A whole herd of intriguing small cars is on the horizon.

2012 Ford Focus

On sale: Early 2011

Of all the cars on this list, the 2012 Focus will likely have the most palette-cleansing effect over its predecessor. That's because the current Ford Focus is sort of like the old guy at the singles bar, whose bad hairpiece and spray-on tan aren't fooling anybody. So it goes with the current U.S. Focus, which is really just a doubly refreshed version of the original Focus that went on sale here in 1999. However, Ford is currently homogenizing its lineup around the world, and the Focus is one of the first "world" Fords to make it to the U.S. For the most part it looks like a bigger brother to the upcoming Ford Fiesta, which is no small compliment. However, the Focus offers more power than the Fiesta, with a 155-hp four-cylinder engine, and more size, too. Expect prices to stay about the same as the current car.