The prevailing wisdom until recently was that for the most part the extra cost of purchasing a hybrid was not brought back in gas savings in the lifetime of the vehicle. But according to Wheels, that was then and this is now.

The price of some hybrids has come down; more hybrids are now available, in some cases at lower prices; additional purchase incentives are available in many areas; and perhaps most significantly, the price of gasoline has increased more than 50 per cent. As a result, according to a recent study by the British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA), several hybrids not only make sense, they make dollars and cents.

Those models included the Honda Civic Hybrid, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Saturn Vue Hybrid, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Lexus RX 400h, Ford Escape Hybrid and Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid.