There has been a drastically changing landscape for the SUV market over the past year.  Driven by the poor economy, truck-based and full-size SUVs have declined in favor of car-based SUVs that are smaller.  MSN Autos has also experienced this trend among car searches.

The most popular SUV is the most popular, and best selling SUV in America.  Following close behind is the Toyota RAV4.

Three vehicles by Ford are also among the most popular SUVs.  The Ford Escape, as well as the Escape Hybrid follow behind the RAV4, and the Ford Edge comes in 10th place.  One prime example of how America’s taste for SUVs now differs is the difference in the lineup by Ford.  The Ford Explorer was the top selling SUV two years ago, however now the Explorer isn’t a best seller.

New Nissan SUVs, the Rogue and Murano have experienced great popularity, coming in fifth and seventh.

With the high fuel prices, and poor economy, consumers are staying away from big SUVs that guzzle gas, and instead are purchasing smaller SUVs.  In addition, motorists are trying to protect their wallets by purchasing an auto warranty.

Drivers who are fuel-conscious now have a new innovative way to calculate their vehicle’s mileage and compare their mileage to other drivers’.  Also, motorists will be able to devise ways that they can improve their own fuel-economy.

A new website, called fuelly.com, allows you to put your car in their system by entering details about your car.  For example, by imputing your vehicle’s year, and make and model, they will track your gas mileage, gas expenditures, how your car compares to estimates by the EPA, and also how much you could save by using different ways to improve your gas mileage.

One helpful feature is that you are able to see how your vehicle compares to vehicles that identical.  Then, if your gas mileage is significantly worse it will tell you some things.  For example, maybe you have poor driving habits when it comes to burning gas, or maybe your tires aren’t inflated like they should be, or it’s time to replace your air filter.  Whatever it may be, fuelly.com could be a valuable warning system.  In addition, if you own a mobile device, you can update the website remotely.

We all dread paying the high fuel costs, even to the point where we run out of gas and have to call for roadside assistance. However, by using fuelly.com, you can now improve your fuel-efficiency by being aware of your poor driving habits.  In addition, protect yourself with an auto warranty.

Here is a question for car consumers:  What has the low cost of a used car with the reliability and auto warranty of a brand new car?  The answer is a certified pre-owned car.

The term CPO is used in the car industry to identify late model used cars that have low-mileage.  These automobiles have gone through a detailed inspection and come with an auto warranty by the factory to back them up.  CPOs are usually in better shape than other used cars and have a maintenance schedule that can be verified by using Carfax.

Most of the time certified pre-owned programs come with an inspection, auto warranty, and an option to return the vehicle if you decide you don’t like it.  What you end up getting for the extra money you spend on a CPO vehicle varies quite a bit.  For instance, Lexus will give you a 100,000 total vehicle and 3 year limited warranty on its CPO cars.  Chrysler, on the other hand, gives an inspection with a return policy, but only offers a limited auto warranty of 3,000-mile, 3 months.

In order for consumers to feel like they have the same service as a new car, they should ensure that they get an extension of the factory auto warranty offered.

It’s common to show affection to the people you love, but we don’t want to forget to give some thought to our vehicles.  A lot of us find our vehicles to be more than just another asset.  They are such a big part of our lives because we depend on them to get us where we need to go safely.  They deserve a bit of attention and affection too.

A recent survey reinforces the powerful relationship that drivers have with their cars.  Apparently, 44 percent of men and 48 percent of women claim they have thanked their car in different situations.  In addition, 30 percent of women and 37 percent of men claim they have given their cars compliments on dependability.

So what can you give your car to show your appreciation?  There are several things you can do.  First of all, make sure you have a preventative maintenance plan.  Also, purchase your car an auto warranty to ensure that it is covered in the event of a breakdown.  Your car will thank you by getting you to your destinations safely.

Most people believe that SUVs are the safest vehicles on the road; however, recent test results show that midsize SUVs may not offer the best safety.  In fact, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that a lot of cars produced better results in crash tests than six midsize SUVs.

The SUVs tested were the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Nissan Pathfinder, Nissan Xterra, Ford Explorer, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota 4Runner.  These vehicles were tested in a front collision at 40mph and a side impact.

All of these vehicles showed improvement since the last IIHS test.  In the instance of the front collision, five out of the six vehicles were rated Good.  The Trailblazer was rated Acceptable.

However, the results of the side-impact tests weren’t as good.  The Trailblazer and Grand Cherokee didn’t protect the torso because they are only equipped with standard side airbags to protect the head.  The Pathfinder, 4Runner, and Xterra had better performance with side impact because they include side airbags that protect the torso as well as the head.  However, cars had better ratings on side impact.

If you’re looking to purchase a midsize SUV, purchase one with high crash ratings.  For instance, the Ford TaurusX and Edge, Hyundai Santa Fe, Honda Pilot, and Subaru Tribeca are the highest rated midsize SUVs.  Although these SUVs are durable, it’s necessary to purchase an auto warranty to protect yourself from repair costs down the road.  After all, no vehicle is full proof.

If you ask a woman if she would like to buy a Dodge Viper, chances are she will say “no”.  This car is a V-10 two seater that starts at approximately $80,000.  Although this may not be a woman’s cup of tea, studies show that many men would like to have this car.  Like many other aspects of life, men and women seem to have very different tastes, and cars are no exception.

Men and women buy the Viper, but 91% of customers are men.  The Porsche 911 and BMW M5 are also cars being bought primarily by males.  These models costs above $60,000.  Studies show that men often equate their car with their image.  In other words, they choose cars that will portray a certain status.

What cars do women like?  The #1 choice is the Toyota RAV4.  Women like to purchase small, affordable cars that are easy to buy.  For example, the Saturn SC, SL, and ION are popular choices for women.  These cars start at around $10,000 including new car warranties, and have a reputation of being “no hassle” when it comes to buying.

It is obvious that women and men think very differently in lots of areas, cars included.  Men like to buy the fast, impressive cars, whereas women purchase the inexpensive, small cars.  The only common ground that these cars have is that they are backed by an auto warranty.

Honda’s new Ecological Drive Assist System, or Eco Assist, is available on the Honda Insight.  The system utilizes a two-tier instrument cluster (much like the Civics) to communicate driving habits that are effective.  Depending on the way you are driving, the background color of the speedometer will change-blue for braking and rapid acceleration, and green for cruising and light acceleration.

The information screen that is inside the tachometer is an LED screen that scores your driving habits.  Your mastery over hypermiling is signified by the number of leaves that show on the display.

Also featured in the system is an “ECON” button.  When this button is switched on, the transmission, regenerative braking, and powertrain are optimized to make the most of fuel consumption.

Honda’s system is downscaled in comparison to Ford’s, but that is probably because the Honda Insight is going to be the cheapest hybrid out there.  Regardless, make sure you have a good auto warranty, because you never know when new technology will fail and you don’t want to be left with unnecessary repair expenses.

When teenagers turn 16 years old, they are excited to get their drivers license.  Unfortunately, teens have more driving accidents than any other age group.  For the majority of teen drivers, the question isn’t whether they are going to have an accident, but when they are going to have an accident.

Inexperience is the main reason that teenagers are vulnerable to traffic accidents.  Although 16 to 19 year olds only make up 5.3 percent of the driving population in our nation, they’re involved in 13.3 percent of all of the traffic accidents and 11 percent of crashes that are fatal.

A new program aimed to protect teenagers is “graduated licensing”.  Although the age of licensing is the same, full privileges come gradually.

The program begins with a learner’s permit.  Next, is the intermediate stage, in which teens can drive during the daytime alone, and in the evening they can drive between 9 p.m-6 a.m. with a licensed driver.  Then, the advanced stage comes. This is when teens can drive with no restrictions.

The graduated licensing program is a good step to make sure that our teens remain safe.  However, teens need to protect themselves with a good auto warranty to avoid unnecessary repair costs.

There’s nothing worse than planning a trip and waking up to find violent, heavy rains pouring down out of the sky.  There are two things you need in this situation, an auto warranty and a reliable car.  Do you have a vehicle that is ready for driving in this situation?  In this situation it is necessary to have a car that ensures a smooth, safe ride, even in ice and rain.

According to the FHWA approximately 6,400,000 cars are involved in accidents every year.  About twenty five percent of these accidents are related to weather.  Here are some of the best cars to handle in rain.

Although you may not believe it, the 2008 Porsche Cayman, as well as the Cayman S are two of the best cars in rain.  They are packed with essential all weather features.

For instance, these vehicles have a wiper system with rain sensors that make the wipers activate as soon as water hits the glass.  Also, wipers shut off after the car reaches 131 mph.

In addition, these cars have great tire traction, as well as mud guards.  They also have the Porsche Stability Management System, which detects when the car is slipping.

Finally, these cars have four-wheel disc brakes that are anti-lock.  They are cross-drilled for optimal performance.

Way back when the Jetsons captured the imaginations of millions on TV, people have had dreams of using flying cars for their daily transportation.  However, there hasn’t ever been anything in real life that could even come close to flying cars-until now.  In Massachusetts, Terrafugia built the Transition, which took off during the official launch of the company’s $194,000 “roadable aircraft.”

Basically, that means that this vehicle is a small aircraft that has the capability to travel on public roadways at “highway speeds”, and it gets approximately 30 mpg on regular unleaded gas.  The range on this vehicle in the air is 460 miles.  However, it has a useful load of only 430 pounds, which means that passengers can’t be too overweight, and they can’t pack too heavy.

If you’re interested in this vehicle, you will need a pilot’s license and $194,000.  And at that price you might want a good auto warranty.  While this is an exciting idea, dropping off Judy, Elroy and Jane before going to work in your flying car is still a ways off.