"That is a difference of only
"That is a difference of only $800."
Unfortunately in Japan the price difference is over $3,000. Given the current petrol price here (2x the USA), the published fuel economy differences, and at an annual driving distance of 10,000km (greater than the average in Japan), it would be more than 20 years to break even on the hybrid. You are lucky in the USA to get such a small price difference between the ordinary petrol version and the hybrid.