Why buy a prius?

[cptacek]

I went through these calculations once with a friend of mine. She wanted a Prius, her husband wanted a different, cheaper fuel efficient car. We went through all the figuring...and when it was all said and done and she realized her husband was right and they wouldn't save as much in gas as she thought, she paused for about 2 seconds and said "But I would be making a statement." In my mind, that says it all.