Buyers looking for a deal can save more than 20 per cent on the price of a new car ahead of showrooms opening next week, new findings show.
What Car? analysed its Target Price mystery shopper data and found the average cash discount on a new car was 6.89 per cent or £2,825 at the end of March.
However, offers on some of the country’s most popular models are currently exceeding 20 per cent as retailers look to boost sales once showrooms doors can reopen on April 12 in England and Wales.
The findings show the Mercedes-Benz C-Class can be had with nearly 25 per cent off the list price, while the Volkswagen Passat is available with savings of more than 20 per cent.
Other popular models, including the Nissan Qashqai and Seat Ibiza can be had with more than 15 per cent savings. What Car? says all discounts are guaranteed for buyers who use its online New Car Buying platform.
Buyers opting for a new diesel model stand to save 7.57 per cent, says the firm, while plug-in hybrids now attract the second-highest savings at seven per cent, with new petrol models offered with a 6.69 per cent average saving. Dealers are also offering an average discount of 4.24 per cent on new electric vehicles.
Seat was found to offer the highest cash discounts, with an average saving of 14.93 per cent or £4,194, followed by Renault (12.55 per cent) and Nissan (12.23 per cent).
Premium brands including BMW (8.44 per cent), Volvo (7.77 per cent), and Audi (7.43 per cent) were also among the top 10 manufacturers with the highest discounts.
Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?, said: ‘With showrooms reopening next week, retailers are expected to face a busy period of demand.
‘As our research shows, this does not mean there aren’t great deals to be had, with some of the country’s most popular models heavily discounted as the industry looks to recover from the months of showroom closures.
‘It’s as important as ever that buyers do their homework before making the trip to the forecourts.’
