Graduating from college is a huge accomplishment, and many of the major car manufacturers including Ford, Honda, Toyota and GM, are rewarding graduates with special cash discounts, or special leasing and financing offers, such as low APR, low down payment or deferred payment on new cars.
TrueCar’s List of Available New Car Discounts for College Grads
In order to help graduates who are looking to buy a new car sort through their various options, TrueCar has created a list of current available offers by vehicle make and model.
The qualifications to participate in these special graduation incentive programs vary by manufacturer, but generally require that participants are graduating from a four-year university, accredited two-year college, nursing program, graduate or doctorate program within the next 4-6 months or have graduated within the last two years. A copy of your diploma or a letter from the school’s registrar may be required as proof of enrollment. Many manufacturers also require proof of employment or an offer letter from a prospective employer to make sure graduates will be able to make their car payments on their new car.
Many of these discounts are only available during the month of June. We recommend you check with each manufacturer site for the full details.
Graduate Cash Offers on New Cars
| Make | Model | Amount |
| Scion | tC | $1,000 |
| Scion | xB | $1,000 |
| Scion | xD | $1,000 |
| Kia | Forte | $750 |
| Kia | Forte 5-Door | $750 |
| Kia | Forte Koup | $750 |
| Kia | Optima | $750 |
| Kia | Rio | $750 |
| Kia | Sedona | $750 |
| Kia | Sorento | $750 |
| Kia | Soul | $750 |
| Kia | Sportage | $750 |
| Ford | Econoline Cargo Van | $500 |
| Ford | Econoline Wagon | $500 |
| Ford | Edge | $500 |
| Ford | Escape | $500 |
| Ford | Expedition | $500 |
| Ford | Expedition EL | $500 |
| Ford | Explorer | $500 |
| Ford | Explorer Sport Trac | $500 |
| Ford | F-150 | $500 |
| Ford | Fiesta | $500 |
| Ford | Flex | $500 |
| Ford | Focus | $500 |
| Ford | Fusion | $500 |
| Ford | Mustang | $500 |
| Ford | Ranger | $500 |
| Ford | Super Duty F-250 | $500 |
| Ford | Super Duty F-350 DRW | $500 |
| Ford | Super Duty F-350 SRW | $500 |
| Ford | Super Duty F-450 | $500 |
| Ford | Taurus | $500 |
| Ford | Transit Connect | $500 |
| Ford | Transit Connect Wagon | $500 |
| Lincoln | MKS | $500 |
| Lincoln | MKT | $500 |
| Lincoln | MKX | $500 |
| Lincoln | MKZ | $500 |
| Lincoln | Navigator | $500 |
| Lincoln | Navigator L | $500 |
| Lincoln | Town Car | $500 |
| Toyota | Towards the purchase or lease on a Camry | $1,000 |
| Toyota | Towards the purchase or lease on a RAV4 | $1,000 |
| Toyota | Towards the purchase or lease on a Tacoma | $1,000 |
| Toyota | Towards the purchase or lease on a Toyota Yaris | $1,000 |
| Toyota | Towards the purchase or lease on a Corolla | $1,000 |
| GM (Buick, Chevrolet, GMC) | Most 2010 and 2011 GM cars, SUVs, crossovers and light-duty trucks are eligible for the GM College Discount Program except: All Cadillacs, Chevrolet Volt, Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 | Varies by model. Preferred pricing is below MSRP |
| Hyundai | Any 2010 or 2011 Hyundai model | $400 |
| Chrysler | 2011 Chrysler 200 Sedan and 200 Convertible; Only in Mid-Atlantic states (Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, parts of New Jersey and parts of Ohio | $500 |
| Jeep | 2011 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4X4; Zero due at signing; only residents of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, part of New Jersey, parts of Ohio | $500 |
Graduate Financing and Lease Offers on New Cars
| Make | Model | Offer |
| Acura | Any new or certified pre-owned models through Acura Financial Services. | Special financing, leasing and purchase-plan packages; Deferred first-payment option for 90 days, with 60 days of no interest |
| Honda | Any new or Certified Used Honda vehicle | Special financing, leasing and purchase-plan packages on ; Deferred first-payment option for 90 days, with 60 days of no interest |
| Subaru | See your local Subaru dealer for details on qualifying models. | Special leasing and financing offers |
| Mazda | See your local Mazda dealer for details on qualifying models. | Special financing and leaasing offers |
| Lexus | See your local Lexus dealer for details on qualifying models. | No money down when financing; 90-day deferred first payment; and complimentary roadside assistance for one year. |
| MINI | See your local MINI dealer for details on qualifying models. | Special financing offers |
| Infiniti | See your local Infiniti dealer for details on qualifying models. | Special financing and leasing offers; delayed first payment |
| Audi | See your local Audi dealer for details on qualifying models. | Special leasing offers |
Graduating to a New Car?
You may not be getting your diploma, but you might be ready to graduate to a new car. Make sure to visit www.truecar.com for accurate pricing information based on what other people have actually paid for a particular car in your area. You can also get a guaranteed no-haggle, no-hassle price from a trusted TrueCar Certified Dealer while you’re online by using TrueCar’s Best Local Price feature.
