When the economic market took a turn in 2008, the auto industry reacted quickly and scaled back at the dealership level as well as making considerations to their fleets at the manufacturer level.

As gas prices pushed $4-$5 per gallon in 2008, manufacturers took a serious look at designing more fuel efficient cars and moved away from the gas guzzling SUVs like the Ford Excursion and the GM Hummer.

Today, we are seeing the fruits of that labor in highly-efficient gasoline and diesel engines being built. And, even more exciting is how far 100% electric and hybrid vehicles have come. No longer are they weird-looking, Jetson-styled, two-seater vehicles. Hybrid and all-electric vehicles look more mainstream than ever. Some, you would not even know are hybrid or electric. And some, most notably the Tesla, are highly sought after by the rich and famous.

Expect this trend to continue as more manufacturers enter the market with more affordable, fully-electric vehicles. Just last month, Chevrolet announced their fall-electric car, the Bolt, which will have a starting price around $30,000, after the federal tax credit.

Other trends to consider as this year progresses is how you may soon be choosing which car to purchase based on the type of phone you have. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay allow users to integrate their cars and phone in comprehensive ways for in-car Google and Apple-styled experiences. The debate of PC versus Mac could ultimately result in partnerships where car manufacturers choose a side, and thereby possibly affecting consumer choices when considering a new car.