Article: Is a hybrid worth it?
 

This is a total breakdown of cost of cars, fuel economy, etc...

It is very in depth. You guys might get a kick out of it.

https://www.omninerd.com/2005/11/11/articles/41

(I will cut to the end for you)

Conclusion

While no "green" person would ever advocate buying a hybrid for purely economic reasons, it is painfully obvious that existing hybrids lack the ability to make up for their steep prices with gas savings. While a hybrid would present significant savings over something like a new Ford Super Duty, you would always save more with any of a number of economy cars.

Hybrid technology is just entering the mainstream, however. As gas prices rise and hybrid technology improves and cheapens, don't be surprised to find hybrid owners in the green.

according to that, it seems like the best way to go would be with the VW tdi.

My friend whom recently purchased a used Prius did it for the tax credits plus the trunk works better for the stuff she carries for her work than the Acura CL3 she had plus 4 doors plus 2.5-3x the gas mileage!

Actually I believe the table showed that the TDi was the least economical option of all the cars listed. The Chevy Aveo was the most economical. The chart was a bit confusing as the column heading was "Monthly Savings" but the numbers are in parentheses so I think there's a double negative in there.

So I think its safe to say that the Civic is no longer the cheapest car to own, drive and maintain, penny per mile?

Clean Diesel
 

Precisely! But, if you want a new TDI, you have to wait until 2008-2009 as the EPA has mandated new emissions requirements for Diesels which will make them the some of the cleanest, lowest emission, higher FE vehicles on the road.

RH77

Edit: I have personal research on the "Best Value" gasser (to be posted in the car review section). 2006 Kia Spectra EX.

I'll take my $12k 40mpg Yaris over anything in the list, in plugging in the Yaris actuals for 2007 it is over the Aveo.

Aveo = crap.

Yup
 

I did a "Second Look" test on the Aveo this past week and got the same 26.x MPG in normal, mixed driving which included the GM-touted 30-some MPH highway use. Same thing with the Cobalt, Ion, and the other cars one-class-up.

Just because it's cheap doesn't mean it's efficient. The '06 Camry 4-cyl auto. would chew it up, spit it out, and have +4 MPG left for the next one (and it's bigger!) I was really hoping for more, and felt good driving a small car, but it was unfounded. Look for the results soon in the reviews section :thumbdown:

RH77

Yeah the iron block of the american made cars just don't cut it when it comes to mileage. I have a GM Master card with a few thousand towards my next car - talk about a waste of years of purchaces at 5% back towards a GM car - had I know Maybe a Saturn.

Todays driving around in the woods 49.3mpg for about 50 miles of driving.