There is no doubt that this is now the age of the SUV, with over 190,000 units sold in the first quarter of 2018, representing 44 per cent of all new-vehicle sales.
The segment’s strong, 6.4-per-cent year-over-year sales growth helped drive an overall increase in new-vehicle sales of 1.9 per cent over the same period, despite an 8-per-cent sales slump in the passenger car segment.
Recognizing consumers’ strong affinity for SUVs, many auto makers have taken bold steps to adapt their product portfolios to evolving preferences. Ford announced last week that it plans to stop producing sedans and devote more resources to its SUVs in an effort to reduce costs and boost profit. Earlier this year, Mitsubishi also chose to launch its third SUV in Canada, the 2018 Eclipse Cross (rather than refreshing its popular Lancer or replacing it with another sedan model.
SUVs have been a prominent fixture among luxury auto brands; however, ultra-luxury auto makers have also now begun to include them in their traditionally car-heavy lineups. Examples include the Bentley Bentayga, the Maserati Levante, the Lamborghini Urus and the upcoming Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
We’ve featured some of our favourite offers this week on luxury SUVs under $50,000. If you don’t find an offer that suits you, be sure to check out the new Globe Drive Build and Price Tool to see the latest incentives and discounts on any new car, truck or SUV.
2018 Acura RDX Elite
2018 Acura RDX.Handout
The RDX, Acura’s best-selling vehicle, will feature a complete redesign for the 2019 model year with exterior motifs such as the new diamond pentagon grille and headlight design that match the rest of the auto maker’s latest lineup. In the meantime, exceptional offers are available on the current generation 2018 Acura RDX, which is powered by a 3.5-litre, V-6 i-VTEC engine, producing 279 horsepower and 252 lb.-ft. of torque. The Elite trim features an eight-inch infotainment system, navigation with voice recognition, a 410-watt, 10-speaker ELS Studio premium audio system, heated leather seats with ventilated front seats, a multiangle rear-view camera with guidelines, rain-sensing windshield wipers, Jewel Eye LED headlights and auto-dimming, power-folding side mirrors with integrated LED turn signals. A key interior highlight on the Elite trim is its GPS-linked, solar-sensing, dual-zone climate-control system, which senses the position of the sun relative to the car and measures its intensity in order to automatically maintain internal cabin temperature. Its safety features include a collision-mitigation braking system, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning and a blind-spot monitoring system.
- MSRP: $47,390
- Manufacturer cash incentive: $5,000 (applied after tax)
- Estimated dealer discount: $1,000
- Freight, PDI, government fees: $2,185
- Cash purchase price before tax: $44,150
- Finance for 60 months at 1.9-per-cent interest for $907 a month including tax, which includes a $3,000 manufacturer incentive (applied after tax) and assumes zero down payment
- Lease for 48 months at 1.9-per-cent interest for $628 a month including tax, which includes a $3,000 manufacturer incentive (applied after tax) and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment
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2018 BMW X4 xDrive28i
2018 BMW X4.Tom Kirkpatrick/Handout
The BMW X4 “sports activity coupe” features the delicate curves of a coupe thanks to its fastback-style sloping roofline, combined with the versatility of an SUV with higher ground clearance and an all-wheel-drive powertrain. The 2018 BMW X4 xDrive28i produces 241 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque through a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, twin-turbocharged engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Its highlights include a high-fidelity sound system, a hands-free automatic liftgate, dynamic cruise control, a heated multifunction steering wheel with paddle shifters, automatic start/stop functionality, brake-energy regeneration, automatic bi-Xenon headlights with rain sensors, LED fog lights, front and rear park distance control and run-flat tires.
- MSRP: $49,600
- Manufacturer cash incentive: $2,000
- Estimated dealer discount: $1,000
- Freight, PDI, government fees: $3,215
- Cash purchase price before tax: $49,815
- Finance for 60 months at 1.9-per-cent interest for $984 a month including tax, which includes a $2,000 manufacturer incentive and assumes zero down payment
- Lease for 48 months at 2.9-per-cent interest for $778 a month including tax, which includes a $2,000 manufacturer incentive and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment
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2018 Audi Q3 2.0 TFSI Quattro Progressiv Tiptronic
2018 Audi Q3.Handout
The 2018 Audi Q3 is equipped with a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine that produces 200 horsepower and 207 lb.-ft. of torque with an available Quattro all-wheel-drive powertrain. The Progressiv trim features an available seven-inch infotainment system with navigation and voice control, dual-zone climate control, a parking system with a backup camera, an electro-mechanical parking brake, a tinted panoramic sunroof, Xenon headlights with light and rain sensors, LED tail lights and daytime running lights, and hill-descent control for downhill driving.
- MSRP: $40,200
- Manufacturer cash incentive: $1,000
- Estimated dealer discount: $1,000
- Freight, PDI, government fees: $2,830
- Cash purchase price before tax: $41,030
- Finance for 60 months at 2.9-per-cent interest for $831 a month including tax, which includes a $1,000 manufacturer incentive and assumes zero down payment
- Lease for 48 months at 2.9-per-cent interest for $585 a month including tax, which includes a $1,000 manufacturer incentive and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment
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2018 Lexus NX 300
2018 Lexus NX.Handout
The 2018 Lexus NX 300 outputs 235 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque through a 2.0-litre, turbocharged Atkinson cycle engine. It comes standard with an eight-inch infotainment system, a heated and leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel with paddle shifters, a backup camera, push-button ignition, bi-beam LED headlights with washers, LED fog lamps and a windshield washer deicer. Also standard on the NX 300 is Lexus’ Safety System+ suite of active safety technology, which includes a precollision system, automatic high beam, dynamic radar cruise control and lane-departure alert with steering assist.
- MSRP: $44,050
- Manufacturer cash incentive: $3,000 (applied after tax)
- Estimated dealer discount: $1,000
- Freight, PDI, government fees: $2,215
- Cash purchase price before tax: $42,610
- Finance for 60 months at 2.9-per-cent interest (as compared with 4.9 per cent in March) for $863 a month including tax, which includes a $3,000 manufacturer incentive (applied after tax) and assumes zero down payment
- Lease for 48 months at 2.9-per-cent interest for $621 a month including tax, which includes a $3,000 manufacturer incentive (applied after tax) and assumes a 20,000 annual kilometre allowance with zero down payment
Get Local Price on Globe Drive
Andrew Tai is CEO of Unhaggle. Follow on Twitter @ahytai
Manufacturer incentives and pricing calculations are based on Ontario customers and subject to availability of inventory. Dealer discounts shown are estimates for illustrative purposes only, may vary by region and are given at the discretion of individual dealers. Please note that while every effort is made to ensure the information above is accurate at the time of publication, pricing, incentives and discounts are subject to change or discontinuation at any time. Vehicle images may not represent the exact model featured in the pricing provided. Consult your local dealership for details.
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