Best Commuter Cars: 10 Sanity-Saving PicksMotorTrend (MotorTrend)With fuel prices on the rise, the cost of commuting is front and center for a lot of drivers. If your daily driver is the same seven-seat SUV you use to haul your kids and the boat to the lake, another vehicle for commuting might be a good investment. A good commuter car needs to be inexpensive to buy and run and reliable enough to keep repair costs down. Small size is helpful, but it shouldn’t skimp on ride quality or creature comforts, and decent advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) can really help when the coffee hasn’t kicked in. Here are 10 models that make for the best commuter cars.1) Honda CivicPhoto credit: MotorTrendWe can’t have a commuter-car list without the Honda Civic, a working stiff’s go-to since its inception in the 1970s, and with good reason: Civics are reasonably priced, economical, and as reliable as an anvil. If you don’t need to play an office politics game of “who has the newest car?” a Civic can provide you with decades of reliable service. The Civic is comfortable, easy to drive, and roomy enough to take your colleagues to lunch. It also offers an efficient hybrid option.Read Our Experts’ Full Honda Civic Review2) Nissan LeafPhoto credit: MotorTrendPolitics about electric cars aside, the running costs of an EV—particularly when charged overnight at home when rates are low—are laughably cheap compared to gasoline. And if you can snag a cheap EV? Even better. Enter the Nissan Leaf with its effective one-pedal driving and smooth, silent powertrain. What about the occasional road trip? That takes more planning than with a gasoline car, but the base-model Leaf’s 303-mile range and Tesla-compatible NACS charging port makes things easier.AdvertisementAdvertisementRead Our Experts’ Full Nissan Leaf Review3) Toyota Prius Hybrid / PHEVPhoto credit: MotorTrendThe current Toyota Prius is a sensible, money-saving commuter car. The base model easily achieves 55 mpg or better in daily driving, and you might consider the Prius PHEV, a plug-in hybrid that can go 45 miles or so without using any gasoline at all. But wait, isn’t the Prius a soul-sucking appliance for people who hate cars? Not anymore. The latest generation of the Prius is surprisingly good to drive and looks quite good, two of the many reasons we named it MotorTrend Car of the Year for 2024.Read Our Experts’ Full Toyota Prius Review4) Acura ADXPhoto credit: MotorTrendCutting commuting expenses doesn’t mean you have to feel like you’re scrimping. The Acura ADX is a good choice for commuters who want somewhere pleasant to sit but don’t want the expense (and drama) of a German luxury car. Based on the ultra-practical Honda HR-V, the ADX is small and easy to drive, with a punchy powertrain that delivers good fuel economy if you don’t constantly mat the accelerator. Bonus: If you’re in a profession that requires a certain level of outward polish, the ADX doesn’t look like an SUV designed to save you money, even if it does.AdvertisementAdvertisementRead Our Experts’ Full Acura ADX Review5) Kia K4Photo credit: Jim FetsThe Kia K4 is one of the least expensive cars you can buy, with a starting price of $23,535. It’s also one of the best, having recently been judged by our experts as the winner of a MotorTrend comparison test on the strength of its value, decent handling, and roomy interior. The K4 also comes standard with adaptive cruise control and lane centering, technologies we find to be great stress relievers for our own traffic-choked Los Angeles commutes. The stylish hatchback variant shown here is new.Read Our Experts’ Full Kia K4 Review6) Chevrolet Equinox EVPhoto credit: MotorTrendIf your budget won’t support two cars and you really want to go electric, check out the Chevrolet Equinox EV. It’s a bargain among electric SUVs—and local deals can make it even more so—that offers up to 319 miles of EPA-rated range. Plus, it’s a proper family-size EV, with plenty of room for kids or adults and luggage. What’s the catch? The Equinox is slower to fast-charge than many of its rivals, but that won’t be a problem if you’re using a Level 2 charger at home or the office.AdvertisementAdvertisementRead Our Experts’ Full Chevrolet Equinox EV Review7) Kia Niro HybridPhoto credit: MotorTrendKia made waves by introducing the Niro as a regular hybrid, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and an electric car. The PHEV has been dropped, but the Kia Niro Hybrid is a good and oft-overlooked commuter car. Priced about $2,000 cheaper than a Toyota Prius, the Niro Hybrid delivers a 53-mpg EPA rating in an adorable little package that’s easy to park and surprisingly good fun to drive. The interior is handsome and functional with plenty of storage space, too. The EV isn’t a particularly good value, however.Read Our Experts’ Kia Niro Review8) Subaru CrosstrekPhoto credit: willia walkerNot all commutes take place on sunny days and smooth pavement, and that’s when it’s nice to have a Subaru. The company’s cars are well known for their foul-weather traction, and as an SUV, the Subaru Crosstrek has the additional ability to cope with rough off-road trails and mud. The hybrid version will boost efficiency, and Crosstreks have approximate ranges of 500 to 600 miles between fill-ups. It’s a nice car to live with, and if you love to head off the beaten path often, the Crosstrek is perfect.AdvertisementAdvertisementRead Our Experts’ Full Subaru Crosstrek Review9) Chevrolet TraxPhoto credit: MotorTrendThe Chevrolet Trax is one of the least expensive SUVs you can buy, not that you’d know it from the styling and cabin décor—or the space, for that matter. That’s one of many reasons we like the Trax as a commuter; it has adequate back seat room for carpooling or similar. You can’t get the Trax with all-wheel drive, and the turbo three-cylinder engine is poky and not as efficient as some of the bigger, naturally aspirated fours in other commuter cars here. But this Chevy is simple, comfortable, and a great choice.Read Our Experts’ Full Chevrolet Trax Review10) Hyundai KonaPhoto credit: willia walkerThe Hyundai Kona is another great commuter that can do double-duty as a family car, as its generous back seat and well-thought-out interior design provide the space and comfort of a larger vehicle. It comes with a healthy dose of driver assistance, and even more advanced ones are available. The cabin is bright and airy, and its unique exterior styling makes it stand out in a parking lot full of look-alike SUVs. Higher trims have a zippy 1.6-liter turbo engine, or you can stick with the nonturbo 2.0 for the best fuel economy.AdvertisementAdvertisementRead Our Experts’ Full Hyundai Kona Review