Hybrids are here to stay. Their sales charts are on fire, landslides of models are being rushed to market, and the technology is a breakthrough with real benefits and no symptoms of a fad. They are the future, no doubt about it. Unfortunately, most of us are stuck in the present, and for those who hope to get the most transportation for the least currency in 2004, the best solution remains the cars named after their still-unmatched excellence in this game: economy cars. When you take the term literally, the higher-fuel-economy hybrids put them to shame, but in total cost per mile, the old reliables win hands down. Cars like the Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra, and Toyota Corolla are the bread and butter, the tried and true, and the real deal. So let's look at the latest versions of three familiar friends we've known since the days of Datsun.
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