(September 22, 2011) SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Shoppers looking to buy a new truck or SUV ahead of the upcoming winter season have plenty of good deals available to them this month, reports Edmunds.com. Edmunds highlights nine trucks and SUVs with enticing cash, finance and/or leasing offers.

"Coming off a particularly brutal winter last year, many shoppers in cold-weather climates will consider a truck or SUV this year to navigate the snow and slush," said Jessica Caldwell, senior analyst at Edmunds.com.

"With dealers selling down their 2011 models over the next couple of months, buyers can find several good deals well before the first flakes fall from the sky."

The largest overall cash incentive offers are for pickup trucks, with the Dodge Dakota and Nissan Titan standing out. Shoppers can find 2011 Dakotas available with $4,500 in cash incentives, and 2011 Titans not far away with $4,250 in cash incentives. Both vehicles, as well as the 2011 Chevy Silverado and the 2011 Suzuki Equator, also have special 0% APR deals available.

Luxury models, meanwhile, emerge from this month's best SUV deals. The 2012 Mercedes-Benz GLK offers 1.9% financing while the 2011 Acura RDX offers lease deals starting at $430 per month with $0 due at signing. The 2011 Chevy Tahoe, 2011 Jeep Wrangler and 2011 Mazda CX-7 round out the list of SUVs with 0% financing.

Small cars also have good offers for those looking to keep monthly payments to a minimum. Drivers can lease a Chevy Cruze, Hyundai Elantra, Volkswagen Jetta, Nissan Sentra, Nissan Versa or Hyundai Accent for less than $190 a month, plus down payment at signing.

The Cruze is the least expensive of the bunch, with a lease costing just 22 cents per mile, or less than $9,000 over the course of a 39 month lease.

Edmunds.com's TMV Deals of the Month constitute the vehicles that currently are the best national deals in seven different categories, assuming:

    • Finance: that the vehicle will be purchased taking advantage of special manufacturer loan programs;
    • Lease: that the vehicle will be leased taking advantage of special manufacturer lease programs; or
    • Cash: that the vehicle will be purchased for cash

In all cases, Edmunds.com calculates the savings by comparing the current TMV price of each vehicle (after giving effect to such programs, when applicable) to its current MSRP. When "cash" deals are evaluates, Edmunds.com also takes into account the relative brand strengths of the vehicles in the category.

See the full list of Edmunds.com's TMV Deals of the Month.