We’re fans of lists. They’re a nice way to quickly sample everything from 5 of the World’s Ugliest Exotic Cars to 5 Scary Car Urban Legends to 7 Cool Concept Cars of the 2011 L.A. Auto Show.

Okay, we’ll admit those are all fun and frothy lists.

Today, we’re highlighting six recently published lists about 2012′s safest cars. It’s a much more serious topic but critically important to all of us.

We dug deep into data from both the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Two facts emerged from our research:

1. In 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recorded the lowest number of traffic accident fatalities in history. That’s because today’s new cars are safer than ever before thanks to amazing technology and better engineering.
2. When it comes to safe cars, you’ve got plenty of choices.

We’ve divided the lists into popular categories like safest cars, safest SUVs and safest minivans. Click any of the lists below to get started on your search for the best safe vehicle for your needs.

• 2012 Safest Small Cars
• 2012 Safest Midsize Cars
• 2012 Safest Large Family Cars
• 2012 Safest Small SUVs
• 2012 Safest Midsize SUVs
• 2012 Safest Minivans

Let’s be clear about something right up front. With few exceptions, I think the 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan might just be the perfect small crossover SUV. It might not share the bulletproof dependability ratings of a Subaru Forester or a Toyota RAV4, but it gets a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and is tremendously fun to drive. Add the Tiguan’s free scheduled maintenance program which covers the VeeDub for three years or 36,000 miles, and I’m sold on this diminutive little sport-ute.

The main problem with the Tiguan is its price tag.

Read: 2012 Volkswagen Tiguan Review

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan Prices and Trim Levels

Unless you can operate a manual transmission, the least expensive Tiguan S runs $25,160. Add 4Motion four-wheel drive, and the price jumps another $1,955, pegging the sticker at more than $27,000. If you want Bluetooth, you’re also getting a sunroof whether you want one or not, and the price climbs to nearly $29,000. Over at the Honda dealer, you’re just a navigation system away from a fully loaded CR-V by this point.

Most Volkswagen Tiguan buyers are likely to select one of the SE models. Prices range from $29,500 with front-wheel drive to just more than $33,000 for one with 4Motion, navigation, and a sunroof. The SE has nice 18-inch alloy wheels, extra chrome trim, a premium sound system with satellite radio, and a leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel. It also has leatherette upholstery, which does a good enough job of emulating leather that your friends won’t notice the difference.

The Tiguan pictured here is the SEL 4Motion, and the price is $36,750. That’s a few hundred bucks more than a base Audi Q5 without any options, so it’s pretty easy to see how Volkswagen Group slots the VW under the Audi to cover a wide range of buyers across the compact crossover spectrum.

Expensive, But Worth It (For Some)

Spending my own money on a compact crossover SUV, I lean toward the Volkswagen because while it commands a price premium over its primary mainstream competitors, it strikes me as worth it.

Why is that? For starters, whether justified or not, Volkswagen continues to be viewed as more upscale than popular brands. Volkswagen is like Acura, Buick or Chrysler in this regard, occupying a space somewhere north of Chevy or Toyota but south of BMW or Lexus.

Volkswagens tend to look the part of an entry-level luxury model, too. They’re stylishly conservative in design, dressed up with chrome accents, leatherette seats, and big fancy wheels when buying one of the upper trim levels. Interiors are Germanic in terms of tone, texture, layout, and graphics, and the driver’s seat is a serious place from which to conduct serious business.

Thus, Volkswagens are able to command premium prices. Most buyers want the nicest, most upscale vehicle they can afford. And many consumers also enjoy driving, even if they don’t articulate it.

Comfortable Cabin

In addition to finding the Tiguan visually appealing, I think this SUV is very comfortable and surprisingly roomy for passengers. The SEL model includes a 12-way power adjustable driver’s seat that offers a range of adjustment sure to please a wide variety of people. Coupled with the tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, the seat makes it easy to find a perfect driving position.

The rear seat is great for adults and children alike. With the driver’s seat adjusted to my preference, it was no problem at all sliding my six-foot, 250-pound frame into the back seat. The bottom cushion sits high off enough off the floor for good thigh support, the backrest reclines to a number of different angles, my knees were nowhere near touching the softly padded front seatbacks, and my size-12 feet found plenty of room underneath the front chairs. Got kids? They’ll love the expansive view out, as they sit high enough when in a child safety seat to see the world around them.

Cramped Cargo Space

The Tiguan also possesses cargo-carrying versatility. The rear seats fold flat in a 60/40 split, or you can drop the center section for carrying long items like skis. The Tiguan’s front passenger’s seat also folds in half to expand capacity, but since the front seatbacks are soft, you’ll want to be careful with sharp-edged objects.

If there’s a potential deal-breaker when it comes to the Tiguan, it pertains the actual space provided for cargo. Behind the rear seats, the cargo area is cube-shaped, and is neither deep enough nor wide enough to accommodate a full-size stroller. For new parents, this is unacceptable. A smaller single-seat travel stroller fits, though.

That said, if you ditch the cargo cover, the Tiguan provides 23.8 cubic-feet of cargo space, expandable to 56.1 cubes with the rear seats folded. Compare those measurements to just about every other compact SUV on the market, and you’ll see that the Volkswagen is deficient.

Lots of Fun to Drive

A test drive, however, might render the small cargo space concern irrelevant. The Volkswagen Tiguan is surprisingly fun to drive, and not just for a crossover SUV. I took our test Tiguan for a rousing run down Latigo Canyon Road in Malibu, where the ratio of curves to straights is roughly 10:1. Latigo Canyon Road tests any vehicle’s handling mettle, providing miles of writhing pavement that is heaved and buckled in places, a twisty two-lane with narrow lanes, off-camber corners, and very little traffic. The views of the Pacific are exceptional, but take your eyes off the road and you’re inviting almost instantaneous disaster.

Out on Latigo, the Tiguan absolutely excelled. The SUV’s tall ride height and stubby wheelbase aren’t liabilities with the SEL 4Motion’s meaty 19-inch wheel-and-tire combo and four-wheel drive. The Tiguan SEL grips tarmac like it’s equipped with claws, its P255/40R19 Pirelli Scorpion Verde tires emitting nary a squeal when driving hard and pummeling broken pavement into submission without transferring harshness to the cabin. The electric steering feels utterly natural at speed, and brake fade was not an issue, though like other Volkswagens we’ve driven, pedal modulation and feedback certainly could use improvement.

Why Turbocharging and Torque Matter

Shift the Tiptronic automatic transmission into Sport mode or shift it yourself using the intuitive manual gate, and the Tiguan’s turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder charges up hills and around corners with gusto. With 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, the Tiguan’s power output looks unimpressive on a specification chart. Take a closer look, however, at where the power peaks. Maximum torque is essentially flat from a low 1,700 rpm all the way to 5,000 rpm, where maximum horsepower takes the reigns from 5,100 rpm to 6,000 rpm. The result is a small, fuel-efficient engine that delivers strong response almost everywhere across the rev range. And because it’s turbocharged, Tiguan owners dwelling at altitude in places like Denver and Salt Lake City have a veritable rocket parked in the driveway.

Driven around town, the Tiguan’s Tiptronic transmission is calibrated to upshift quickly in an effort to conserve fuel. The steering is light and effortless at low speeds, perfect for parking. Note, however, that the SEL’s big 19-inch wheels restrict the turning radius and prove susceptible to curb rash when parallel parking. The ride can be choppy due to the SUV’s short wheelbase and 40-series tires, but the four-wheel-independent suspension soaks up impact harshness.

Fuel Economy is Unimpressive

This Tiguan SEL 4Motion averaged 21.1 mpg during several hundred miles of city and highway driving. The EPA ratings are 21 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway, with a combined rating of 23 mpg. Maybe you could forego 4Motion, save almost $2,000 in the process, and enjoy a one-mpg increase in the overall rating. One other thing to keep in mind is that the Tiguan requires premium fuel, and with gas prices expected to jump significantly by the summer of 2012, this is no small consideration.

A Fun But Flawed Crossover SUV

As much as I love the Tiguan, I recognize that it has limitations. Reliability is expected to be average, fuel economy is merely adequate in light of the premium fuel requirement, and steep prices combined with unimpressive value retention ratings don’t make a strong case for purchase – even with the free maintenance program. Add the tiny cargo area, and it’s clear that the Tiguan is made for a select group of people who appreciate its Germanic design ethos, its compact but comfortable cabin, and its fun-to-drive character.

2012 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL 4Motion Photos Copyright 2012 Christian Wardlaw

An electric car sighting like a Chevy Volt or Nissan Leaf in Utah is a rarified event.

In fact, it’s about equally as rare as the existence of a Democrat Senator or Congressperson (Utah Congressman Jim Matheson is the lone Democrat of five representatives on the hill).

That ratio of Democrats-to-population is virtually the same as the ratio of Chevy Volt vehicles I had seen prior to our test model arriving last week. Since the Volt was released in December 2010, I’ve spied a single Volt in Utah’s wild.

Read: 2012 Chevrolet Volt Review

That’s a shame, because when it comes to options to move people from one place to another, I say the more the merrier.

Gas and natural gas vehicles, hybrids, diesels, electric and plug-in hybrids–even hydrogen or fuel-cell cars–all deserve a place in efforts to improve fuel efficiency for drivers worldwide.

Getting a Charge from the Chevy Volt

Given the relative exotic nature of a Chevy Volt for most observers, it came as no surprise that this car garnered lots of second looks on the freeway and even a few “cool car” comments and thumbs-up gestures from passersby.

Here are a few representative comments:

“You can plug it in but it also has a gas engine? Weird,” said a teenager standing outside a local library.

“Does it drive like a normal car or just a really nice golf cart?” said a skeptical co-worker.

“Awesome car dude,” said a college student I met at a local gas station that allegedly included a charging station that couldn’t be found. “Is the Volt fun to drive?”

To all those comments I answered: Yes, yes and yes, though I wasn’t quite sure how to answer the golf cart question. Yes and no, perhaps?

The Volt is indeed fun to drive. In electric mode, maximum torque is available immediately and that means the Volt zips off the line.

It’s awfully fuel efficient, too, especially when your daily driving falls within the Volt’s promised 40-mile range (my maximum range was only 29 miles due to cold weather).

Volt Uses 4.7 Gallons Over 288 Miles

I covered 288 miles in five days and used exactly 4.7-gallons of gas. According to the trip computer in the Volt’s dashboard, that works out to 61 mpg. Impressive.

Try to top those numbers Prius or Jetta TDI drivers.

Three of the five days I used the car as my office commuter. I left my house in the morning, drove 11.5 miles to the Vehix office, then plugged the Volt in on the eighth floor of the parking garage. I drove back home and plugged the Volt in at my house to complete the charge.

With a few miscellaneous trips around town, I had driven 82 miles before I ever ran out of juice and the gas engine seamlessly and silently started to keep the car running down the road.

The net result was zero gas burned and zero emissions emitted into Salt Lake City’s admittedly smoggy winter air.

A 180-mile round trip from Salt Lake City to Logan, Utah and back again was responsible for the majority of dinosaur-burning miles. Yet even during that trip, I drove the first 29 miles on electricity, then charged the vehicle for five hours when I arrived at my destination, and managed an additional 10 miles of driving on the electric charge.

Finding a Charging Station for the Chevy Volt

Living with, charging and driving the Volt was easy.

Finding a charging station for this plug-in vehicle was not.

I remembered an article from last fall trumpeting the arrival of six electric car-charging stations in Salt Lake City. I was hopeful one of them offered a 220-volt charger so I could see how that compared to the regular 110-volt outlets I used at the office and home.

Good luck finding one, I quickly discovered.

I Google-mapped their locations, then started my quest. The first location was just a few blocks away from the Vehix offices.

I drove up and down the street but never found it–on either side of the street.

So I drove another two blocks to the Salt Lake City Library where the article promised two charging stations were located in the underground garage.

I made three loops on both floors of the garage and never saw anything that resembled a charging station.

So I moved on to option number three: a charging station in one of Salt Lake City’s more progressive neighborhoods (9th and 9th). Turns out, the station is located in a traditional gas station attached to a large grocery store.

I walked up to the counter and asked the woman where I could find the charging station.

“It’s right behind this building,” she said. “Let me flip the switch for you.”

I walked around and found outlets that were used for a Pepsi vending machine and two large freezers. But no 220-volt outlet or any sign that inferred electric cars even exist.

“Where is the charging station?” I once again inquired.

“It’s not back there?” she returned. “They told me it’s there but to be honest I’ve never had anyone ask to use it before today so I don’t know anything more about it than the switch I’m supposed to flip. Sorry.”

It was at that exact moment I felt my first sense of range anxiety. Or possibly it was rage. And it was at that exact moment the college kid said, “Awesome car dude. I love the Volt.”

To which I countered: “I would like it a lot more if I could figure out where to charge it.”

He laughed and we parted ways as I ventured out to find the fourth charging station on my list.

This one was located in Liberty Park and I found an article that even had a photo of this alleged station. So it had to exist, right?

I found it on the far side of the park, parked the car directly in front of the station, lifted the lid and revealed a 110-volt outlet.

Evidently, if I’m willing to park the Volt overnight in a public park–or spend 12 hours strolling around the park and perhaps joining a drum circle or two to kill the time–I could charge my car.

But what about anyone else who wanted a little extra juice for an electric car? Right now, six charging stations in Salt Lake City may suffice. But a significant charging infrastructure is essential long term for electric vehicles to have a shot at becoming mainstream choices.

I drove home and plugged the Volt back in to my outlet and never had a chance to test a 220-volt charger. But otherwise, I have no complaint about the Volt–besides the price. Even after incentives, it’s still a fairly expensive four-passenger vehicle.

The Vehix View

There is much to like in the Volt. I could drive one to and from work and around town daily and rarely use gasoline. That means no emissions and good green vibes coming my way.

Yet the starting price of nearly $40,000 after destination fee—even with generous national and local incentives that can drop that price by $7,500 or more—keeps would-be green drivers from test-driving this car. Sales of only 7,671 Volts in 2011 support that contention.

So what’s the verdict? If you want to drive green, definitely test drive the Volt so you can understand this option along with other fuel-efficient vehicles like the all-electric Nissan Leaf and the upcoming Toyota Prius c hybrid. There are many flavors of green vehicles and the Volt is one of our favorites—except for the price. We understand why the Volt costs what it costs and GM continues to lose money on each unit. But that price still appears to be a tough pill for American drivers to swallow.

2012 Chevrolet Volt Photos Copyright 2012 Michael Waterman

Truck deals are slimmer this month than in January. That means we’re only highlighting four deals versus the seven we featured last month.

The Nissan Frontier and Nissan Titan both make the list again this month as does the Ford Super Duty F-250 SRW and the Ram 1500. Zero-percent financing on all but the Ford Super Duty F-250 SRW (0.9%) made these offers the most persuasive this month.

The good news is that nearly all the offers are even more generous than January’s truck deals. That tells us that now could be a good time to push your local dealer for a great deal on a new truck.

Besides the highlighted offers for Ram and Ford, you can also find decent savings on heavy-duty trucks like the Ram 2500 and Ram 3500.

The same applies to Ford’s heavy-duty vehicles like the Super Duty F-350 DRW and SRW, the Ford Super Duty F-450 and F-550. So look around a bit and find the right truck for your needs.

As always, we’ve listed the trucks with the biggest discounts first. Click the links to get started and remember that vehicle rebates and incentives change quickly and often.

2012 Nissan Titan

Read: 2012 Nissan Titan Review

View: 2012 Nissan Titan Rebates and Incentives

2012 Ford Super Duty F-250 SRW

2012 Nissan Frontier

2012 Ram 1500

Our Car Deals Methodology

Choosing the best truck deals of the month is a straightforward process:

1. We use nationally available rebate and incentive numbers to help us whittle the list of potential trucks down to a manageable number. We look for double-digit discounts from the window sticker. The bigger the discount, the better the deal.
2. We take a look at whether or not low-interest financing is available. Like you, we like rates as close to zero percent as possible.
3. Unlike many publications, we pick vehicles we would recommend to our friends, relatives, and colleagues. In other words, cars we would park in our own driveways.

Don’t forget that in addition to national incentive and rebate programs, automakers frequently offer additional regional discounts that can make vehicles not included on our list equally attractive. Click the rebates and incentives links next to each vehicle and check local dealer advertisements to determine whether regional programs are available in your area. Better yet, ask your dealer directly for the best discount. They’ll be glad to offer you the discount to secure your business.

Minivans will never be cool. But they will always be the absolute right choice of vehicle for many families.

Minivans are practical, spacious, and in the case of the three vehicles we’re highlighting this month, Top Safety Picks according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

We’ve identified the best minivan deals for January 2012 and included links to minivan incentives and rebates to help you pick the right van for your budget and family.

But two vans that aren’t on this month’s list but may be worth your consideration are the 2012 Kia Sedona and the 2012 Toyota Sienna. The Sedona isn’t our favorite van but it does offer a $2,500 cash incentive and 1.9-percent financing–plus up to $2,500 in bonus financing cash. That’s the biggest discount you’ll find on any minivan this month.

Alternatively, the 2012 Toyota Sienna only offers 1.9% financing during February. But it’s the favorite van of Vehix editors in our 2012 Minivan Buying Guide and low-interest financing on this van always catches our attention.

Click the links for each vehicle to see rebates and incentives for your neighborhood. And remember that rebates and incentives change regularly so if you see a deal you like, move quickly since these new car discounts all end February 29, 2012.

2012 Chrysler Town & Country

2012 Dodge Grand Caravan

2012 Volkswagen Routan

Our Car Deals Methodology

Choosing the best minivan deals of the month is a straightforward process:

1. We use nationally available rebate and incentive numbers to help us whittle the list of potential vehicles down to a manageable number. We look for double-digit discounts from the window sticker. The bigger the discount, the better the deal.
2. We take a look at whether or not low-interest financing is available. Like you, we like rates as close to zero percent as possible.
3. Unlike many publications, we pick vehicles we would recommend to our friends, relatives, and colleagues. In other words, cars we would park in our own driveways.

Don’t forget that in addition to national incentive and rebate programs, automakers frequently offer additional regional discounts that can make vehicles not included on our list equally attractive. Click the rebates and incentives links next to each vehicle and check local dealer advertisements to determine whether regional programs are available in your area. Better yet, ask your dealer directly for the best discount. They’ll be glad to offer you the discount to secure your business.

What’s the difference between a crossover and wagon these days? Not so much in many cases.

Take the Ford Flex and the Lincoln MKT. Are these six- or seven-person haulers wagons or crossovers? We think they’re both and we’re actually quite fond of these vehicles.

The Flex is definitely the more common of the two. If you live in California or Michigan, you see the Flex often. Other parts of the country, not so much.

The Lincoln MKT is the luxury version of the Flex and sports lots of comfort features. But an off-putting front end keeps buyers from choosing this vehicle. That means you rarely see the MKT in the wild, but it doesn’t mean it’s not worth your consideration if you’re looking for a large and comfortable wagon.

We’ve also included the Dodge Journey this month because it’s affordable and a Top Safety Pick.–two things that matter a great deal to buyers who are choosing wagons for family needs. But, frankly, we’ll choose the Flex or MKT before the Journey.

One other wagon you may want to consider is the 2012 Kia Forte 5-Door that offers a $1000 cash discount off its already low price that starts at $18,100. Plus you can get 1.9-percent financing and up to $1,000 in bonus cash this month.

We’ve included links to new car rebates and incentives that include local and national offers. While these aren’t the only wagons you can buy today, they are the best wagon deals. Good luck shopping.

2012 Ford Flex

2012 Dodge Journey

Read: 2012 Dodge Journey Review

View: 2012 Dodge Journey Rebates and Incentives

2012 Lincoln MKT

Our Car Deals Methodology

Choosing the best wagon deals of the month is a straightforward process:

1. We use nationally available rebate and incentive numbers to help us whittle the list of potential station wagons down to a manageable number. We look for double-digit discounts from the window sticker. The bigger the discount, the better the deal.
2. We take a look at whether or not low-interest financing is available. Like you, we like rates as close to zero percent as possible.
3. Unlike many publications, we pick vehicles we would recommend to our friends, relatives, and colleagues. In other words, cars we would park in our own driveways.

Don’t forget that in addition to national incentive and rebate programs, automakers frequently offer additional regional discounts that can make vehicles not included on our list equally attractive. Click the rebates and incentives links next to each vehicle and check local dealer advertisements to determine whether regional programs are available in your area. Better yet, ask your dealer directly for the best discount. They’ll be glad to offer you the discount to secure your business.

While three-row SUVs offer loads of space and capability, for most drivers, a small SUV is often the better choice.

That’s because small SUVs comfortably seat five passengers yet get much better fuel economy than their larger counterparts.

Want an example? Even the most fuel-efficient 2012 Ford Explorer with Ford’s ingenious EcoBoost engine returns only 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. The smaller Ford Escape returns 23 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway. And if you opt for a Ford Escape Hybrid, those numbers bump all the way up to 34 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

While we’re not gaga for the Ford Escape, we expect dealers will heavily discount the Escape through the year to make room for the 2013 Ford Escape that is due in stores later this year.

We also want to point out that the Jeep Grand Cherokee is Vehix editors’ top pick for SUVs with a base price under $30,000. You can read why we think so highly about the Jeep Grand Cherokee in the SUV Buying Guide. We’re counting the Grand Cherokee as a small SUV because it lacks a third row, but it’s much larger than the other two small SUVs on this month’s list.

If you do indeed require a third row for passengers, take a look at our 5 Best Three-Row SUV Incentives and Rebates for February 2012.

We’ve highlighted national offers for the three vehicles below. But click the links to see local discounts and pay attention to TV and newspaper ads in your neighborhood as well. That’s where you may find the best deal of all.

2012 Ford Escape

The Escape will be redesigned for 2013. That may translate to greater savings on this year’s model.

The Deals:

• $1,500 cash incentive
OR
• 0% financing + $500 bonus cash

Expiration date: 2012 Ford Escape Incentives and Rebates Expire April 2, 2012

Read: 2012 Ford Escape Review

View: 2012 Ford Escape Rebates and Incentives

2012 Nissan Murano

Good reliability scores and comfort make the Murano a popular choice for drivers seeking a small SUV.

The Deals:

• $1,500 cash incentive
OR
• 0% financing

Expiration date: 2012 Nissan Murano Incentives and Rebates expire February 29, 2012

Read: 2012 Nissan Murano Review

View: 2012 Nissan Murano Rebates and Incentives

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Our Car Deals Methodology

Choosing the best small SUV deals of the month is a straightforward process:

1. We use nationally available rebate and incentive numbers to help us whittle the list of small SUVs down to a manageable number. We look for double-digit discounts from the window sticker. The bigger the discount, the better the deal.
2. We take a look at whether or not low-interest financing is available. Like you, we like rates as close to zero percent as possible.
3. Unlike many publications, we pick vehicles we would recommend to our friends, relatives, and colleagues. In other words, cars we would park in our own driveways.

Don’t forget that in addition to national incentive and rebate programs, automakers frequently offer additional regional discounts that can make vehicles not included on our list equally attractive. Click the rebates and incentives links next to each vehicle and check local dealer advertisements to determine whether regional programs are available in your area. Better yet, ask your dealer directly for the best discount. They’ll be glad to offer you the discount to secure your business.

Gas prices are projected to reach $4 or possibly $5 later this year. That may make some buyers second-guess their desire to own a three-row SUV due to their lower fuel efficiency. But frankly, if you need a three-row SUV to drive neighborhood carpool, ferry kids to dance or swim team practice, sometimes a three-row SUV can become a necessity.

We’ve highlighted five three-row SUVs that offer the biggest discounts this month.

The good news is that three of the five SUVs were all Vehix editors’ top picks in our 2012 Crossover Buying Guide (the Ford Flex and Buick Enclave) and 2012 SUV Buying Guide (Dodge Durango).

We’ve included links to national and local new car rebates and incentives for each three-row SUV. Nearly all of them expire on February 29, 2012 (it’s leap year, friends). But the Ford Flex discounts are good through April 2, 2012.

For the right buyer, three-row SUVs can quickly become a driver’s best friend–no matter where gas prices go. Best of luck shopping.

2012 Ford Flex

2012 Buick Enclave

Read:2012 Buick Enclave Photos

View: 2012 Buick Enclave Rebates and Incentives

2012 Chevrolet Traverse

2012 GMC Acadia

2012 Dodge Durango

Our Car Deals Methodology

Choosing the best three-row SUV deals of the month is a straightforward process:

1. We use nationally available rebate and incentive numbers to help us whittle the list of potential three-row SUVs down to a manageable number. We look for double-digit discounts from the window sticker. The bigger the discount, the better the deal.
2. We take a look at whether or not low-interest financing is available. Like you, we like rates as close to zero percent as possible.
3. Unlike many publications, we pick vehicles we would recommend to our friends, relatives, and colleagues. In other words, cars we would park in our own driveways.

Don’t forget that in addition to national incentive and rebate programs, automakers frequently offer additional regional discounts that can make vehicles not included on our list equally attractive. Click the rebates and incentives links next to each vehicle and check local dealer advertisements to determine whether regional programs are available in your area. Better yet, ask your dealer directly for the best discount. They’ll be glad to offer you the discount to secure your business.