Some hybrid cars can save enough money in the first year of ownership to make up the premium drivers will pay to purchase them.

According to Consumer Reports, six of the 12 hybrids the magazine looked at -- the Toyota Prius and hybrid versions of the Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Tahoe, Ford Escape, Saturn Vue, and Toyota Camry -- can save consumers between $500 and $4,250 even without tax credits, and pay back their price premium after only one year.

For several of these hybrids, owners can save even more by taking advantage of federal tax credits.

Consumer Reports compared the five-year owner costs of 12 hybrids with those of similar conventional vehicles.

The Toyota Camry hybrid, which gets 34 mpg overall, saves the most money, about $4,250 over five years compared with a similarly equipped four-cylinder Toyota Camry XLE, which gets 24 mpg.

The Saturn Vue Greenline Hybrid can save about $3,000, while the Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Tahoe save $2,000 and $1,500 respectively, when compared to their non-hybrid counterparts. With tax credits, the Vue and Tahoe come out ahead by about $4,500 and $3,700. Federal tax incentives were no longer available for Toyota and Lexus hybrids.

The report, "Which hybrids save you money," was published in the October issue of Consumer Reports.

It would take many years for most hybrids to pay back their premium price just on fuel savings alone. But fuel costs are a relatively small part -- 25 percent -- of the overall owner costs in the first five years. Other factors include depreciation, insurance, interest on financing, maintenance and repairs, and sales tax.

Cost estimates were based on driving 12,000 miles per year and paying $4 per gallon for regular gasoline and $4.20 for premium.

"Most of the hybrids tested by CR have done really well, but hybrids have higher initial upfront costs," said Rik Paul, automotive editor, Consumer Reports. "If you can afford that initial cost, you can be better off buying one, and driving one might make you feel greener."

The Honda Civic, Nissan Altima, and Saturn Aura hybrids will cost drivers a little more than their conventional counterparts -- from $250 to $750 over five years -- but some consumers might find it worthwhile to drive a more environmentally friendly car. With federal tax incentives, all three come out ahead after just one year.

Three hybrids -- the Lexus GS 450h and RX 400h and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid -- cost more than their counterparts in the first five years. They show five year losses ranging from about $1,250 for the Highlander to $5,500 for the GS.