Best Car Brands if You Are in the Military

• Many car brands offer discounts between $500 and $1,000 for military personnel, reservists, veterans, and retirees
• Different car brands will offer different levels of discount and incentives
• The most popular cars for military service members are pickup trucks and specifically the Ford F-150

Many car brands will often offer military personnel discounts between $500 and $1,000 on the purchase of a vehicle. These discounts are easy to obtain and a great incentive to shop with brands that offer them. We will break down the discounts available from different brands and the most popular vehicles among military personnel.

Some car brands for military personnel offer discounts to only the Army, Marines, Navy, and Air Force, while others extend the discount to the National Guard. A select few extend beyond that to the Honor Guard and Gold Star Families. Learn more about auto insurance for military personnel and veterans.

Most Popular Car Brands Among Military Service Members

Pickup trucks are by far the most popular type of vehicle for those serving in various branches of the armed forces. The rugged and heavy-duty nature of these vehicles lend themselves to the lifestyle and areas that many service members find themselves in, and they are known for their reliability.

The most popular vehicle among those serving is the Ford F-150. This iconic pickup truck has been the best-selling truck in the United States for many years, and it makes sense that an American-made pickup truck with a strong reputation for build quality would be the most popular vehicle in the armed forces.

Most Popular Car Brands Among Military Service Members

Pickup trucks also make up the other top cars for military members. The Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Ram, and Toyota Tacoma – all full-size pickup trucks – make up the other top choices for service members.

Besides pickup trucks, SUVs are very popular with military families. The top brand for SUVs among military families is Jeep, which makes sense given Jeep’s long history with the military. The Willys Jeep – the precursor to the Jeep Wrangler – was the flagship military vehicle during World War II and has enjoyed a connected history to the armed forces ever since.

Other popular SUVs include the Ford Explorer and Bronco, the Toyota 4Runner, and the Chevy Blazer. These cars can also be outfitted to assist disabled veterans, who may have other incentives, such as insurance discounts. Find auto insurance discounts for disabled veterans.

Read more: Best Auto Insurance Discounts for Disabled Veterans

For those serving overseas, where large vehicles are harder to come by, BMW and Volvo rank among the most popular. Both brands offer fantastic reliability and reputation, are easily serviced in the United States and abroad, and offer services specific to military members, which we will discuss more below.

Car Brands with Military Discounts

Many car brands offer military discounts on various models. Acura, for example, offers $750 off an Integra, ILX, TLX, RDX, and MDX. BMW will offer $500 – $2,000 off a new purchase or lease. Major American brands all offer $500 off new vehicle purchases or leases.

Some brands offer perks beyond just a discount. For military stationed in the European Union, BMW and Volvo will ship a vehicle to your nearest dealer, port, or next location of deployment. Audi will ship a vehicle back to the United States for you.

National Guard members are eligible for military discounts on cars like Acura, GM, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, and Lincoln. Lexus extends their generous $1,000 discount to Gold Star families, while Ford and Lincoln extend their discount to Honor Guard members.

While most brands offer discounts of $500, most will double that discount with an additional $500 off. Timing your purchase can mean hundreds of dollars worth of additional savings – certain brands, such as Nissan, will even let you combine the military discount with other incentives offered nationally.

Most brands offer immediate discounts when purchasing a vehicle. However, companies such as Mitsubishi, offer their savings in the form of a rebate. This means that a service member will need to pay the full price, and then they can send in a rebate voucher to receive $750 back.

How to Choose the Best Car for You

When shopping for a vehicle, it is important to first find one that suits your needs. Do you have a family that you travel with frequently? If so, an SUV might be best for you. Do you need to haul materials or do a lot of home projects? A pickup is probably a good choice. Maybe you want a reliable car with great mileage – looking at sedans and hybrids probably makes sense.

Finding the right car brands for military members is dictated by your specific needs, but it is generally agreed that a reliable car, which is inexpensive to service and can last a long time, makes a good car. While most military discounts only apply to new vehicle purchases and leases, it is probably worth looking at the used market as well.

Whether you buy a used or new, you should look at what kind of service needs the vehicle may have. By searching for known issues, cost of ownership, fuel type, and service needs, you can get an idea of the cost of ownership. Don’t forget you will also need car insurance, and with a loan, you will need to cover the cost of the car or the value of the loan.

Luckily many companies also offer auto insurance discounts for veterans, which can help you save on the cost of vehicle ownership.

Generally, when thinking about the cost of ownership, American and Japanese cars will have parts that cost less than their German counterparts. If the cost to repair is a major consideration, think about buying from a brand whose parts will be less expensive over the life of your ownership.

Another factor to consider when buying a vehicle is its warranty. The warranty will help protect against issues that occur during your ownership for a specified amount of time. Warranties can range in what they cover, the number of miles they cover, and the length of time coverage is in force.

A good warranty can protect you against unforeseen repair costs that could be thousands of dollars. Some brands, such as Hyundai, offer a 100,000-mile, 10-year warranty, which is much longer than Volkswagen’s 50,000-mile warranty. (For more information, read our “Best Car Warranty Companies“).

Finally, it is also important to look at what other incentives, outside of the military discounts, a company offers. Many companies can offer attractive financing options, rebates during certain holiday periods, and other discounts to help clear cars off their lots. Many dealerships will offer attractive discounts on last year’s cars that are still on their lots, so check for vehicles that are a model year behind.

Read more: Armed Forces and Soldiers Auto Insurance Quotes

Summing Up: The Best Cars for Those in the Military

Many car brands offer discounts and incentives for members of the military, and some offer additional services for those serving overseas. Lexus and BMW will offer larger discounts of $1,000 and $2,000, while most other brands will offer $500 or $750. The brands most popular with armed service members, both current and former, are Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, Toyota, and Jeep.

If you have bought a new vehicle, don’t forget you will need insurance, and there may be companies that will offer you a discount for your service. Find the best companies for veterans auto insurance.

When looking for the best discount, it is best to look at a few brands with vehicles you like. If possible, try to purchase your vehicle around holidays when there are additional incentives, especially around Veterans Day. If you are serving in Europe, speak with the local dealerships, as they may be able to help coordinate getting your vehicle back to the United States at no extra charge.