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As a 1st time new car buyer, I'm looking for advice on choosing among three hybrids--2009 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2010 Insight, and 2009 Prius.  They are all around $23,000 (the 'smart price' per Edmunds or cars.com) which includes the navigation feature on the Insight and Civic Hybrid but not the Prius. I've just driven the Insight and Civic and liked them both, though the Civic feels more substantial. I like that the Civic seems to offer 'more car' than the Insight at the same price, yet the Insight, with its Econ mode seems to have the potential for much better gas mileage.  Then there's the Prius which gets better mileage than both. Am I foolish to pass up a more powerful and luxurious car for a newer one with a neat but unproven feature?  Any thoughts are welcome and appreciated.  

I am in the same boat as you. I have test driven the same 3. The Civic is a buy right now due to the incentives, but it has the oldest techology. I have read elsewheres on the net that new Honda Insight owners are getting 46 MPG, which is better than the EPA rating. The 2009 Prius is like driving a golf cart, although I just received a mailer from Toyota knocking off $500 and the security deposit off a lease. The 2010 Prius is due out in May and is supposed to beat then all. With all that, unless I can get a 2010 Prius for slightly more than an Insight, I'll be driving an Insight.  

Since I haven't driven the new Insight or Prius, I can't say which is better. But I am more interested in testing the Insight than the new Prius.  

Hybrids are not as green as some may think! Why? The cars are heavier than sensible (and very slow), the batteries get charged by either gas in the car or by a fuel oil/coal fired power plant. The same need to be completely replaced/recycled at the end of the recharge service life. Hybrids are dead end tech!  
There is no one, perfect car!