Money-Saving Hybrids

While hybrid-powered cars can indeed post impressive fuel economy ratings, they also carry premium price tags that make it difficult to recover the added cost in gas savings alone. According to the vehicle cost-data experts at Vincentric in Bingham Farms, Mich., the average hybrid costs $1,123 more than a comparable conventional model over five years of ownership (at 15,000 miles driven annually), based on depreciation, financing, insurance, maintenance, repairs andfuel consumption. Vincentric determined that 11 out of 25 hybrid-powered model-year 2012 vehicles actually have a lower total long-term cost-of-ownership than their conventionally powered counterparts. Here’s the list of cost-effective hybrids. • Lincoln MKZ Hybrid (-$7,001) • Mercedes-Benz S Class Hybrid (-$4,242) • Lexus HS 250h (-$3,747) • Toyota Prius V (-$1,804) • Toyota Prius C (-$1,469) • Ford Fusion Hybrid (-$1,202) • Kia Optima Hybrid (-$779) • Porsche Cayenne Hybrid (-$672) • Honda Insight (-$656) • Hyundai Sonata Hybrid (-$319) • Lexus RX 450h (-$17)