The touchscreen in Nissan’s new $70,000, 480-horsepower GT-R sports car does more than show you the fastest route to the shopping mall—it makes you a better driver. The system logs data such as steering angle and G-force so performance freaks can squeeze the very most out of the car. And a gearshift map shows when to shift for optimal fuel efficiency.

Small streets and pricey fuel have shaped the European car market to favor smaller cars. In fact, what we call a compact car is a midsize on the continent. But now that Ameri- cans are feeling the burn of expensive gas, automakers have responded by bringing a fleet of smaller-than-subcompact vehicles to our shores. Unlike previous stripped-down econoboxes, these will be equipped to appeal to both the budget-minded and the car-savvy consumer.

The 2002 Altima is a much larger vehicle than its predecessor -- almost 6 inches longer, 2 inches taller, and more than an inch wider. And its wheelbase has grown by more than 7 inches. Yet Altima’s weight has barely increased, partly because designers replaced the steel hood and trunk panels with lighter aluminum ones -- a first for Nissan.