Saturn of Asheville

Hybrid savings: Winners and losers

Consumer Reports crunches the numbers on hybrid vehicles that pay back the fastest and some that don't make dollar sense.

Winner: Saturn Vue Green Line

Cost: $26,920

Fuel economy (CR test): 28 mpg

Total 5-year savings: $4,550

In its October issue, Consumer Reports magazine looks at the overall financial benefit of 12 different hybrid vehicles. The analysis takes into account initial outlays compared with similar non-hybrid vehicles, as well as fuel, insurance, maintenance and deprecation costs.

The Saturn Vue Green Line comes out on top when looking at five-year total cost savings, according to Consumer Reports.

The cost of the Vue's mild-hybrid system is small compared to its competitors' full-hybrid systems. The added cost of a Vue Green Line over a non-hybrid Vue is about $2,300. Compare that to an added $5,600 for a Ford Escape Hybrid over a regular Escape.

And the Vue's mild hybrid system, which isn't strong enough to move the vehicle on pure electric power, gives the vehicle a bigger fuel economy boost than you might expect. The front-wheel-drive Green Line gets six more miles out of each gallon.

Winner: Saturn Aura Green Line

Cost: $26,020

Fuel economy (CR test): 27 mpg

Total 5-year savings: $1,050

The Saturn Aura Green Line is built on the same fundamental engineering platform as the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid.

But the cost-differential between hybrid and non-hybrid versions is higher for the Saturn, which reduces cost savings, according to Consumer Reports.

By Peter Valdes-Dapena, senior writer, CNNMoney.com