The cheapest new cars on the lot are small cars that get great gas mileage.

Sounds like a two-fer to us.

For years, Kia specialized in bad credit customers as a way to buy time while increasing the quality of their cars. Now their quality is considered to be outstanding, and other Korean-made cars (such as the Chevy Aveo) are increasing in quality, too.

Suzuki is another company advancing from a credit-focused to quality-focused sales approach. It has four vehicles under $15,000 brand new -- including a well-rated sedan, the Forenza, and an SUV (the Grand Vitara).

The baseline Toyotas, including the Yaris, are hard to find nowadays thanks to their excellent gas mileage, but here's a tip. The Pontiac Vibe is a twin of the
Toyota Matrix yet costs thousands less.

Now when you see ads for $11,000 new cars, they
will be stripped-down models and you'll pay extra for things like air conditioning. That's why we're big fans of the Ford Focus. It lists a little higher, around $13,000, but has more standard features. Better yet, according to Consumer Reports, Ford makes the most reliable American cars. (To be fair: Chevy Cobalt very similar.)

The Kia Rio was rated the best subcompact on the market two years in a row by J.D. Power. The Rio has an invoice price starting at $10,400; the Hyundai Accent is essentially the same car and has an invoice price of $10,700 according to MSN Autos.

And finally, gas guzzling trucks and SUVs have seen all kinds of price drops during the 2008 model year. If you're in the market for a truck and can afford the gas, you may never see a Dakota, Silverado or Tundra this cheap ever again.