Planet-Friendly Cars Can Cost You Some Green

Thinking green?

Some car owners might be considering fuel-efficient vehicles after the recent jump in gasoline prices. Though today's technologically advanced, fuel-efficient vehicles offer the same performance as their gas-guzzling counterparts, new car buyers may find that the money saved at the pump doesn't add up.

The average price of regular unleaded gasoline hit $1.37 per gallon this week, a 23-cent jump from where it was on March 4, according to the Energy Information Administration. Because of the jump, Paul Taylor, chief economist for the National Automobile Dealers Association, says consumers will consider fuel-efficient options as they did when prices jumped 30% in 1997. ...