6 Reliable Cars That See the Biggest Price Drops in January and February
Written by
Jennifer Taylor
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, it might be time to make your move. Several factors contribute to price drops in January and February, which can result in major savings.
“The post-holiday period brings decreased dealership visitor numbers, while remaining inventory from previous model years requires immediate sale and manufacturers continue to add promotional offers,” said Alan Gelfand, owner of German Car Depot.
Based on what he sees in his shop, Gelfand said the following vehicles are notably reliable and also have the biggest and most predictable price drops in January and February.
Toyota Camry
- 2026 Starting price: $29,000
When looking for a winter price drop, the Toyota Camry is one of your safest bets, Gelfand said.
“The end of the year leads to dealerships having too much inventory, because SUV buyers make up most of the market, which decreases the demand for midsize sedans,” he said. “The Camry provides excellent mechanical reliability, because it needs infrequent maintenance, while its components remain stout for more than 200,000 miles of operation.”
Honda Accord
- 2026 Starting price: $28,395
As with the Camry, Gelfand said the Honda Accord provides good service, but tends to be discounted early in the year due to being a midsize sedan.
“The maintenance of Accords leads to excellent aging performance, while winter promotions reduce their purchase price to become an excellent long-term ownership choice,” he said.
Recently released, the 2026 Honda Accord debuted on Dec. 18, 2026, according to Honda.
Subaru Outback
- 2026 Starting price: $34,995
“The Subaru Outback experiences its most giant price reduction during the first months of the year, because owners in states with mild weather do not need all-wheel drive functionality,” Gelfand said.
Known to be a reliable vehicle, he said Subarus remain dependable when owners follow their scheduled maintenance. Therefore, taking advantage of discounts in January and February make it possible to get a trustworthy SUV at a bargain price.
Mazda CX-5
- 2026 Starting price: $29,090
“Mazda dealerships achieve better price negotiations, because their customers remain unenthusiastic about the brand, which results in minimal customer traffic,” Gelfand said. “The CX-5 shows superior construction quality, because it requires less maintenance throughout its service life than other compact SUVs do.”
Winter price drops make the CX-5 one of the safest compact SUVs for the money, he said.
Toyota Corolla
- 2026 Starting price: $22,725
It might not be the flashiest car on the lot, but if you want a dependable sedan at a discount, a Toyota Corolla could be a fit.
“The Corolla maintains its position as one of the most reliable cars I have seen, because it requires only basic maintenance to continue running for numerous years,” Gelfand said. “If you’re looking for a great deal on a car that can go 200,000-plus miles on just oil changes, brakes and tires as the entirety of your service expense, the Corolla is the perfect car for you.”
Lexus ES
- 2025 Starting price: $43,435
“The recent holiday seasons have led to a major decrease in luxury sedan sales, because customers have switched their interest to buying SUVs and crossovers,” he said. “The ES benefits from Toyota engineering, which results in fewer problems than what many luxury competitors experience.”
The Lexus ES is like a lavish Camry, he said, which is offered at a discount this time of year, because luxury buyers are looking for bigger and more complicated vehicles.
The 2026 Lexus ES is expected to debut by March, according to Lexus.
Editor’s note: Each car price was sourced from its respective maker.
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