re: #717 Hengineer

The 2009 Toyota Corolla XLE gets 30mpg mixed driving and costs $17,650. Annual fuel costs 840.00 ($2.10 per gallon)

The 2009 Toyota Prius base gets 46mpg and costs $23,375. Annual fuel costs for 12,000 miles: 547.83 ($2.10 per gallon)

Trading in a midsize sedan for a hybrid isn’t going to be worth it. It’s only worth it when you trade in a gas guzzler for a hybrid. The cost savings just isn’t worth it.

You save only $292.17 per year by going with the Prius over the Corolla. Given the cost differential, it would take… 19 years to get back the price differential of $5,725.

That amount gets shorter the higher the gas prices go.

The issue is that it doesn’t make sense for most people to go to a hybrid like the Prius when people want larger cars. Switching from a standard SUV to a Hybrid SUV does make sense, since the gas savings will be considerable.