Latest News
Identifying the First-Gen Ford Mustang20 Best Commuter Cars of 2022
High mileages and gridlock can make commuting a pain. We’ve got the antidote with 20 of the best commuter cars on the market today.
The Daily Grind
The average commuting distance in the US today is 16 miles one-way or 32 miles in total, that averages out to around 50 minutes of total driving time. For most of us, commuting represents the bulk of our driving. The daily to and fro can be a grind even (and sometimes especially) for those who love driving. That is why we have compiled this list of the 20 best commuter cars of 2022. There are fun cars to bring joy back to daily driving. There are luxurious cars to improve your comfort and quality of life. And there are efficient cars to ease the burden of commuting on your bottom line. Impressively, many of the cars on this list in fact do a great job at all three of these key metrics.
Honda Accord
When it comes to an all-round daily driver, it is hard to surpass the current Honda Accord. This mid-sized sedan looks great inside and out, with a roomy, high-quality cabin excelling in both form and function. The Accord’s powertrains offer a balance of responsiveness and efficiency from a 1.5L with 38 highway mpg to a spirited turbocharged 2.0L with 252 horsepower to the hybrid option with a combined 47 mpg rating. The Accord ticks all the boxes for a stellar commuter car.
Toyota Corolla
The Toyota Corolla offers a host of options to best configure your commuter. This compact can be had as either a sedan or hatchback and offers a host of powertrains to best suit your needs. The basic 2.0L four-cylinder offers excellent gas mileage (up to 41 mph highway), while the GR Corolla gets a turbocharged 1.6L three-cylinder that makes 300 horsepower for one of the best front-wheel driving experiences money can buy, and of course, there is a hybrid option for the Corolla as well. Along with Toyota’s generous standard safety/driver assist suite, the Corolla makes a great commuter. Plus, it is cheaper than its direct rival, the Honda Civic.
Honda Civic
Speaking of the Honda Civic, no list of commuter cars would be complete without it. In sedan or hatch, hybrid form or performance Type R, the Civic offers flexibility and refinement in equal measure. Like the larger Accord, the Civic boasts an impressive interior and an eye-catching exterior design. For those who want a car capable of pulling double duty as a commuter and a weekend track car, the Civic Type R is packed with performance upgrades for the hottest of hot hatches on the market today.
BMW 2 Series
For a step up the premium ladder, there is the two-door BMW 2 Series. Fully redesigned for 2022, the 2 Series showcases what BMW does best, the perfect balance of luxury and driving engagement. Whatever the nature of your commute, the 2 Series has you covered. Struck in gridlock? The 2 Series’ comfortable seats and 16-speaker Harmon Kardon stereo can keep you calm and relaxed. Need to make haste along the expressway to make to that morning meeting, sounds like a job for the swift and nimble 2 Series.
Toyota RAV4 Prime
Commuting tends to comprise a lot of our daily/weekly/annual mileage. Meaning it is where most of our gas is spent. Therefore, seeking greater efficiency is key to smart, economical commuting. Enter the Toyota RAV4 Prime. The Prime is the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of Toyota’s hyper-popular compact crossover. With 42 miles of electric-only driving before the gas engine even kicks on, the RAV4 Prime has most commutes completely covered. Then there is everything else that is great about the RAV4. Generous space for passengers and cargo, the latest in driver assistance tech, and standard all-wheel drive.
Honda CR-V Hybrid
Like the Accord, the Honda CR-V has a good case for its segment’s strongest offering. Redesigned for 2023, the CR-V Hybrid makes aesthetic strides while maintaining its key strengths of a posh and polished interior and a generous base model that comes equipped with Honda Sensing, their suite of driver assist and safety tech features, along with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and many other features. A 2.0L four-cylinder combines with two electric motors for just over 200 horsepower and up to 43 city mpg for awesome fuel economy for your commute.
Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid
If the RAV4 Prime or CR-V Hybrid prove too large, expensive, or just plain hard to find, there is the subcompact Kia Niro PHEV to the rescue. The Niro too received a complete redesign for the 2023 model year. Not only did the Niro improve visually it gained additional standard safety features, greater interior space, and more power for its PHEV variant. That powertrain offers 180 horsepower, 108-MPGe (miles per gallon electric equivalent), and up to 33 miles of electric-only driving. Kia also offers one of the strongest warranties in the business with a 5-year/50,000-mile unlimited warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid
If you want to flaunt your corner office status on your daily commute thereto, consider the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid. The Cayenne E-Hybrid offers a luxury-level and the additional cargo capacity of a crossover, but the real reason to buy one is its drivability. Superb balance and poise are complimented by a powerful 3.0L turbo V6 and electric motor for 455 horsepower. An even more powerful 4.0L V8 in tandem with an electric motor can make up to 670 horsepower. In both cases, the hybrid system is there to add a bit of electric snap to acceleration and mitigate the inefficiencies inherent in those powerful gas engines. Whichever you choose, you are unlikely to be disappointed whipping the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid.
Toyota Prius Prime
The Flipside to the Cayenne E-Hybrid is the Toyota Prius Prime. All-new for 2023, the Prius makes major strides. A bottom-up redesign gives us the first ever Prius that actually looks good rather than goofy. The interior sheds the weird center-mounted gauge cluster and other quirks for a more livable space. The Prius Prime (PHEV) makes minor improvements to its already sterling efficiency while making a major leap in power up to 220 horsepower and 38 miles of electric-only driving, up from 25 miles in the prior year’s model. For maximum efficiency and bold new styling, the Prius Prime takes the classic hybrid into new territory.
Hyundai Elantra Hybrid
The Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is at the center of the commuter car Venn diagram of efficiency (54 combined mpg), livability (great interior and comfortable seats), and affordability (starting at $24,400). The Elantra Hybrid comes standard with a lengthy list of features that span Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to driver assist features like blind spot monitoring and lane-keep assist.
Ford Maverick Hybrid
The Ford Maverick Hybrid light pickup is one of the hottest models of the year. Who needs a hulking F-250 when the Maverick can handle all your Home Depot runs with ease? And it is not just weekend chores where the Maverick excels, with up to 42 mpg in the city, this light truck is perfect for your commute as well. Add this to a thoughtfully designed interior and a starting price of under $24,000, and it is easy to see why dealers cannot keep the Maverick in stock.
Toyota Sienna
The Toyota Sienna could be the most practical all-around commuter vehicle on this list. The Sienna’s minivan capaciousness means you’ve got the kids’ soccer practice, Christmas vacation, and moving day all covered. Standard Toyota Safety Sense maxes the Sienna out on a laundry list of the lates driver assist features. The Sienna really does seem to offer it all: rear seat entertainment, available all-wheel drive, and an optional hybrid powertrain with a segment best 36 combined mpg.
Mazda CX-5
If you are tired of ho-hum crossovers making your commute duller than European art house dramas, there is always the Mazda CX-5 to spice things up. The CX-5 may cost about the same as an equivalent Honda or Toyota, but it drives a whole lot better. We recommend the turbocharged version with its 256 horsepower. An elegant and high-quality cabin put the CX-5 on par with more expensive entry-level luxury crossovers. The CX-5 is the total package for your daily commute: fun to drive, stylish, and practical all at once.
Kia Soul
The Kia Soul is the undisputed champion of subcompact crossovers. Its boxy shape adds to both passenger and cargo room, making the Soul the default subcompact for taller drivers. A fun and funky interior makes the Soul a joy day in and out. The Soul is comfortable yet maneuverable around town. Additional amenities include items like a smart phone charging pad, a heads-up display, and ambient lighting. The Kia Soul may be small, but it has a lot to love.
Subaru Outback
Another great all-arounder is the Subaru Outback. A snowy winter commute need not make you late to work with the Outback’s standard all-wheel drive. The Outback offers a spacious interior with comfortable seats and a car-like driving position, despite its SUV functionality. The rugged Wilderness Edition raises the ride height and adds some more exterior cladding if you want to skip the commute for a week of overlanding.
Volvo XC40
The Volvo XC40 is a more sophisticated take on your basic compact crossover. A smooth powertrain and decent fuel economy are nice, but the real reason to consider the XC40 for your next commuter is the upscale interior that blends form and function in that distinctively Scandinavian way. There’s loads of cargo space and cubbies, roomy, comfortable seats, and an intuitive infotainment system. For a more serene commute, consider the Volvo XC40.
BMW iX
If you are considering going full EV for your commute, make sure to check out the new BMW iX. Like most high-end EVs, the iX is fast, very fast. Like 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds fast in the 610 horsepower M60 version. And like any good BMW, the iX also handles well and comes with an impeccable interior. Cool tech options include an electrochromic shade for the sunroof and a top-of-the-line 30-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium stereo. The BMW iX is next-level commuting.
Hyundai IONIQ 6
The Hyundai IONIQ 6 is less ostentatious than the above BMW, but not by much. The IONIQ’s bold exterior design lets you know Hyundai is making a statement with their latest electric sedan. Fleet of foot and smooth riding, the IONIQ delivers in the driving department, including up to 320 horsepower and 310 miles of range in its dual-motor configuration or 225 horsepower and 340 miles of range for the single motor version. High-quality materials and a clean aesthetic make the IONIQ’s interior a pleasant place to spend your daily commute.
Lucid Air
The Lucid Air is quite possibly the “best” EV money can buy. And though it is a lot of money, starting at $89,000, the Lucid Air is hard to beat. It is the fastest EV, with the Air Sapphire recently surpassing the Tesla Model S Plaid. It also offers the longest range of any EV at 516 miles on a single charge. And then there is the sumptuous luxury interior and glass-smooth ride quality. Commute in a Lucid Air and your officemates will know you’ve “arrived,” even if you are still in traffic.
Chevrolet Corvette C8
Is the Chevrolet Corvette the most practical of commuter cars? No. But is it the most fun? Yes, emphatically, yes. The eight-generation Corvette moved its naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 to midship for supercar balance. Raucous and playful, the C8 Corvette delivers on that supercar promise while coming in well under Lambo prices starting at an MSRP of $61,900. No, the Corvette will not pull double duty for hauling the kids or trips to the hardware store, but for the young hotshot or senior manager who wants to spice up their commute, there are vanishingly few better options.
