Just a couple years ago, sport utility vehicles dominated the shopping lists of new car buyers. Specifically, buyers wanted large SUVs, and sales of Tahoes, Expeditions, and even Hummers flourished. But times have changed, and the 'bigger is better' mantra is now a thing of the past.
But even despite a rapid change in consumer demand, the general love of the sport utility did not completely vanish. Instead, the feelings were simply redirected to a new form of SUV - the crossover. Consumers realized that the crossover vehicle had just about everything they wanted; the space and versatility of a SUV, with the car-like driving dynamics and fuel economy of a car. American drivers also came to realize that the crossover was designed for the urban driving, and not the Rubicon, which to the surprise of many former Tahoe owners, is actually a good thing.
Let's take a look at some of these magical crossovers that truly offer the functionality, fun, and frugality that was never quite achieved with the larger sport utilities of recent years.
Volkswagen Tiguan
While it may still be a new comer to the segment, the Volkswagen Tiguan was worth the wait. Powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine (the same engine in the sporty GTI), the Tiguan is plenty peppy, while delivering a commendable 24 mpg on the highway and 18 mpg in the city. The turbo four is also mated to a smooth shifting six-speed automatic transmission. Inside, drivers from Dartmouth Volkswagen to Volkswagen Saint Louis have found a roomy, well-appointed interior with excellent quality materials throughout. There's even an oversized panoramic sunroof that adds plenty of light to the interior. For those who want entry level luxuries and European styling, the VW Tiguan is worth a look.
Subaru Forester
The Subaru Forester has remained a popular compact crossover since its inception, but the most recent model offers much more than previous generations. Perhaps the biggest difference between the current Forester and its predecessor is the styling. With more modern, yet conservative lines, more buyers at Massachusetts Subaru dealers and other locations are likely to notice the Forester. Plus, with an available turbocharged boxer engine, the Forester offers the performance to match its new-found good looks. With sportiness, versatility, and also safety, assured, the new Subaru Forester is quickly rising to the top of many crossover buyers' shopping listings.
Nissan Rogue
Car-like driving dynamics is one of the major appeals of the crossover, and in those terms, the Nissan Rogue doesn't disappoint. Hartford Nissan drivers have noted that the steering is quick, and the four cylinder engine never feels underpowered. The Rogue is offered with a continuously variable transmission as well, delivering power and efficiency. With all-wheel drive and excellent ground clearance, Tacoma Nissan dealers stress that the Rogue also offers excellent all-weather driving capabilities. Passengers in the rear quarter may find the Rogue to be a bit cramped, but up front there is plenty of room. The Nissan Rogue also gets 27 mpg on the highway and 22 mpg in the city.
Mazda CX-7
The Mazda CX-7 is the largest crossover of the group, and certainly shouldn't go unnoticed. Although is offers ample room, the CX-7 is nimble and quite, and is among the sportiest compact crossovers available. The turbocharged engine offers ample power according to Pittsburgh Mazda car buyers, while also delivering 23 mpg on the highway and 17 mpg city. Mazda Sugarland drivers have also been attracted to the Mazda since it provides a very car-like demeanor in city and freeway driving. If you like the curvy, athletic looks of this Mazda, you'll also like the interior which also offers distinctive style and excellent fit and finish.
Ford Escape
If you have more conservative tastes, and prefer a crossover that still has boxy, truck-like styling, you're in the luck! The Ford Escape offers the styling that's reminiscent of the larger Explorer or Expedition, while also providing excellent on road manners that one would expect from this segment. With a powerful four cylinder that delivers outstanding fuel economy (22 mpg city, 28 mpg hwy), the Ford Escape is also unique in that it also offers a powerful V6 option, and even a hybrid model which delivers the best fuel economy in its class and has excited eco-conscious consumers among Newark Ford dealers. With many reports claiming that Ford vehicles are on par with Toyota and Honda in terms of reliability, the latest Ford Escape promises to offer more practicality than you may think.
Honda CR-V
The Honda CR-V may be a more familiar nameplate than others in this list, but it remains among the most competitive and most desirable compact crossovers available. Why? Well for starters, Birmingham Honda dealers say the Honda CR-V simply does everything well. Although it's not the fastest, nor the largest, the CR-V offers strong mileage, decent performance, ample versatility, and incredible value and reliability. The CR-V is also a Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which Honda Long Beach is proud to promote to potential CR-V shoppers. If you're looking to get the most for your money, the Honda CR-V could be your best choice.
Toyota RAV4
Last, but certainly not least, the Toyota RAV4 was one of the first compact crossover vehicles available when it first debuted. Since then the RAV4 has become larger and more powerful, with available third row seating and an optional V6 engine. Although it offers loads of power, Long Beach Toyota dealers stress that the Toyota RAV4 still achieves competitive mileage, with 28 mpg on the highway and 22 mpg in the city. Despite plenty of newer models to choose from, such as the aforementioned Tiguan, many buyers at a Westminster Toyota dealer have still been drawn to all that the RAV4 offers.
Friday, July 3, 2009
New college grads wrestle with health insurance
Graduating senior Meredith Johnson's wake-up call came when her University of Pittsburgh roommate realized she'd waited too long to schedule the dentist appointment to remove three impacted wisdom teeth. She couldn't get in until after graduation, when she'd have a diploma but no Individual Health Insurance . EasyToInsureME your online individual health insurance source
"She said she didn't know how to pay for it," said Ms. Johnson, 22, who concedes she hadn't given Individual Health Insurance much thought before that.
Now, after moving back home to Lower Merion, Montgomery County, Ms. Johnson is working part-time as a waitress, a job with no benefits. When it comes to insurance, she admits, "I have a low-grade panic going."
Carrie Potter, 21, who graduated from Point Park University Saturday, says she's "horrified" at the prospect of having no job and no health insurance. She wants to work but says she may have to look at graduate school instead.
"I would do that only for the health insurance, which is a sad reality," she said.
Down the street, meanwhile, soon-to-be graduated Emily Dearring, 23, plans to move home with her Mom in Columbus, Ohio, until her Art Institute of Pittsburgh degree helps her land a graphic design job. Needed dental work, which forces her to wear a retainer, will have to wait.
Graduation from college can mean the commencement of big worries anytime.
This year may be particularly tough because, while landing a good job maybe at the top of the graduates' worry list, health insurance is close behind. The Kaiser Family Foundation reported last year that adults 19 to 29 have the highest uninsured rate of any age group.
Part of the reason is that the U.S. health-care system is based on insurance being provided by employers. In the best of times, entry-level jobs with insurance benefits are uncommon, and often coverage doesn't kick in for a few months. This year is not the best of times.
When a group of Western Pennsylvania universities, colleges and community colleges held their annual job fair at the Pittsburgh Indoor Soccer Arena this spring, fewer than half the usual number of potential employers came.
"A lot of them were just talking to people. They weren't there to hire anyone," said Tony Linnan, co-director of career services at Slippery Rock University.
Preliminary results from a student survey earlier this month by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found 19 percent of undergraduate seniors who applied for work had a job lined up after graduation, compared with 25 percent a year ago.
The standard fallback position for new graduates has been to stay on their parents' insurance, costly by itself, but that assumes parents still have their jobs. Even if that's true, some graduates say they don't want to be a continuing financial burden to their families.
"I want to be grown-up. I want to be on my own," said Ms. Potter, who has three younger siblings still at home in Shaler.
What are the alternatives? EasyToInsureME.com offers insurance for $2 per day from the 2nd largest health insurance company in the country
Point Park this year is offering short-term medical insurance for new graduates through Illinois-based Marsh CampusConnexions that allows its graduates to continue their school health coverage for 12 months, renewable for two additional years.
Monthly premiums are typically less than $150 plus a $500 deductible. The plan covers treatment for injuries including hospitalizations. Routine doctor visits are not covered.
Individual plans are another option for new graduates. Online insurance broker EasyToInsureME can connect local graduates with high-deductible ($5,000 to $10,000), low-premium ($35 to $55 per month) policies.
The Internet company also suggests graduates consider several factors, such as talking with an insurance agent if they have a pre-existing chronic condition, becoming familiar with insurance terminology and considering short-term insurance plans that typically last six months to buy time while job hunting.
Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department's adultBasic health plan for the uninsured, which covers routine doctors' visits, hospitalizations and emergency room visits for accidents, has a waiting list of more than 200,000.
Those who meet income requirements and are on the waiting list can get the same coverage if they can pay on average a $330 monthly premium until a spot opens, said insurance department spokeswoman Rosanne Placey. Once in the program, monthly premiums average about $35.
Compared with COBRA payments, that may sound like a good deal. But it's not something a new college grad necessarily wants to think about.
"It's the adult stuff. It's the stuff your parents do," said Ms. Johnson. "It's one of those things you'll have to save for that's not a fun thing. It's not like saving for a car."
"She said she didn't know how to pay for it," said Ms. Johnson, 22, who concedes she hadn't given Individual Health Insurance much thought before that.
Now, after moving back home to Lower Merion, Montgomery County, Ms. Johnson is working part-time as a waitress, a job with no benefits. When it comes to insurance, she admits, "I have a low-grade panic going."
Carrie Potter, 21, who graduated from Point Park University Saturday, says she's "horrified" at the prospect of having no job and no health insurance. She wants to work but says she may have to look at graduate school instead.
"I would do that only for the health insurance, which is a sad reality," she said.
Down the street, meanwhile, soon-to-be graduated Emily Dearring, 23, plans to move home with her Mom in Columbus, Ohio, until her Art Institute of Pittsburgh degree helps her land a graphic design job. Needed dental work, which forces her to wear a retainer, will have to wait.
Graduation from college can mean the commencement of big worries anytime.
This year may be particularly tough because, while landing a good job maybe at the top of the graduates' worry list, health insurance is close behind. The Kaiser Family Foundation reported last year that adults 19 to 29 have the highest uninsured rate of any age group.
Part of the reason is that the U.S. health-care system is based on insurance being provided by employers. In the best of times, entry-level jobs with insurance benefits are uncommon, and often coverage doesn't kick in for a few months. This year is not the best of times.
When a group of Western Pennsylvania universities, colleges and community colleges held their annual job fair at the Pittsburgh Indoor Soccer Arena this spring, fewer than half the usual number of potential employers came.
"A lot of them were just talking to people. They weren't there to hire anyone," said Tony Linnan, co-director of career services at Slippery Rock University.
Preliminary results from a student survey earlier this month by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found 19 percent of undergraduate seniors who applied for work had a job lined up after graduation, compared with 25 percent a year ago.
The standard fallback position for new graduates has been to stay on their parents' insurance, costly by itself, but that assumes parents still have their jobs. Even if that's true, some graduates say they don't want to be a continuing financial burden to their families.
"I want to be grown-up. I want to be on my own," said Ms. Potter, who has three younger siblings still at home in Shaler.
What are the alternatives? EasyToInsureME.com offers insurance for $2 per day from the 2nd largest health insurance company in the country
Point Park this year is offering short-term medical insurance for new graduates through Illinois-based Marsh CampusConnexions that allows its graduates to continue their school health coverage for 12 months, renewable for two additional years.
Monthly premiums are typically less than $150 plus a $500 deductible. The plan covers treatment for injuries including hospitalizations. Routine doctor visits are not covered.
Individual plans are another option for new graduates. Online insurance broker EasyToInsureME can connect local graduates with high-deductible ($5,000 to $10,000), low-premium ($35 to $55 per month) policies.
The Internet company also suggests graduates consider several factors, such as talking with an insurance agent if they have a pre-existing chronic condition, becoming familiar with insurance terminology and considering short-term insurance plans that typically last six months to buy time while job hunting.
Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department's adultBasic health plan for the uninsured, which covers routine doctors' visits, hospitalizations and emergency room visits for accidents, has a waiting list of more than 200,000.
Those who meet income requirements and are on the waiting list can get the same coverage if they can pay on average a $330 monthly premium until a spot opens, said insurance department spokeswoman Rosanne Placey. Once in the program, monthly premiums average about $35.
Compared with COBRA payments, that may sound like a good deal. But it's not something a new college grad necessarily wants to think about.
"It's the adult stuff. It's the stuff your parents do," said Ms. Johnson. "It's one of those things you'll have to save for that's not a fun thing. It's not like saving for a car."
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