Will Hybrids Ever Save You Money? Yes! (Maybe)

We've previously pondered why people buy hybrid cars; our general perception is that altruism rules over economy, that it's not necessarily for the cash saved at the pump. An article over at MSN puts seven hybrid models through the ringer to see how the total cost compares between the hybrids and their conventional counterparts; sure, all hybrids have higher sticker prices, but will they ever save you the difference? Their study found that, over five years time, the only hybrid that will actually save you money is the Toyota Prius. All other hybrid models will cost between $300 and $3,700 more than their non-hybrid counterparts over five years. There are lots of "real-world" variables that could work out differently for different drivers (miles driven, city vs. highway mileage, fluctuations in gas prices, etc.) but it's interesting to see it worked out from a purely dollars and cents point of view, and that it might actually be a selling point for the Prius (not that it needs any more). Use the gas savings calculator to see if it'd be worth it for you, and read the whole article. ::MSN Money via ::AutoblogGreen