I have no idea if there is such a thing as responsible journalism anymore. Everyone is bought and paid for, and the rest it is editorials.

 

As usual, they compare the stripped-down el-cheapo Civic to the hybrid Civic, not the high-level (fully equipped Civic EX upon which the hybrid model is based). They also "forgot" the $2,100 tax credit you get for buying a HCH.

Civic EX = $18,700.
Civic Hy = $22,600.
Cost dif = $ 3,900.
Tax cred = $ 2,100.
Total diff = $ 1,800.

At today's rate ($2.89/gallon), you'd have to save 622 gallons of gas to equal $1,800. Since there's an 11 MPG difference between the EX and hybrid models, that's 24,880 miles you'd have to drive before you'd break even on the HCH. Given an average use of 12,00 miles per year, you'd break even around 25 months.

 

The author of the entry you are referening to, mentions both comparisons. Yours (look at the attached image in the other thread) and the stripped down version. The stripped down version makes no sense as you have stated.

 

Other relevant, but hard to determine factors are:
1) differences in discounts available (hybrids tend to sell closer to list - negative),
2) trade in values (hybrids tend to hold more of their initial value - positive),
3) actual vs. EPA milage (hybrids more likely to meet or exceed EPA due to hybrid drivers! - positive), and
4) cost of money (more tied up in hybrid from purchase to trade - negative).
There are certainly more, but these four probably come close to balancing each other!

-- Alan