Year-End Deal Reality Check: Chevrolet

As the year comes to an end, Chevrolet is offering some unique deals on select models, including no-money-down leases or financing that defers the first monthly payment for a few months.

Special deals are available to shoppers of the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox, Traverse and Impala (LS trim only). All three have attractive 0% financing with the option of having no monthly payments until the spring, according to Chevy.

Well-qualified shoppers can get 0% to 3.9% financing for 60 months, depending on the model. The new 2012 Chevrolet Sonic and popular Cruze have 2.9% financing deals for 60 months. The soon-to-be-defunct Impala has $3,000 cash on the hood; so does the 2012 Chevy Avalanche. You can take off $2,000 on a new 2012 Traverse, while the hot-selling 2012 Chevy Tahoe and Suburban have only $1,500 on the hood.

The deals are even more attractive for those looking to lease a new Chevy. Under the Sign & Drive program, you can lease a new 2012 Cruze ($199 a month), Malibu ($229 a month), Traverse ($299 a month) or Silverado ($381 a month for All Star Edition trims) for no money down with 39-month and 39,000-mile terms.

All current Chevy deals end Jan. 3. For more information, go here.

Movers and Losers: July 2011

Despite some pessimistic reporting earlier last month, July turned out to be a good recovery month for the auto industry. More than 1 million new vehicles were sold, and sales were up 4.7% from a year ago. Despite the rosy sales figures, the average time it took a model to sell increased slightly in July to 58.8 days from June's 58 days.

This month’s Movers and Losers list shows that many of the fastest-selling vehicles once again come from Hyundai. The 2012 Hyundai Elantra remained one of the fastest-selling volume vehicles in July, taking just six days to sell. You could say everything at Hyundai is a fast-seller: The 2012 Sonata and Tucson also took six days to sell. The new 2012 Hyundai Accent sedan (10 days) and hatchback (seven days) also sold like hotcakes. Overall, the Tucson, Accent, Sonata and Elantra represent roughly 80% of Hyundai’s sales for the month.

This month’s Losers list includes the addition of two hybrids — the 2011 Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid (159 days) and 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid (150 days). The Toyota Yaris sedan (165 days) also merged on to the slow lane, though that model is due to be replaced.

Recall Alert: 739 Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC Trucks, SUVs

GM is recalling 739 vehicles from the 2011 model year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The affected vehicles are the Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV 1500; Chevrolet Silverado, Suburban and Tahoe; and GMC Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL.

The affected vehicles are being recalled because the intermediate steering shaft attaching bolts might not have been tightened properly. This could cause the joints to separate and lead to steering loss, increasing the risk of a crash.

The recall is expected to begin on July 13. GM dealers will inspect the intermediate steering shaft bolts and tighten them, if needed. For more info, owners can call Cadillac at 800-458-8006, Chevrolet at 800-630-2438, GMC at 866-996-9463 or NHTSA’s hotline at 888-327-4236.

Few Big Incentives from Chevy in April

This month, Chevrolet continues to offer a few healthy cash-back offers, but some 0% financing on some of the brand’s large SUVs has been taken away.

Chevy’s slow sellers, such as the Avalanche and HHR, continue to offer 0% financing throughout April. The Tahoe and Suburban switch from 0% financing to a still-attractive 2.9% for 60 months, though both models maintain a $2,000 cash-back deal from last month. No Chevy models increase their cash-back offerings.

Chevy’s popular sellers, like the Cruze and Equinox, don’t offer much in terms of incentives, but both models have somewhat attractive lease deals.

Most incentives expire May 2. Continue reading below for more detailed offerings:

The Worst Hybrids for the Money

Every year, we determine which hybrids are the best for the money, based on body style. This year, we also take a look at the worst hybrids for the money.

What we mean by worst is this: hybrids that end up with a very low score after you divide the car’s combined EPA mileage estimate by its MSRP and multiply that number by 1,000. Our best finisher was the Honda Insight. Who was at the other end?

To be fair, many of the cars on this list are luxury cars, and you’re paying for that as much as you’re paying for the hybrid drivetrain. And some of these perform, percentage-wise, far better than their gas counterparts. (Take the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid, for example.) And some shoppers, of course, want and/or need a large SUV but would like to make some kind of statement. Still, my 2003 Honda Pilot scores better (0.58) than all the cars on this list, and it’s not even a hybrid.

Here’s the bottom 10:

Recall Alert: 26,751 GM Trucks, SUVS

General Motors has expanded an earlier recall from last month over a potential problem with the rear axle/suspension, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Affected models include the 2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV and Escalade EXT; Chevrolet Avalanche, Colorado, Silverado, Suburban and Tahoe; and GMC Canyon, Sierra, Yukon and Yukon XL. While the initial recall affected only 1,262 vehicles (and all the vehicles were trucks), now 26,751 vehicles (including SUVs) are affected.

In the affected vehicles, the rear axle cross pin was not manufactured correctly. As a result, the pin could fracture and become displaced within the rear axle, causing the axle to lock up. This condition could make maintaining direction control difficult, increasing the likelihood of an accident without prior warning.

GM is expected to begin the recall Jan. 25. Dealerships will install a new rear axle cross pin free of charge on affected vehicles. For more info, owners can contact Cadillac at 866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 800-630-2438, GMC at 866-996-9463 or NHTSA's safety hotline at 888-327-4236. Owners can also go to www.GMownercenter.com.

Chevrolet Incentives Perk Up for December

As we get closer to the end of 2010, automakers are starting to pile on the cash on their remaining 2010 model year inventory and some of the 2011 models, too.

The same holds true at America’s second-largest automotive brand, Chevrolet. Vehicles such as the outgoing 2010 Aveo get $2,500 cash back, which, proportional to its $11,965 starting price, is a nice chunk of change. The more popular 2010 Malibu gets $3,500, and the 2011 Malibu gets $2,000. Chevrolet’s large SUVs, crossovers and trucks get between $2,000 and $5,000 cash back.

The new Cruze, Equinox and Camaro, which continue to sell like hotcakes, don’t have any cash-back deals. The Equinox and Cruze do have some attractive lease deals, though: You can take a Cruze home for as little as $159 a month for 39 months.

Almost all 2010 and 2011 models get attractive financing options between 0% and 3.9% for up to 72 months.

GM is no longer producing any 2010 model year vehicles, and overall, 2010 models make up only about 16% to 18% of GM’s current inventory; the rest are 2011 models. That means some of these great deals are probably hard to come by. All of the current incentives expire Jan. 3.

Large SUV Sales Surge Faster Than Small Cars

Plug-in electric hybrids and electric cars have taken up much of the digital airwaves over the past few weeks (or years, depending on your perspective), but it may surprise you to find out that “passé” full-size SUVs are increasing in popularity once again. 

So far this year, full-size SUV sales have increased 19%, beating overall industry growth of 17%. The full-size SUV category is composed of large body-on-frame SUVs, like the GMC Yukon, and large crossovers, such as the Lincoln MKT and Chevrolet Traverse. 

Chevy Incentives Roll On

You might hear stories that automakers aren’t offering lucrative incentives this summer like in past years, but if you’ve been following our blog, you know there are plenty of incentives out there for July. Chevrolet is not shying away from big cash-back offers, either. Not only is there up to $5,000 cash back on 2010 Silverado and Avalanche pickup trucks, but $4,000 cash back on the Impala and the sub-$20,000 HHR. Zero percent financing for up to 72 months is also available on many models.

We list more of the cash-back deals below, but the company is also quietly offering a $1,000 bonus cash offer to owners or leasees of 1999 or newer Toyota vehicles. That deal and the cash-back and financing offers run through Sept. 7.  

Chevy Offering Numerous Incentives on 2010 Models

As 2011 models start arriving, GM is offering a number of incentives on outgoing 2010 models, including cash back and good financing deals.

You can get zero-percent financing for 60 months on the Chevrolet Malibu, HHR, Impala, Corvette and Cobalt or up to $3,000 in cash allowances on those models ($4,000 for the HHR). The Chevy Suburban, Tahoe and Traverse all have cash allowances of up to $3,000 and zero-percent financing deals for 60 months.

As far as trucks, both the Silverado and Avalanche have up to a $5,000 cash allowance or zero-percent financing for 72 months. The Colorado has a smaller cash allowance attached of up to $1,500.

Keep in mind these deals represent the best we could dig up from around the country, and they will likely vary at your local dealer. Check our incentives page for more information.