Most recent MPG for my Civic Hybrid

Over the past week, I've checked the MPG I'm getting with my Civic Hybrid: 49.0 MPG. But if you're considering buying a new car, here's a calculator to tell you about gas-savings.

From a financial perspective, it made sense to pay the premium for the hybrid:

Civic Hybrid = 49 mpg
Civic = 34 mpg (based on conversations with friends)
15,000 miles / year
$4.00 gas

= $500 annual savings

vs. a $3,000 premium (actually $6k - $2k fed tax credit - $1k sales tax exemption)

gives me a payback of five or six years. And I intend to keep it longer than that.

As for the environmental impact... I'm not sure. I bought it before I heard anything about the environmental drawbacks.

Tim White