how long to recoup...
My friends...
If purchase price, maintenance and fuel costs are the only issues for you, then a $10k used Toyota or Honda (or other?) small sedans will probably be the cheapest to operate.
If pollutant emissions also matter to you, then several hybrid vehicles (Toyota's among them) should be considered. Until very recently, hybrid vehicles had few competitors in this area, and the above options are perhaps 2-4x worse.
If the latest technology, interior volume, or the latest performance improvements matter to you, then a used 2001-2003 Prius will not compete with a new 2005 Prius. But these improvements will cost at least $10k in differential, because you will be buying a new car.
If you require "more car" than the current high-mpg hybrids offer, the above choices will not pertain to you.
Everyone should make their own choices. But in making them, no one ought to ignore the possibility of higher fuel costs in the near future, and how those might affect "payback". Might I add that hybrids in general have depreciated quite slowly.
DAS