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Originally Posted by hl0m4n
but after doing more research it seems it may not be from many variables such as some people not being able to get anywhere near close the epa ratings (i know you have to be really cautious to get the epa but im talking not even close).
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Your research has led you astray. I have a lot of seat time in a Prius, and have had no problems matching or beating the current EPA ratings of 48/45. The car will regularly see over 50MPG in the city, and that's driving normally. I made a serious effort to see how bad it could get, and after flogging the car for a coulpe of days I managed 38MPG. That's better mileage than you'll get in anything else it's size.
Now, with the current gas prices, it takes a while to cover the $2-3k premium you're paying for a hybrid over a comparable sedan, but I think most people realize $2 gas isn't going to stick around forever.
Back when gas really spiked it was costing me about $100 to go 480 miles in the 135i (20MPG average), and at the same time it was costing my GF about $40 to go the same distance in the Prius. It will do that on one 10.5 gallon fill-up if you're in town a lot.
Fuel is a variable cost that we can't control. If you want to minimize the impact of that variable on your budget, hybrids do the job. The green aspect is a bonus as far as I'm concerned.