It's that time of year for automotive deals

(November 26, 2015) ATLANTA — The holidays are a time of joy, laughter and leftovers. It's also time for leftover cars. If car shoppers have their sights set on buying a new 2016 car, new models might not be available with discounts for a while. Instead, shoppers looking for a good deal on a great car now may want to choose a "leftover" model.

2015 models are available this holiday season in droves with some amazing incentives, as manufacturers do their best to make room for shiny new 2016 models.

"Leftover 2015 models can carry some of the biggest discounts," said Brian Moody, executive editor at Autotrader. "Manufacturers often provide incentives, like lease deals and cash back offers, on outgoing model year vehicles to clear them off dealer lots."

As another busy holiday shopping season approaches, Black Friday doorbuster deals aren't just for must-have gizmos and gadgets. Consumers are looking to gobble up sweet deals on cars. Nearly a quarter – 24 percent – of Autotrader shoppers surveyed are planning on taking advantage of Black Friday vehicle specials.

Autotrader editors have listed their leftover car favorites, and while the models highlighted may not be the newest or most advanced cars on the market, the models are among the best deals. A few model highlights include:

    • Chevrolet Malibu: A new Chevrolet Malibu is just around the corner, which means there are some excellent deals available today on leftover versions of the current model that made its debut for the 2013 model year. For qualified shoppers interested in paying with cash, the automaker is touting up to $1,500 cash back, a good deal considering the Malibu starts at just $22,600 with shipping.

Qualified drivers looking to finance can also find a good deal, as Chevrolet is touting 0 percent interest for up to 60 months on all remaining 2015 Malibu models.

   •  Dodge Grand Caravan: Not surprising are the excellent incentives designed to help clear leftover 2015 Grand Caravan models off dealer lots. While the best deal offers 0 percent interest for up to 75 months, it isn't the only offer. Dodge is also touting 1.9 percent interest for up to 84 months on all 2015 Grand Caravan models.

    • Honda Civic: Although Honda has not yet confirmed when its next-generation Civic will hit local dealerships, Autotrader expects it to reach dealers sometime next year. For shoppers who are satisfied with the current design, Honda is offering some great deals on leftover 2015 Civic models through the end of the year to clear out dealership inventory before the redesigned 2016 models arrive.

    • Mercedes-Benz GLK: Drivers looking for the best deal won't want the brand-new model; they'll want a leftover 2015 GLK, which is available with several strong incentives to help dealers clear out their inventories in preparation for the GLC's arrival. The best offer is a lease incentive, which touts a 39-month term with payments from $399 per month after $4,593 down at lease signing.

    • Toyota Prius: There's an all-new Toyota Prius coming out for the 2016 model year, which means there are some excellent deals to be had on leftover versions of the 2015 model, which is still available at dealers nationwide. The best offer is for qualified shoppers looking to finance, as the 2015 Prius can be had with 0 percent interest for up to 60 months and up to $1,000 cash back, a deal that would've been unheard of only a year ago, prior to the announcement of the new model.