Toyota is planning some upgrades to its Prius and RAV4's for the next year, but consumers should be ready to pony up a little more money if they want to go new. According to USA Today, the newly-design Prius could cost consumers about $1,000 more compared to last year, which could have them rushing to New Jersey State Auto Auction to get a better deal on a used vehicle.

The popular, fuel-efficient car will welcome a few changes for 2012. First and foremost, it will feature a new name, the Prius Liftback, to differentiate it between the Prius v, a bigger version that will resemble a station wagon. The price hikes will be a little different depending on which car you're looking to buy. For instance, the so-called Prius Three will cost about $25,565, up about 4.3 percent from last year.The new Prius Liftback is expected to go on sale in January.

Although it is not going to see quite as steep a price hike, Toyota's RAV4 will also cost consumers a little bit more if they want to go new in 2012. The car goes on sale tomorrow and will see about a 0.4 percent increase in price.

If you're looking to get behind the wheel of a different car in the near future but don't want to spend too much money, used cars may be the better option. This is especially true toward the end of the year, as many analysts are urging consumers to take advantage of decreasing used car prices.

New Jersey State Auto Auction is an excellent choice for consumers looking for reliable used cars. The dealer offers a wide variety of makes and models at affordable prices.