There's always so much to consider when you're out car shopping. Of course, you want to get a car that's dependable, good-looking and fun to drive. Not to mention something that's affordable, gets good gas mileage and has some extra bells and whistles thrown in. Plus, now you have to make decisions about whether you want to buy an electric car or a hybrid, or just stick to the traditional gasoline-powered car. With so many decisions, it can be a very overwhelming decision. Thedailygreen.com has come up with a list of 5 factors to consider before purchasing your next car.   

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1. SUVs are on their way out. With the introduction of crossover SUVs, the old-school SUV is on its way out. Crossover SUVs are much more fuel-pump friendly, and they come in cutting edge fashions. The value of larger SUVs has plummete over the last few years, and anything that gets less than 20 mpg is probably not worth the investment.

2. Consider a minivan (this is strictly advice from thedailygreen.com, I personally am not a fan of the minivan). It's time to drop the "soccer-mom" complex and see minivans for what they really are—a more fuel-efficient option than an SUV.

3. All hybrids are not considered equal. It's true, some hybrids only get a smidge better fuel-efficiency than the non-hybrid model, yet charge you double the price to own. The Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid costs $50,000, but only gets a little bit better gas mileage than the standard truck. And, it still gets worse gas mileage than a non-hybrid Toyota Sienna (which is also half the price). Hybrids that actually get noticeably better gas mileage are smaller cars, like the Prius, Honda Insight and Civic, Ford Fusion, etc.

4. Electrics are coming. By the end of the year, we should be able to buy the Nissan Leaf (all-electric), the Chevrolet Volt (a "range extender" whose gas engine is there to make electricity), the Coda (a battery sedan), and possible the Fisker Karma (an exotic plug-in hybrid that has not been driven yet). If you want to be a pioneer and drive one of these cars when they first come out, you might consider waiting a bit to make a car purchase.

5. Consider car-sharing. Owning a car is more expensive than people realize. Car-sharing might be a great option for families who own two cars, but could probably get by with one and a half. Car sharing services are membership organizations that charge small fees when you use their (usually small) cars. Zipcar and Hertz Connect mgith be worth checking out before rushing out to buy another vehicle.