It's another new car season as manufacturers wait with baited breath to see what all of you think of the newly introduced 2006 models -- and this year, there is plenty of reason to be nervous.

Manufacturers are especially tense because gasoline prices have soared from a year ago, topping $3 in late summer and hanging around at that level ever since. That has helped sales of fuel-friendly models, but the guzzlers are struggling.

Not coincidentally, you will see a larger number of smaller, more economical cars than ever coming into the marketplace this year, including new models from Ford, Chevrolet, Audi, Nissan and Honda. But these aren't the small cars you've known and probably disliked in years past. These are all lavishly equipped, quiet, well built and stylish smaller cars that would look good in almost anyone's driveway.

It's not just high gas prices that are steering people toward smaller, well-equipped cars, by the way. Korean manufacturers Hyundai and Kia are getting stronger and better every day, offering buyers cars that are now at or near the top of their market segments. And they do this while still keeping prices lower than most other companies can offer.

That means trouble for their competitors, particularly American car companies, who are forced to up the ante and offer more car for the money -- and bring them onto the market a lot faster, too. If they can't keep up, they will almost surely lose more sales.

The bottom line is that with increased numbers of models in the compact, intermediate and subcompact markets, and everyone feeling the pinch from higher gas prices, smaller cars look to be in for much stronger sales in 2006.

There are still a few new sport utilities out there, too. But they aren't large ones for the most part. They are smaller, more economical models such as the Suzuki Grand Vitara, Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage.

Crossovers are gaining popularity too, as buyers aim for products that have the utility of SUVs, with the roominess of minivans, and comforts and wallet-friendly appetite of conventional passenger cars.

You should know that there are several other trends that will influence the car market.

First, development times for new cars and trucks have been slashed dramatically, which means new models will appear more frequently.

The typical model cycle now lasts about two to three years, instead of the five years or more that we've been accustomed to seeing. A product is introduced one year, refreshed the next and the third year brings either a brand new version or a heavy makeover.

Many American companies are now using platforms for their products that are shared with foreign car companies that are owned by parent companies. A good example would be Ford, which owns Mazda, the source of platforms for many of its new products.

This sharing results in more creativity, more savings for the companies, more variety for consumers and more daring styling trends to conceal the fact that they all are using the same chassis.

Another trend is the continuing "leveling of the quality playing field" among carmakers.

Just about any car on the market these days has good quality control, a decent selection of equipment and the usual safety features. That puts pressure on manufacturers to come up with other ways to stand out and to make their products different from others. That, too, is a good thing for consumers.

By now, you're probably wondering which products are the ones you should be sure not to miss. I'll give you my picks for cars and trucks that I believe will be the ones to beat -- and the ones that definitely deserve a place on your shopping list. When the next buyers guide appears in June, I will have tested most of these products, and I'll be able to tell you which ones fulfilled their promise -- and which fell short.

My first selection far and away is Hyundai's new Sonata. It's packed with safety equipment such as traction control and stability control, has a spacious, luxurious cabin and has a sleek look outside. It's a top-drawer, high-quality product that undercuts most of the competition, and it now is my best choice for family sedan by virtue of its quality, long warranty, long list of standard equipment and low price. This one will give everybody else headaches trying to compete with it.

Equally significant is Honda's new Civic. This car has gone from a plain Jane to a futuristic, state of the art, roomy compact car, chock full of the latest technology, the best of safety equipment and enough innovations to lead the compact car field once again. It's strictly a 21st-century compact with lots to offer. Honda's hit a home run with this one.

Chevrolet's Impala is another transformed car. The old one was good, but had mediocre styling, so-so interior and only adequate road performance from the engine. But the new model is svelte, with a high-quality polished interior design that is roomy and so quiet you can't hear the engine running. It has plenty of safety equipment, and in the SS model, it has the first V-8 engine in years to provide sub-6-second acceleration. Steering, handling and braking are all above average.

Ford has a new ace-in-the hole called the Fusion, an intermediate, European flavored family sedan that handles like some of the better sport sedans made across the pond. Steering is particularly quick, handling is agile, and the styling is attractive and contemporary -- not a comment you can make these days about many American sedans. Price also is competitive with many other brands such as Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, and the Fusion is as much fun to drive as its competitors.

There's also a new Mercury Milan which is built from the same platform, but the Milan has a contemporary, urban, elegant look that sets it apart, providing a nice alternative to the Fusion.

If you're looking for a nice luxury sedan, look no further than Infiniti's M35 and M45. Elegant, powerful, and class-leading acceleration, these two are so good that they rival or beat the BMW 5 Series in almost every way. They are full of technology, including a system that warns you if you are inadvertently crossing lanes in traffic. The interior is a huge improvement over the model that this pair replaces.

Chrysler's 300 isn't a newcomer, but that doesn't mean it's to be ignored. There's too much to like about this car, from its square shouldered, unapologetically American silhouette and its majestic front end, to its contemporary, polished interior that offers lots of room. It's got acceleration and handling to make its case, too.

Looking for a good truck? Check out Honda's Ridgeline. It's an all-new product in an all-new field for Honda, and already it's making waves with class-leading design and styling, for openers. It has a handy "trunk" under the bed of the truck, plenty of room inside, and rides with nary a squeak or rattle -- a statement I can't make about most trucks. Construction is solid, quality control is top notch, and it's versatile enough for clubbing at night, too.

It's been a long time since I'd driven a sport utility vehicle as nice as the new Kia Sportage. That's right -- I said Kia. This company has made a dramatic turnaround and now produces some of the best products on the market. The Sportage has more safety equipment than most of its competitors, including side air bags, traction control and stability control, and the interior will make you swear you are sitting in a Lexus product. It's that nice.

The all-new Mazda MX-5 Miata, once simply known as the Miata, is a beautiful rendition of what is, for many people, the ultimate small roadster. The interior has been given a complete transformation with high-grade leather, aluminum trim and comfortable seating. Mazda's done a good job of keeping the very best of the old Miata design features, while bringing the car into the 21st century. Performance? Sparkling, with all of the flavor of roadster driving you'd ever want.

Mercedes hits the spot with so many products that it's almost worth giving them a corporatewide recognition of some sort. But it's the CLS 500 that absolutely takes my breath away, with a fastback design that looks like its straight out of the best European custom design houses of the 1930s. The interior carries out that theme, too, with a different look than what you will find on Mercedes' other products. It's laden with luxury appointments and has strong handling, too.

It's hard to improve on a classic, but BMW's new Three Series does just that. The steering alone on this car is a joy to behold, with just the right degree of balance and feel, and the handling prompts me to call it the Bavarian Bobsled. Inside, you'll find the usual high quality BMW design, though it's clearly been updated for contemporary times. You won't want to walk away from this one once you get behind the wheel.