Hybrid Car questions?

I'm getting really close to buying my first car, and my mom suggested getting a Hybrid. I have little knowledge about cars in general, and whenever I search on my own for information I get overwhelmed by the cluster of details and advertising on the sites.

So I was wondering how hybrids compare to standard cars in terms of pricing, both for the actual car and for insurance, gas, etc. Also, are there particular models out there that are "better" than others, whether it be miles/gallon, performance, durability, etc?

I would greatly appreciate any other relevant information as well, and some suggestions of specific cars would be great with some reasoning.

Remember that it is my first car, and even though I am lucky to have my parents help with the costs, it must be reasonable. Thanks again.