2017 Subaru Legacy
While Subaru might not immediately come to mind for best commuter cars, each model is a good choice for drivers that want a safe ride. Every Subaru Legacy comes standard with Subaru’s Symmetrical All Wheel Drive system for the ultimate in control in all commuting conditions. You might love the Legacy’s looks, or you might find it drab, but that’s not what really matters to most commuters.
It’s the fuel mileage – particularly the highway mileage – and comfort that will draw buyers into the Subaru Legacy. On the highway, it’s capable of up to 34 mpg in EPA-rated duel efficiency. In the city, that drops to just 25 mpg. On the inside, the Legacy is well-equipped with typical power options, auto headlights, paddle shifters and STARLINK Multimedia audio systems. The seats are comfy for the long haul too. Pricing for the 2017 Subaru Legacy kicks off at $22,000.
2017 Volkswagen Passat
Insert diesel joke here… the 2017 VW Passat is a gas-powered car, so we can move past it. The 170-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder offers enough pep to make the Passat fun to drive and maintains decent highway fuel mileage at 34 mpg. It’s more business class than family vehicle, but that could suit many commuter car buyers. You’ll get a Fender sound system, Blind Spot Monitor, rearview camera, Lane Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control if you opt for the upper echelon of trim levels.
If you feel like jazzing things up a bit more, you can go for a more powerful engine option – the 3.6-liter V6 with 280 horsepower. It creeps up close to $30,000 instead of the entry-level $22,440. It also suffers on fuel efficiency, achieving just 28 mpg highway and 20 mpg city. Maybe not the best choice for best commuter cars.
2017 Kia Optima
Its sibling is the Hyundai Sonata, and it could also be counted on this list of the best commuter cars of 2017. It’s one of the best cars for tall drivers with plenty of base-level features and high-end optional equipment that includes navigation, power moonroof, a heated steering wheel, optional rear sunshades, and a bold Harmon Kardon QuantumLogic Surround Sound audio system with 630 watts of power.
All those comforts make the ride more enjoyable. But even without them, it would be a fairly decent experience. The 2017 Kia Optima has a standard-equipment 185-horsepower engine and an optional 245-horsepower V6 for the thrillseekers. But for commuters, an available 1.6-liter turbocharged engine is a sound choice for one of the best commuter cars. Its fuel efficiency tops out at 28 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway. And that Kia, the Optima LX 1.6T, starts at $24,140.
