Did you purchase a new car this year?  Well, it’s important to note that you can deduct local sales taxes paid towards a new car purchases made from February 17, 2009 to December 31, 2009.

Details

• The deduction is limited to the state and local sales and excise taxes paid on a new-car purchase of $49,500 or less.
• Individuals filers must have a  modified adjusted gross income between $125,000 and $135,000.
• Joint filers must have a modified adjusted gross income between $250,000 and $260,000.
• Tax incentives may be combined with Customer Cash, Dealer Cash or other rebates provided by manufacturers.
• Select Ford, Chevrolet, GMC and Nissan Hybrids also qualify for a tax credit.  Honda and Toyota Hybrid tax credits are no longer available.

Click here to see the complete list of Hybrids that still qualify for the tax credit. One vehicle that really stands out to us is the freshly crowned 2010 Motor Trend Car of the Year, the 2010 Ford Fusion.  The Hybrid version gets a whopping 41 mpg on the highway and 36 mpg in the city.  Purchasing one will also get you a healthy $850 federal tax credit.

For more information, head to www.irs.gov.

The recession is likely over, but the deals sure are not.  Nissan is currently offering 0.0% APR financing on one of the most value-oriented coupes on the market, the 2009 Nissan Altima Coupe.

Your choice of two powerplants are offered with the Altima Coupe:

2.5-liter DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder
175 hp @ 5,600 rpm
180 lb-ft @ 3,900 rpm
23/32 cty/hwy MPG

3.5-liter DOHC 24-valve V6
270 hp @ 6,000 rpm
258 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm
20/27 cty/hwy MPG

The details of the deal are as follows: the 0.0% finanacing is good for up to 60 months.  If you need another 12 months, the APR rises slightly to 1.9% for 72 months.  This is of course for well-qualified buyers.  You can also choose to opt for $1,750 cash back, but we think the better deal would be to go for the lower financing.

To read the 4-page review on the Nissan Altima Coupe, click here.

For a limited time, Nissan is offering ultra low 0.9% financing or up to $1000 customer cash back on the popular and fuel-efficient 2010 Sentra 2.0. The cornerstones of the Sentra’s spirit are fuel efficiency and practicality, and both are embodied by Nissan’s ultra-reliable MR20DE 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine. The hard facts are all you need: 136 horsepower, and 26 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway.

If the 2010 Sentra looks a little different from last year’s model, it’s because it is. Autoblog confirmed the appealing new aesthetic enhancements. Headlights, taillights and front & rear fascias all contribute to an overall sportier look, one that we’ve pined for since the exit of the cult-classic 1991-1994 Nissan Sentra SE-R.

Fore more on the 2010 Nissan Sentra, visit Nissan’s site here.

While dedicated hybrid models like the Toyota Prius and Honda Insight—as well as upcoming plug-in hybrids like the 2011 Chevy Volt—are currently in vogue, Nissan is revisiting all-electric vehicle technology with the Leaf EV, which they say gets a unfathomable 367 mpg.  367.

You may or may not remember the less-than-stellar efforts put forth by GM when they introduced their EV1 way back in 1996, but electric vehicle technology has come a long way since then. Batteries are now more efficient and more compact, while charging technology has also taken a huge leap forward with quicker charge times.

All of these advancements have made electric cars a more viable alternative to those powered by internal combustion engines. Nissan plans to start selling the Leaf in five major metropolitan U.S. markets as early as next year. Experts estimate that the Leaf will retail for anywhere from $25,000-33,000, which would compare favorably to the Volt, Prius and Insight considering you would have no fuel expenses with an electric car. The Leaf’s range is estimated to be just over 100 miles between charges.

Although you probably won’t be taking any cross-country trips in this car, the Leaf is perfectly capable of handling the average commute. And while you may have heard GM’s unofficial statement of the Chevy Volt’s 230-mpg fuel economy, by using their math, Nissan’s engineers came up with a truly staggering figure of 367 mpg for the Nissan Leaf. Whether or not the EPA will recognize these numbers, however, is an entirely different story.

For more click to the dedicated Nissan Leaf website.

With a history as long and revered as Nissan’s venerable Z-car, you can rest assured that the new generation will be better than the last.  But at what cost?  Well, with an MSRP of only $29,930, “not much” would be the appropriate response.  The first thing that grabs you is the shape of the 2009 Nissan 370Z.  Its short overhangs accentuated by voluptuous fenders underpinned Nissan’s design cognoscenti in their aim to establish an overall silhouette that paid homage to the original 240Z. On paper & picture, the 370Z sounds and looks like it could very well deliver all the bang-for-buck performance that made the first Z in 1970 legendary.

The differences between the 370Z and 350Z may appear subtle. But once you zoom in on the sharper A- and B-pillars and notice the swoopier rear hatch, the differences become apparent. At 167 inches long, the 370Z is a full 2.7 inches shorter than last year’s 350Z. The difference in wheelbase is even more dramatic, with the 370Z being 4 inches shorter than the 350Z between the front and rear wheels. This design feature makes the car more responsive through turns in addition to significantly reducing its turning radius.

And then we have the the gem of an engine known to Nissan enthusiasts and tech geeks as the VQ37DE, which helps the 2009 370Z to produce more power. The 3.7-liter dual-overhead cam V6 produces an impressive 332 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque. What makes this power plant such an engineering marvel is Nissan’s Variable Valve Event and Lift Control (VVEL) technology. By regulating air intake directly at the valves, this system completely eliminates the need for a throttle body and makes power delivery both smooth and instantaneous. Having such incredible throttle response, this feature allows for the first fully automated rev-matching downshift system used on a manual transmission. With its advanced engine technology and auto-rev-matching 6-speed manual, the 370Z could very well be the ultimate driver’s car. During their road test of the 2009 Nissan 370Z, Car and Driver wrote “The Verdict: At this price, possibly the best sports car on the planet.”

Motor Trend’s blog review also gave the 370Z solid marks for both performance and value.

To find a 2009 Nissan 370Z in your area, click here.

*All prices are Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). MSRP excludes destination and handling charges, tax, title, license, and options. Dealer sets actual price.