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Amidst general economic turmoil, erratic fuel prices, leasing on life support and government loan guarantees for domestic automakers, the 2009 new-car buying season is not without its share of attention. The good news is there's plenty of rolling eye candy to drool over, from the most expensive Chevrolet ever made (the $105,000 Corvette ZR1) to a host of new and refreshed micro mites that ignore fuel pumps and provide affordable alternatives to buying used.

Despite what you might have heard or read, the automotive landscape remains a fertile pasture where choice still reigns supreme. Thought big sport utes or big sedans are a dying breed? Both Hyundai and its Kia offshoot beg to differ with Kia launching the Borrego, a beefy, body-on-frame truck with three rows of seats and an available 4.6-liter V8. Meanwhile Hyundai's full-size Genesis sedan and coupe will be taking on the luxury crowd from Germany and Japan with comparably turned-out counterparts that can be had with a 375-horsepower V8.

Then there's the resurgence in the so-called ponycar wars that began back in the late 1960s and early 1970s when the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger duked it out on the street and at the racetrack. All three have returned with gobs of power and a wide range of features that both the younger generation and grey-haired baby boomers will, no doubt get very excited about. And someone must have forgotten to tell Volkswagen that minivans are, like, so 2006, because why else would they introduce their Chrysler-built Routan people mover at a time when others (General Motors being the latest) are abandoning that ship? It could prove to be a smart move on VW's part if sport utility buyers are looking to downsize.

The biggest trend, of course, is toward fuel-saving machines. Gasoline-electric hybrid models are multiplying like rabbits (real ones, not the VW kind) and are finding their way into both small cars as well as in full-size pickups and traditional big-rig sport utes. Similarly, diesel-powered models are starting to reappear in bigger numbers. You'll see more of both technologies as buyers look for a way of protecting themselves from uncertain fuel supplies, seesawing pump prices and a general sense that importing oil is inherently bad. Cars such as the Chevrolet Volt, an electric car with a gasoline-powered electric generator, should arrive within the next couple of years and other variations on this theme are also coming soon. Yes, they'll be pricey at first, but public demand will drive prices lower as these eco-friendly models catch on.

For now, the new cars are appealing, the selection is at its best and dealers are ready to deal. The rest is up to you.

View our extensive 2009 New Car Photo Gallery. Simply move your cursor across each image to view make and model information.