week for our regular roundup of the best rebates to be found throughout the automotive industry.

2012 Buick Regal Rebates

The 2012 Buick Regal is a compact premium sedan that aims to balance price, handling and comfort. The Buick Regal comes standard with features such as heated leather seats, Bluetooth connectivity, dual automatic climate controls and satellite radio, and when ordered in GS trim the sedan upgrades to a sport suspension system, more capable brakes and a re-tuned stability control system.

The 2012 Buick Regal starts out with a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine under the hood that provides 182 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque while also offering fuel mileage rated at 19 miles per gallon in city driving and 31 miles per gallon on the highway. The Regal can also be equipped with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder unit that makes use of a turbocharger to grind out 220 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque (in Turbo trim) or 270 ponies and 295 lb-ft of twist in the GS model. Fuel economy numbers for the former check in at 20 miles per gallon around town and 32 miles per gallon highway, while the GS drops to 19 miles per gallon city and 27 miles per gallon highway. The most fuel efficient edition of the Buick is the Regal eAssist, which benefits from a 2.4-liter, four-cylinder mild-hybrid design that incorporates an electric motor to offer a small boost of power to the base engine's output while improving mileage to 25 miles per gallon city and 36 miles per gallon highway. Transmissions available with the Buick sedan include a mix of six-speed manual and automatic options.

There is a financing incentive of 1.9% interest or $1,000 cash back on the 2012 Buick Regal available until 01/03/2012.

2011 Chevrolet Camaro

The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro is an aggressively retro-styled coupe (also available as a drop-top) that even in base form provides a substantial level of performance to go with its fuel-sipping highway rating. The Chevrolet Camaro is also of course available in a tire-squealing SS model that tears up the tarmac in a straight line while additionally providing solid handling and braking on the track.

The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro is initially outfitted with a 3.6-liter V-6 power plant that is good for 312 horsepower and 278 lb-ft of torque. The Camaro SS steps up to the plate with a monster 6.2-liter V-8 that churns out 426 horses and 420 lb-ft of torque. Each engine can be matched with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic, and the V-6 Camaro features a fuel mileage rating of 18 miles per gallon in city driving and 29 miles per gallon during highway cruising. The Camaro SS follows with 16 miles per gallon around town and 25 miles per gallon on the highway.

There is a financing incentive of 3.9% interest plus $1,000 cash back on the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro available until 01/03/2012.

2011 Lincoln Navigator Rebates

The 2011 Lincoln Navigator cuts an imposing figure as a full-size luxury sport-utility vehicle that can seat as many as eight passengers or haul up to 128 cubic feet of cargo (when ordered in extended-wheelbase L trim). The Lincoln Navigator can also be had with equipment such as seat heaters for all three rows of accommodations, a sunroof, a navigation system and the Sync multimedia and communications interface.

The 2011 Lincoln Navigator features a 5.4-liter V-8 engine as its sole drivetrain option. The eight-cylinder motor produces 310 horsepower and 365 lb-ft of torque, and it is matched with a six-speed automatic transmission that sends output to either the rear or all four wheels (if four-wheel drive is selected as an option). Fuel economy for the Navigator shows as 14 miles per gallon in stop and go driving and 20 miles per gallon on the highway.

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

2012 Dodge Durango Rebates

The 2012 Dodge Durango is a large, mid-size crossover vehicle that boasts a seven passenger capacity plus 84.5 cubic feet of total cargo space with the rear rows of accommodations out of the picture. The Dodge Durango offers four trim levels, with the Citadel edition providing range-topping equipment such as heated and ventilated leather seats, adaptive cruise control, a sunroof and a navigation system.

The 2012 Dodge Durango counts on a six-cylinder base engine that displaces 3.6-liters and generates 290 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Fuel mileage for this engine is rated at 16 miles per gallon in city driving and 23 miles per gallon on the highway. A 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 can also be ordered with the Durango, and it puts out 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque while dropping fuel economy by two and three miles per gallon for each respective measure. Each edition of the crossover is shifted via a five-speed automatic transmission, and while the V-6 Durango can be had with all-wheel drive the Hemi version swaps in a four-wheel drive option instead.

There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest or $1,000 cash back on the 2012 Dodge Durango available until 01/03/2012.

2011 Mazda CX-9 Rebates

The 2011 Mazda CX-9 is a mid-size crossover vehicle that drives much smaller than it looks thanks to the Japanese brand's decision to impart it with the same type of sporty personality - and chassis - that graces most of the automaker's offerings. The Mazda CX-9 also throws in three rows of seven passenger seating plus 101 cubic feet of total cargo room to go with its fun-to-drive nature.

The 2011 Mazda CX-9 is paired with a 3.7-liter V-6 engine that is good for a healthy 272 ponies and 270 lb-ft of torque. Fuel mileage for the CX-9, which offers a six-speed automatic transmission as its only available gearbox, checks in at 17 miles per gallon around town and 24 miles per gallon during highway cruising. All-wheel drive can be ordered with the Mazda crossover in order to improve inclement weather traction.

There is a financing incentive of 0.0% interest plus $500 cash back on the 2011 Mazda CX-9 available until 01/03/2012.