Best Credit Cards for Loyal Car Buyers

(Image credit: Wavebreakmedia)

published 6 October 2016

If you’re a diehard loyalist of one car brand, you may be a good candidate for an auto rewards card. Use cash back or points earned with the four cards below toward any model in the carmaker's product line (unless the dealership you visit has restrictions). None of the cards has an annual fee, and points are usually worth a penny each.

Best Rewards Credit Cards

The BuyPower Card from Capital One (0% for 12 months, then 13.15% to 23.15%) offers the most appealing cash-back potential: 5% on the first $5,000 spent annually and 2% for the rest of the year. You can put earnings toward the purchase or lease of a new Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet or GMC vehicle.

Toyota offers two cards: the Lexus Pursuits Visa and Toyota Rewards Visa (0% for six months, then 14.24% to 23.24%). Both provide five points per dollar spent at the dealership; two points on gas, dining and entertainment (such as event tickets); and one point on everything else. Redeem points for a new- or used-car purchase or lease; for service, parts and accessories; or for statement credits, gift cards and travel bookings. You can earn and redeem points interchangeably between the brands—say, by getting a discount on a Lexus with points earned with the Toyota Visa.

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Also worth a look is the FCA MasterCard (0% for six months, then 17.24%), which pays three points per dollar on spending at FCA dealerships (brands include Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep and Ram), two points on qualifying travel purchases and one point on everything else. Redeem points for a new- or used-car purchase or lease, or for service, parts and accessories at the dealership. Or trade points for statement credit, travel bookings and other options.

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Lisa has been the editor of Kiplinger Personal Finance since June 2023. Previously, she spent more than a decade reporting and writing for the magazine on a variety of topics, including credit, banking and retirement. She has shared her expertise as a guest on the Today Show, CNN, Fox, NPR, Cheddar and many other media outlets around the nation. Lisa graduated from Ball State University and received the school’s “Graduate of the Last Decade” award in 2014. A military spouse, she has moved around the U.S. and currently lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and two sons.