The Crossover Success Story

So just what the heck is a “crossover”? Not only is it among the hottest vehicle types in a decidedly not-so-hot market this year, but it is also essentially a cross between an SUV and a car. More accurately, it is a high-profile vehicle that looks and behaves much like a sport-utility vehicle but is based on a car platform rather than a truck platform. Though nobody in the industry talks about the crossover craze the way they did about the SUV craze of the ’90s, the new vehicle type has proven to be among the most popular of the decade. Read more . . .

Vehicle Height Incompatibility Dangers

Two cars crashed

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Mismatch of the front ends of the vehicles in this crash test is a problem.  The SUV’s front-end energy-absorbing structure rides of the car’s.  In a real crash, this could increase injury risks for the car occupants, which is why auto manufacturers have been committed since 2003 to designing the front ends of light trucks (SUVs and pickups) so their energy-absorbing structures overlap those of cars (see Status Report, Jan. 3, 2004; on the web at www.iihs.org).

“Compliance with these voluntary commitments already is making a difference, even Read more . . .

Safest Used Cars From 2006

Land Rover is total wreck

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For the first time ever, the Institute has chosen 10 cars, all 2006 models, that win Top Safety Pick awards. The awards recognize car designs that afford the best protection for people in front, side, and rear crashes, based on performance in Institute tests. The winning vehicles were chosen from among current models of small, midsize, and large cars plus minivans. Read more . . .

Getting Top Dollar For Your Used Car

How much is your time worth? No, this is not a rhetorical question; it is something you should immediately determine if you are considering selling your current vehicle yourself rather than trading it in, especially if you are about to buy a new vehicle.

If you don’t figure out what your time is worth, you might well spend costly hour upon hour engaging in amateur salesmanship only to find you would have been better off trading the old boat in to the dealer where you purchased your new car. Or, conversely, you might discover that selling your car yourself is more than worth your while. Read more . . .

Car Consumers Are Being Watched

If you have ever bought a new car–or if you plan to in the future–you are being scrutinized. Car makers want to know how you think, where you live and, most of all, what you are likely to buy. They want to gauge the upcoming trends or at least catch the wave of current ones, and to do that they have to know what you’re thinking. There’s nothing really sinister about it, because all they really want is to learn what vehicles you’re going to want in future months so they can plan their production accordingly. Still some consumers might be uncomfortable with the extent that car manufacturers will go to learn about their lifestyles. Read more . . .