2008 Toyota Prius in Oak Forest

Fuel economy ratings may sell cars these days, but it's really just one piece of a much larger puzzle that determines the cost to own and drive a car. According to IntelliChoice, the true cost includes depreciation, financing, insurance, state fees, maintenance and repairs, and of course, fuel. We've used these numbers to calculate a total cost of ownership over a five-year period with 14,000 miles of driving each year in order to determine which of our test cars offers the best value. Is it worth sacrificing top-of-the-ladder fuel economy ratings for a bargain price? Or is hybrid technology the end-all for the fuel and money frugal? Here's what it takes to own these five subcompacts and one miserly hybrid.