Browse over 9,000 car reviews

The year of the new-car bargain! From Chinese cheapies and discount dual-cabs from MG and GWM to Toyota, Ford, Mazda, Nissan Mitsubishi and Hyundai, there has never been a better time snag a deal on your new car

Car News News Cars
...
Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
18 Jan 2025
7 min read

After several years of new-car prices marching relentlessly upwards, with drive-away deals and special offers fading in the rear-view mirror, new-car bargains are back in a big way.

Yes, 2025 is shaping as the year of the new-car bargain, with almost every major manufacturer offering retail deals, drive-away prices or drastic price reductions in an effort to shift excess stock.

The trend actually started six months ago, despite the sales numbers actually looking pretty strong. But speak to anyone in the industry – be they dealership staff or car company employees – and they'd have told you that it was existing orders finally being delivered propping up the results. New interest? Not so much.

"The second half of (2024) showed a concerning trend with sales in the private segment falling to very low levels as interest rates and general cost of living pressures impacted Australian families,” explains Australia's Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries chief, Tony Weber.

And less disposable income – and more expensive loans – means fewer sales, an issue compounded by the fact that the Covid-era backlogs have finally largely been cleared.

Last year, a record 1,220,607 vehicles were delivered across Australia. But, according to Toyota, that won't be equalled in 2025.

"Right now we think the overall market will ease marginally from the record set in 2024, mainly because of a better balance between supply and demand, we therefore see a return to a more normal market environment.

"We're predicting the market this year will be around 1.17m to 1.18m."

And that will mean metal to clear, and bargains to be had. But you need to know where to look, and that's where we come in. Read on for the bargains already on offer from the top 10 brands in Australia.

Toyota

Toyota's new-car giant isn't immune to changes in the market. We've recently seen the HiLux knocked from its perch as Australia's best-selling ute - though it was replaced by the end of 2024 by the RAV4 Hybrid, which is a pretty good consolation prize.

Anyway, the company responsible for close to one in every five new vehicles sold in Australia sees no need to panic, at least not yet, and so there are no notable retail offers across any of Toyota's models.

Ford

A massive 'plate clearance' from Ford will see the Blue Oval pay you thousands to pick up one of their vehicles - in the form of a Visa gift card that can be used anywhere.

Shop for a MY23 Ford F-150 Lariat Long Wheel Base and you'll score a massive $8000 Visa gift card, while the Short Wheel Base will earn you $7000.

The MY23 F-150 XLT Long Wheel Base is worth $7000, while the XLT Short Wheel Base earns you a $5000 gift card.

Any Ford Ranger XLT, Sport, Tremor, Wildtrack and Raptor models built before MY25.25 will put a $3000 Visa gift card in your hand.

Mazda

Mazda have some super solid drive-away deals at the moment, including the BT-50 XT Dual Cab manual for $49,990 drive-away for ABN holders – which is very cheap, given the XT carries and MSRP of more than $52k. The BT-50 SP Dual Cab auto is $63,990 drive-away.

Elsewhere, the now-ageing CX-5 G20 Maxx FWD is yours for $37,990 on the road, while the lux-feeling CX-60 G40E Evolve is $56,990 on the road. Fun fact, that CX-60 was launched with a list price of $60,550, so that's a big, big saving.

The CX-30 G20 Pure is now $35,990 drive-away, while the smaller CX-3 G20 Sport is $29,990. A Mazda3 G20 Pure is $33,990 drive-away, and the Mazda6 G25 Sport Sedan is $37,990 on the road.

Mazda is also offering a whole heap of plate clearance bonus deals, which further reduce the sticker prices of its vehicles.

Mazda2 and Mazda3 models are offering up to $500, as is the CX-30 and CX-5. The CX-3, CX-70 and CX-8 are offering $750, while the CX-60, CX-90 and BT-50 are offering $1000.

Kia

Kia is serving up a combination of free stuff or drive-away pricing, depending on the model you're after.

The free stuff applies to select EV6 and Niro EV models, which – until January 31 – include a EVSE 22KW Home Charger. The catch, though is that it doesn't include installation, so you'll have to stump up for that.

Elsewhere, the Cerato GT Hatch and Sedan are both $39,290 drive-away until the end of January – usually $36,860 before on-road costs. The Stonic GT-Line is $33,540 drive-away and the Picanto Sport is $22,190 on the road.

Mitsubishi

It's a plate-clearance over at Mitsubishi, with up to $5k off select models –provided you're an existing Mitsi customer.

Take the Triton, for example. GLS variants offer a $3k bonus (which is taken off the final negotiated price) until March 31. But if you're an existing Mitsubishi customer, you can knock another $2k off as a Loyalty Bonus. It's similar for the Triton GLX, but the numbers are $3k and $1k respectively.

There's no loyalty bonus for the other models, but there's still a $3k bonus on Pajero Sport, $2500 on Outlander, $2k on the Eclipse Cross and $1000 on the Eclipse Cross PHEV.

Hyundai

The Korean brand is offering sharp drive-away pricing across most of its range, including the new Tucson Hybrid for $46,990 drive-away (usually $45,100 plus on-road costs).

But fresh for January is a series of plate clearance bonuses on MY24 stock. On a Venue, you'll get $500 off, and it's the same for the Tucson and Kona.

But dig deeper and there are some real bargains afoot. The i30 N hatch and sedan come with a $3000 bonus, for example, as do most Palisade models and the Sonata N Line.t he i30 Sedan and i30 Hatch N Line both get $1500.

But the best deal is reserved for the Palisade or Ioniq 6. If you're buying the US-delivered people mover on Hyundai finance, you can trade that $3k bonus for a $5k deposit contribution, essentially lowering the finance amount by five large.

But the Ioniq 6 is even better. Finance the brand's newest EV, and you can nab a $15,000 deposit contribution on the Dynamiq model, as well as score an Evie public charging voucher worth $1500,

MG

I know the drive-away offers on the MG4 EV range have been capturing most of the headlines, but the fast-growing Chinese brand is actually offering sharp drive-away deals across most of its range.

Highlights include the MG4 Excite 51 for $34,990 drive-away, the new ZS Essence Hybrid Plus for $36,990 drive-away, and the new HS Vibe for $34,990.

Isuzu Ute

Isuzu has got drive-away deals across its MY24-plated stock, including 24MY D-Max 4X4 X-Terrain Crew Cab, which is $67,990 drive-away, the 4X4 X-Rider, which is $56,990 and the work-friendly SX single cab chassis, which is $32,990 on the road.

There are deals across the MU-X range, too, the cheapest being the LS-M 4X4 which is $51,990 on the road.

Nissan

Nissan is another brand offering the double deal of drive-away pricing and a cash incentive to lure you into the driver's seat.

How much you get depends on the model you go for, with some MY24 X-Trail models offering a $5000 bonus, as are some Qashqai models.

The Juke is more like $1000, while the Navara's cash-back offer (which is up to $3k) has already been factored into reduced drive-away pricing – which is far less fun.

GWM

A plate-clearance deal over at GWM sees pretty big drive-away savings applied to the range, jumping from $1000 on the entry-level Cannon to a whopping $6000 on the Cannon XS-R.

It's not just utes, either. The Haval H6 GT Ultra has had $4500 shaved off its drive-away price – now $41,990 – while the Ora GT is now $5000 cheaper, at $40,990 on the road.

Andrew Chesterton
Contributing Journalist
Andrew Chesterton should probably hate cars. From his hail-damaged Camira that looked like it had spent a hard life parked at the end of Tiger Woods' personal driving range, to the Nissan Pulsar Reebok that shook like it was possessed by a particularly mean-spirited demon every time he dared push past 40km/h, his personal car history isn't exactly littered with gold. But that seemingly endless procession of rust-savaged hate machines taught him something even more important; that cars are more than a collection of nuts, bolts and petrol. They're your ticket to freedom, a way to unlock incredible experiences, rolling invitations to incredible adventures. They have soul. And so, somehow, the car bug still bit. And it bit hard. When "Chesto" started his journalism career with News Ltd's Sunday and Daily Telegraph newspapers, he covered just about everything, from business to real estate, courts to crime, before settling into state political reporting at NSW Parliament House. But the automotive world's siren song soon sounded again, and he begged anyone who would listen for the opportunity to write about cars. Eventually they listened, and his career since has seen him filing car news, reviews and features for TopGear, Wheels, Motor and, of course, CarsGuide, as well as many, many others. More than a decade later, and the car bug is yet to relinquish its toothy grip. And if you ask Chesto, he thinks it never will.
About Author

Comments