The Best Used Cars Under $10,000

When searching for used vehicles, it's difficult to put your finger on what's important. While you might have your heart set on a particular year and model, sometimes it's hard to decide if a higher resale value is a better buy or if low resale prices means you can get in a luxury vehicle for less. At under $10,000, there are a lot of options. Here are some of our favorites.

As you've heard on every newscast and read in every newspaper, the automotive manufacturers no longer sell as many trucks as they did years ago. As such, resale values for pickup trucks present some incredible deals.

One our favorites is the best-selling vehicle in the U.S., the Ford F-150. You can easily find 2006 models with V-8 engines with under 50,000 miles for sale under $10,000.

In the early part of this decade, manufacturers were selling SUVs as fast as the factories could produce them. Although the 2000-2006 Chevrolet Tahoe is truck-based like the others of this class, it's really quite a luxurious utility.

If you need an SUV with towing capacity and lots of room, these early decade Tahoes tend to sell for under $10,000 with four-wheel-drive and V-8 engines.

If you're looking for a good deal on a used coupe, there are many choices. One of our favorites is the 2005-2009 Ford Mustang.

You can find the previous generation Ford Mustang coupe with a V-6 engine and under 50,000 miles for under $10,000.

If you're comfortable taking advantage of the wisdom of crowds, the best-selling sedan in America is also its best-selling car.

The Toyota Camry represents the archetype of family sedans in America and can be found for under $10,000. Look for the sixth-generation model (sold between 2002-2006) with four-cylinder engines.

2004 was the first year of the second generation Toyota Prius and some might argue it was the vehicle that brought hybrids into the mainstream.

Prius owners tend to hold on to their vehicles for a long time, so finding a $10,000 example will be a bit of a challenge, but it's not impossible. Expect to find a high-mileage car.

One of the most iconic new sedans introduced in the last decade, the 2003-2007 Cadillac CTS represented a new era for the company. Shoppers were surprised by the new-look design but eventually warmed to the hard edges, finding the vehicle's rear-wheel-drive setup was made for spirited driving.

As hard as it is to believe, early CTS models, mostly from 2003 and 2004, can now be found under $10,000.

The second-generation Honda CR-V might be one of the most recognizable "CUVs" on the road today. Honda's car-based utility vehicle consistently outsells everything else in its class.

Consumers like the 'tweener size of the CR-V. It's big enough for weekend trips but small enough that it doesn't swallow gasoline like a bigger truck. 2002 and 2003 models can be found under $10,000.

Volvo's "XC" (which was shorthand for "cross country") line of the V70 wagon is one of our favorites as it seems to straddle the line between SUV and wagon -- its ground clearance was a respectable eight inches.

The previous-generation XC70 can now be had for under $10,000. The vehicles have turbo-charged 5-cylinder engines, that clean Swedish design and reliable Volvo safety standards.

While some people look down at the Miata's diminutive size, that happens to encapsulate why others think it's so charming. Light and fun to drive, the Miata is the kind of car that seems to wrap around the driver like a glove.

While the interior will never wow you with its button layout or feature set, we like the simplicity. Look for a manual-transmission MX-5 from the early part of the decade.

A popular choice for the family, Chrysler's Town and Country is their upmarket version the ubiquitous minivan. Chrysler invented the market for the minivan and have honed their approach over the years.

It's easy to find one of these vehicles under $10,000, even with features like leather and independent audio systems for the kids.