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2011 Hyundai Veracruz

Kia Canada had its best November sales ever and one of the drivers in play was the "Winterfest" promotion – an offer worth up to $10,000 towards any new Kia, plus for one lucky buyer a cash prize of $25,000 given out on January 3, 2012.

Yes, Winterfest continues until the New Year. Kia is unabashed in touting this promotion, and also pushing sales with a variety of other incentives. They certainly work.

Kia, the sister brand to Hyundai, itself driving traffic with a long list of sales sweeteners, has 0.0 per cent financing on all 2012 models and has put up to $5,000 in the glovebox of 2012 models. If you buy a new Kia, you won't need to make a payment until the spring of 2012, too.

There's more. Kia has a $750 "loyalty bonus" for Kia owners who buy a new Kia SUV (sport-utility vehicle), and anyone buying an Optima Hybrid can claim a $1,000 "eco credit" and another $1,250 in additional incentives. But for all that, the deal we like best is found on the rather homely but completely useful Kia Rondo wagon.

If you can find a leftover $20,000 Rondo LX, Kia has up to $4,500 in incentives in play, as well as the 90-day payment deferral plan and any dealer discount you manage to negotiate, too. The Rondo is pretty as a breadbox on wheels, but it is phenomenally useful, with decent reliability and a strong list of safety features. Family buyers, take note; this is a good deal – better than Kia's offer on the 2012 Rondo with just $3,500 in factory incentive money in play.

Meanwhile, Deals noticed that sales of the Lincoln MKX crossover jumped nearly 18 per cent last month, often a sign of an attractive offer. Sure enough, Ford of Canada has put a $4,000 factory-to-dealer incentive on the MKX for buyers who finance over 73 months or longer. In addition, Costco members are eligible for another $1,000 discount. Five grand is nothing to sniff at.

The 2011 Acura CXS is another interesting buy. The factory has put $2,500 in factory-to-dealer money out there. That's a considerable sum on a $24,000 car. Again, sharp negotiators should be able to squeeze a bit more out of their Acura dealer.

Lastly, November sales of the Hyundai Veracruz upscale crossover jumped nearly 20 per cent. It was the best November ever for the Veracruz and here's why: 2011 models are on offer with a $6,000 factory-to-dealer rebate and it can be combined or "stacked" with 2.99 per cent financing.

Hyundai Canada also has a $3,500 incentive on the 2012 Veracruz, but you want the six Gs because there is no significant difference between the 2011 and 2012 Veracruz.

As usual, Deals of the Week obtained pricing information from www.carcostcanada.com, among other sources Here are the numbers.

2012 Lincoln MKX

  • MSRP: $46,900
  • Freight, dealer prep, air conditioning tax: $1,700
  • Dealer discount (estimated): $1,350
  • Factory discount: $4,000 (73-month or longer extended finance term factory-to-dealer rebate)
  • Taxable subtotal: $43,250
  • Total price with 13% HST: $48,872.50
  • Factory rebate: $1,000 (Costco member factory-to-customer rebate)
  • Final price: $42,250

2011 Acura CSX manual

  • MSRP: $24,290
  • Freight, air conditioning tax and dealer prep: $1,495
  • Dealer discount: $900
  • Factory discount: $2,500 (Non-stackable trading dollars factory-to-dealer rebate)
  • Taxable subtotal: $22,385
  • Total price with 13% HST: $25,295.05

2011 Hyundai Veracruz GLS AWD

  • MSRP: $39,999
  • Freight, dealer prep and air conditioning tax: $1,860
  • Dealer discount (estimated): $1,400
  • Factory discount: $6,000 (Dealer Cash factory-to-dealer rebate)
  • Taxable subtotal: $34,459
  • Total price with 13% HST: $38,938.67
  • Note: Can be combined with 2.99% financing

2011 Kia Rondo LX I4

  • MSRP: $19,999
  • Freight, dealer prep: $1,650
  • Dealer discount (estimated): $600
  • Factory discount: $4,000 (Trading Dollars factory-to-dealer rebate)
  • Taxable subtotal: $17,045
  • Total price with 13% HST: $19,260.85
  • Factory discount: $500 (Kia Winterfest factory-to-dealer rebate)
  • Final price: $18,760.85
  • Note: Kia’s Prime Rate Credit factory-to-dealer rebate of $4,000 can be combined with 3.49% financing for up to five years

Pricing information source: www.carcostcanada.com. Calculations based on Ontario customers. Please note that while the information above is accurate at the time of publication, incentives are given at the discretion of individual dealers, and may be changed or discontinued at any time. Dealer discounts are negotiated with the customer on a case-by-case basis.

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