(March 19, 2019) ATLANTA — With warmer weather on the way, automakers and dealerships are gearing up in March for one of their prime selling stretches of the year. Car shoppers can make the most of dealers ready to drive sales by checking out certified pre-owned vehicles, a part of the market that's been growing in recent years.

"To kick off the spring selling season, dealers will be rolling out specials on new cars to attract customers, but car shoppers looking for a good deal should consider a certified pre-owned vehicle," said Brian Moody, executive editor for Autotrader.

"Automakers continue to back their CPO programs by offering favorable pricing, financing and warranty coverage on a great selection of vehicles. Customers can drive off the lot this March with a car that looks as good as new but has a lower monthly payment."

The editors at Autotrader have rounded up some of the best CPO deals to help shoppers find that perfect certified pre-owned vehicle this month.

Autotrader Editors' Top Picks for Certified Pre-Owned Deals for March

GMC's certified pre-owned program offers excellent coverage, boasting six years or 100,000 miles of powertrain coverage from the original sale date, along with an extra year of comprehensive warranty coverage. Combine them, and in March you have a good deal: through the end of the month, qualified shoppers can get a CPO Acadia or Terrain with 1.9 percent interest for up to 36 months.

Jaguar's certified pre-owned program offers comprehensive coverage for up to seven years or 100,000 miles from the original sale date. In March, you can combine them and get a bonus: through the end of the month, Jaguar is offering qualified shoppers 0.9 percent interest for up to 24 months on all CPO 2017 F-Pace models, while drivers looking for a longer term can get 3.9 percent interest for up to 36 months.

Lincoln's certified pre-owned program touts excellent coverage of up to 7 years or 100,000 miles of powertrain protection, plus an additional year of comprehensive coverage over the standard factory warranty. In March, Lincoln's CPO program is available with another alluring benefit offering 2.9 percent interest for up to 72 months on all Black Label models, making these especially luxurious Lincoln models more affordable. For shoppers who don't get a Black Label, Lincoln is touting 4.75 percent interest on other models for up to 66 months.

Mazda's certified pre-owned program offers powertrain coverage for up to 7 years or 100,000 miles from the original sale date, along with a one-year extension of the bumper-to-bumper warranty. In March, Mazda's CPO warranty is enhanced with a special offer from the automaker offering 0.9 percent interest for up to 36 months on all CPO models to qualified shoppers.

The Mercedes-Benz certified pre-owned program offers one year of comprehensive coverage with no mileage limit — and it can be extended to cover additional years for an extra fee. In March, Mercedes-Benz is offering several incentives for qualified shoppers interested in a certified pre-owned vehicle. Mercedes-Benz is touting 1.99 percent interest for up to 36 months on many CPO models, including popular vehicles: the deal applies to the CLA, the GLA, the C-Class, the GLC, the E-Class, the GLE, the S-Class, and the GLS.

Subaru's certified pre-owned program offers desirable coverage that lasts for 7 years or 100,000 miles from the original sale date. Although Subaru's CPO program doesn't offer any additional comprehensive warranty coverage, that's forgivable this month thanks to an impressive special offer from Subaru: through the end of March, qualified shoppers can get 1.99 percent interest for up to 36 months on all certified pre-owned Subaru models, which is an excellent deal on a pre-owned vehicle.

Toyota's certified pre-owned program is a good one, as it offers one year of comprehensive coverage in addition to the standard warranty coverage, along with seven years or 100,000 miles of powertrain coverage. This month, Toyota also has a deal available on CPO Camry or Corolla models: qualified shoppers can get 3.9 percent interest for up to 36 months on either vehicle, which is a noteworthy deal as interest rates rise.

Volkswagen's certified pre-owned program offers different coverage for different vehicles, though most cars get an additional two years or 24,000 miles added to their factory warranty. This month, shoppers looking for a CPO Volkswagen can also get a better deal than usual, as Volkswagen is offering qualified shoppers 3.99 percent interest for up to 60 months on CPO models to qualified buyers, which is a desirable long term for a pre-owned car.