BEST NEW CAR FINANCE DEALS FOR MAY 2026
While new vehicle prices keep ratcheting higher, most buyers aren't paying sticker price. It's common for car dealers to automatically discount popular vehicles like a Hyundai Santa Fe by thousands, because automakers are feeding them on average $3300 per vehicle in incentives, according to JD Power. By the end of 2026, that average is expected to rise to $3500.
That's the brightest economic news we can give you in a world where a bottle of ketchup is six bucks and every company, from automakers to zipper manufacturers, attempts to reclaim more than $160 billion in illegal tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Consumers, of course, will have to eat those added costs like always. But at least you can get a good new car at a relatively affordable price.
Check Our Auto Loans & Financing Guide
Make sure you first read our Auto Loans & Financing guide. We've covered everything that may get glossed over in the showroom: how to apply, trade-ins, average rates by credit score, and more. The Car and Driver Marketplace also has a finance calculator to help you estimate costs based on the manufacturer's loan terms.
Most 2025 and 2026 Ford Models
6%-8% below MSRP
Every once in a while, Ford rolls out "employee pricing for all" that lowers MSRPs by 6 to 8 percent. Effectively, you're paying the invoice price without any haggling or rebate stacking. Commercial vehicles and Raptors are excluded, with the exception of the Transit cargo van and 2025 Bronco Raptor. Also off the list are the hottest Mustangs, the Escape and Explorer from 2025, the 2026 Super Duty Lariat, and any King Ranch or Platinum trim. Else, it's easy to save thousands on a new Ford.
2026 Mazda CX-70 Hybrid and CX-90 Hybrid
0% APR for 60 months
Or $5000 rebate
While Mazda offers 1.9-percent financing on the turbo-six CX-70 and CX-90, it's the plug-in hybrid versions that have the sweetest deals, with a $5000 discount or zero interest (and in areas where PHEVs are unpopular, you might string both). The CX-90 Hybrid is the better car, not just for the third row but for the added standard equipment for 2026 that includes 21-inch wheels, cooled front seats, and heated rear seats. The CX-70 Hybrid is thousands less to start, but with these incentives, it makes sense to grab the Mazda with more features.
2026 Infiniti QX60 and QX80
0% APR for 60 months
Or $6000-$10,000 rebate
As Infiniti picks up the pieces, the QX60 and QX80 are holding down the three-model lineup before the next-gen Q50 and Rogue-based QX50 successor arrive. The zero-percent deals apply to any QX80 trim but only to the Sport and Autograph trims on the QX60, the latter of which comes with a $1000 rebate. Without the APR special, Infiniti will take $6000 off the QX60 or $10,000 off a QX80, but again, only in their Sport and Autograph trims.
2026 Cadillac Optiq
0.9% APR for 72 months
and $2000 rebate
Cadillac ended the first quarter with a 25 percent year-over-year dip in sales. Yet the subcompact Optiq recorded a 66 percent increase, which can be attributed to a steady stream of incentives, a low starting price, and most of all, the compelling product that it is. Cadillac offers no deals at this level on any other EV or even its sedans and aging gas crossovers, which have a very hard time selling. Perhaps Cadillac should apply the Optiq's low interest and rebate (which requires ownership of a competitive vehicle) to all of their models.
2026 Ram 1500
0% APR for 36-60 months
No payments for 90 days
Ram has the best full-size-pickup truck deals available nationwide. Every trim of the Ram 1500 except the RHO has zero-interest financing and deferred payments for 90 days. The best loans are on the Big Horn and Laramie with the crew cab and standard bed, which extend the term to 60 months. Ram will also do 72 months on all eligible trims for 2.9 percent, which no other automaker is doing this month.
2025 Subaru BRZ, 2026 Ascent, Crosstrek, and Forester
0.9% APR for 36-72 months or 1.9% APR for 36 months
We've highlighted the zero percent financing for 72 months on Subaru's three EVs in production, and since that offer is here to stay, we're sticking to deals on Subaru's popular gas cars. If you can find one of about a dozen BRZs remaining from last year, Subaru will finance it for six years at under 1 percent. The majority of Subaru fans will easily finance an Ascent, Crosstrek, or Forester for the same rate (or one point higher) at half the term. The Forester is eligible for the 0.9 percent rate across all trims, but not the hybrids. The Crosstrek is at 1.9 percent and does include hybrids, while all of the Ascent's seven trims are strictly gas.
2026 Volkswagen Atlas and Tiguan
1.9% APR for 60 months
Or $2500-$3500 rebate
Volkswagen has quietly raised rates on the Atlas and Tiguan, which in March were financed at zero and 0.9 percent, respectively. Still, this 1.9 percent deal is good among any similar-sized crossovers from other brands, and as a concession, VW increased cash rebates for shoppers who don't take the APR deal. The Tiguan now sports a $2500 rebate (up from $1000) on all trims except the SEL, while the Atlas, which had no rebate, allows $3500 on all trims.
2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
0% APR for 36 months
Or $6000-$7000 rebate
Every Silverado 1500 with a 5.3-liter V-8 comes with zero percent financing for 36 months or up to $7000 off the purchase price. That maximum rebate is for current Chevrolet lessees or owners of a 2012 or newer Chevrolet. Else, the total rebate is $6000. Recently, GM restricted these special deals to single trims or to the turbo-four engine. While Ram leads this month's truck deals, you won't find a similar offer at Toyota, Nissan, Ford, or even GMC.
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