Top 10 Cheapest Cars To Drive

One of the marks of a successful company's product portfolio is that, no matter what the market brings forth, that company has a product to fill new needs.

I just came across this interactive tool on Bankrate.com that compares the total cost of ownership (including purchase price, taxes and fees, depreciation, annual fuel cost, financing, maintenance and repairs) for the top 10 models.

Interestingly, not a single hybrid made the list, probably due to the premium pricing in today's market pushing them out of the "cheapest cars" category. (Ever try to find a used Prius? Don't bother.)

However, as you might expect, the field was dominated by Japanese entrants, but two cars from the Big Three cracked the top 10 -- the Chevy Aveo came in second and the Pontiac Vibe in seventh.

However, if you cross-index cheapness of operation with some design flair, in my opinion (out of these 10, at least) the Pontiac Vibe was the winner going away -- here's a picture for your viewing pleasure.

http://www.bankrate.com/images_MRA/Guides/2008Auto/cheapdrive/pontiacvibe.jpg