I was at several used car lots yesterday looking around. One dealer had 3 hybrids , practically new, only a few miles on them ,in his used car lot and didnt seem to be able to give them away.
Here's a recent post on FR comparing the cost to build, drive and dispose of vehicles and the claim is the Prius costs more than a Chevy Tahoe if the entire life cycle of the vehicle is analyzed.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1612769/posts
I would never buy one. A fellow I know has one as his company car. On a very cold day last winter, the battery died. Could not be jumped or resuscitated in any way. The car had to be put on a flat-bed and taken to a dealership for service. It happened not once, but several times. Not for me.