Edmunds.com's latest hybrid study shows that despite higher sales prices, purchasing some – though not all – of today's hybrids can make good financial sense. The company compared the sales prices and annual gas expenses of hybrid vehicles and their non-hybrid counterparts.

The study revealed high gas prices and tax credits now offset the high sales prices of some hybrids. But owners must keep their hybrids for a few years in order to claim the savings.

The study indicates that the higher purchase price is completely recovered for the Ford Escape Hybrid and Toyota Prius within three years of ownership, while buyers of the Honda Civic Hybrid, Saturn VUE Green Line and Toyota Camry Hybrid reach break-even within six years of ownership, in each case assuming the vehicle is driven 15,000 miles per year.

Below is information on the best- and worst-performing hybrid vehicles in the study.

Full tax credits are only provided to consumers until each manufacturer has sold 60,000 hybrids. After that threshold is reached, the tax credit is cut in half. For Toyota and Lexus buyers, that threshold has been reached -- so anyone buying a Toyota or Lexus hybrid after September 30, 2006 will only qualify for half the tax credit. The credit for these models will drop to 25% in April 2007 and then to zero in October 2007.

This hybrid study assumed the vehicles were sold at the Edmunds.com True Market Value® price and achieved the Environmental Protection Agency's recorded mileage for combined city and highway driving. The 2006 federal tax credit was applied when appropriate; figures were calculated based on the assumption that one gallon of gasoline costs $3.00 (which was the nation's average price for regular unleaded fuel on Aug. 14, 2006).

Edmunds.com's latest hybrid study shows that despite higher sales prices, purchasing some – though not all – of today's hybrids can make good financial sense. The company compared the sales prices and annual gas expenses of hybrid vehicles and their non-hybrid counterparts.

The study revealed high gas prices and tax credits now offset the high sales prices of some hybrids. But owners must keep their hybrids for a few years in order to claim the savings.

The study indicates that the higher purchase price is completely recovered for the Ford Escape Hybrid and Toyota Prius within three years of ownership, while buyers of the Honda Civic Hybrid, Saturn VUE Green Line and Toyota Camry Hybrid reach break-even within six years of ownership, in each case assuming the vehicle is driven 15,000 miles per year.

Below is information on the best- and worst-performing hybrid vehicles in the study.

Full tax credits are only provided to consumers until each manufacturer has sold 60,000 hybrids. After that threshold is reached, the tax credit is cut in half. For Toyota and Lexus buyers, that threshold has been reached -- so anyone buying a Toyota or Lexus hybrid after September 30, 2006 will only qualify for half the tax credit. The credit for these models will drop to 25% in April 2007 and then to zero in October 2007.

This hybrid study assumed the vehicles were sold at the Edmunds.com True Market Value® price and achieved the Environmental Protection Agency's recorded mileage for combined city and highway driving. The 2006 federal tax credit was applied when appropriate; figures were calculated based on the assumption that one gallon of gasoline costs $3.00 (which was the nation's average price for regular unleaded fuel on Aug. 14, 2006).