The Best Cars for Long-Distance Commuters

When you have to drive for more than thirty minutes each way during your commute, you need to have one of the best cars for long-distance commuters.

Some people work from home, making their commute only a few steps, but others work several miles from home. If you fall into the second group and your commute has you behind the wheel for more than half an hour each way, you’ll want to drive a vehicle that makes this trip worth it. This means a vehicle with good fuel mileage and a comfortable cabin.

Here are just a few of the best cars for long-distance commuters.

Toyota Sienna

The Toyota Sienna can serve many purposes and fill your driving needs. If you’ve got a large carpool group or a few coworkers who need to drop kids off at school together before heading to work, this minivan can be the ideal choice. The Sienna is an excellent family vehicle that returns a combined 36 mpg, making it efficient and versatile. This minivan is also a Top Safety Pick+ vehicle from the IIHS, which means it’s safe and packed with advanced driver alert features.

Ford Explorer

When you still want to have three rows of seats, but you’re not willing to drive a minivan, the Ford Explorer can be the right vehicle for you to enjoy your time on the road. The base model has tri-zone automatic climate controls, a power liftgate, an 8-inch touchscreen, and the Ford Co-Pilot 360 bundle of driver aids. The Explorer returns 24 mpg combined making it a good choice for long-distance commuters. This SUV is also great for towing up to 5,300 pounds, which is extremely useful.

Subaru Outback

The Outback might not be your first choice when it comes to your daily commute, but it can be a useful SUV, especially if you have a carpool of four people or less. The Outback has standard AWD, the Subaru EyeSight system, a single-zone automatic climate control system, and a 7-inch touchscreen. This SUV returns 28 mpg combined, making it an affordable SUV to drive and enjoy. If you want a bigger screen or dual-zone automatic climate controls, the Premium trim has what you’re looking for.

Kia Sportage Hybrid

It should come as no surprise that a hybrid vehicle could be among the best choices for long-distance commuters. This SUV returns 43 mpg combined and has a small footprint to be easy to drive in any traffic. You’ll be glad to have the package of advanced safety and convenience features, the hands-free tailgate, and the comfortable seats that make the Sportage Hybrid an easy choice. This SUV also comes with AWD, which means you’ve got more control in foul weather than if you choose an FWD or RWD vehicle.

Toyota Prius

If we’re going to have hybrid vehicles on this list, the Toyota Prius should be here as well. This is a good vehicle for commuting on your own or with one other person. The Prius returns 57 mpg combined and has a fantastic list of features, including an 8-inch touchscreen, six USB ports, and the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 package. This hybrid car is the right choice when you’ve got to drive a long distance every day, and the latest model is more comfortable and powerful than ever before.

Hyundai Kona

The small and attractive Hyundai Kona is one of the best vehicles for long-distance commuters because it is an SUV that returns up to 31 mpg combined. This SUV has some impressive features including, a proximity key, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a full package of safety features. One step up to the SEL trim, you’ll have a power driver’s seat and heated outboard mirrors, which can make a big difference during your long daily commute.

Chevrolet Volt

If you’re looking for a used vehicle that’s good for your commute, the Chevrolet Volt should be on your list, especially if you travel alone. Depending on the generation and model year, the Volt provides up to 53 miles of all-electric driving and 42 mpg combined when the electric batteries have been depleted. You should be able to find a Volt at a great price and enjoy the benefits of this PHEV which delivers good fuel mileage and enjoyable advanced safety features that can keep you safe and secure on the road.

Which of these vehicles sounds like the right choice for you? These models are some of the best choices for long-distance commuters, and they have great features and impressive fuel economy figures for your driving pleasure.