Consumer reports some time back did a life cycle cost comparison, in which they allowed for the “opportunity cost” and came to the same concluisons. Hybrids, at today’s gas prices, make sense for only a few people, mostly doing a lot of city driving in a mild climate. However, Toyota has economists on their staff who forecast $4-$5/gallon gas, and they want to be a household word in hybrisds when that time comes. In poorer countries with high gas prices, the route to economy is; smaller engines, smaller cars, almost no automatics, few gas robbing options, such as A/C, diesel engines.