Drivers have many opportunities to invest in a used car, and to do so they don't have to break the bank. In fact, many of the top options come with price tags of less than $10,000. Cars.com recently compiled a list of the highest-quality vehicles for motorists who want to find solid choices for their used automobiles without busting a budget. To do this, Cars.com looked only at vehicles that passed crash tests and came with comprehensive safety features, and then sorted them based on drivability, reliability and practicality. 

"There are a lot of great used cars on the market, and with a significant price difference between new and used cars, we know that many shoppers choose to go the used route," said Joe Wiesenfelder, the executive editor of Cars.com. "We sifted through a lot of data, crunched a lot of numbers, and from a pool of more than 60 candidates, we chose the 10 best used cars that shoppers can find for around $10,000." 

The selection Cars.com decided on were all vehicles made from 2007 to 2009. Most were compact cars and sedans, including three creations from Ford: the 2009 Ford Focus, the 2008 Ford Fusion and the 2008 Ford Taurus. Those certainly are not the only options, as popular models such as the 2007 Honda Civic and 2007 Nissan Altima also made the cut. 

Motorists who want to get a bit more unique with their investment can choose alternative-fuel vehicles like the 2007 Toyota Prius. Then, Cars.com expanded its list to include everything from sporty options like the 2008 Kia Sportage, 2008 Scion xB and 2009 Hyundai Sonata to high-class models such as the 2008 Mazda6. 

If you're looking for a used car at the right price, check out the selection at New Jersey State Auto Auction. The lot is home to hundreds of Carfax-certified cars, trucks and vans, and one of these vehicles may be right for your next purchase.