Best commuter car?

[Mykl]

Originally Posted By: surfstar
Originally Posted By: M1Accord
I wonder if it is more cost effective to have a set of snow tires for each vehicles to use in the winter instead of actually having an actual 4WD or good AWD like a Subaru.


YES!
Read some of the winter tire threads - a car with a proper set of tires will run circles around a 4WD/AWD w/ all seasons.


Yeah, but you can also mount winter tires to the AWD vehicle as well.

 

[KitaCam]

Originally Posted By: Mykl
Originally Posted By: surfstar
Originally Posted By: M1Accord
I wonder if it is more cost effective to have a set of snow tires for each vehicles to use in the winter instead of actually having an actual 4WD or good AWD like a Subaru.


YES!
Read some of the winter tire threads - a car with a proper set of tires will run circles around a 4WD/AWD w/ all seasons.


Yeah, but you can also mount winter tires to the AWD vehicle as well.


Key words "cost effective", not "traction effective"

 

[Mykl]

Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Originally Posted By: Mykl
Originally Posted By: surfstar
YES!
Read some of the winter tire threads - a car with a proper set of tires will run circles around a 4WD/AWD w/ all seasons.


Yeah, but you can also mount winter tires to the AWD vehicle as well.


Key words "cost effective", not "traction effective"


Wait, are we talking about having a complete second vehicle just for use during winter or just straight up owning an AWD vehicle in the first place? Because clearly the former is not cost effective.

A lot of AWD models (Subarus in particular) are fairly competitive with their 2wd competitors in terms of price, thus nullifying the "not cost effective" option.

 

[gofast182]

I think when the words "commuter car" come up you can't not look to a Honda Civic. It won't break the bank, is very efficient, is very reliable, very safe, adds enough comfort over sub-compacts to make it livable for prolonged drives, and the drive is a notch or two above boring. Invest in a set of dedicated winter tires and you'd be running around with AWD SUVs, no problem.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: gofast182
I think when the words "commuter car" come up you can't not look to a Honda Civic. It won't break the bank, is very efficient, is very reliable, very safe, adds enough comfort over sub-compacts to make it livable for prolonged drives, and the drive is a notch or two above boring. Invest in a set of dedicated winter tires and you'd be running around with AWD SUVs, no problem.



They are pretty popular in my work parking lot, and our decently paid accountant/finance guys drive them as well. They don't do huge mileage but you can assume they've crunched the numbers on which cars to look at.

 

[M1Accord]

When the commute to a good job is far, fuel economy is the most important parameter until bad weather hits.

 

[Cujet]

I drive quite a bit also. Mostly rental cars. I don't care for tiny, uncomfortable, less well insulated cars such as the Yaris. The only small car I'd consider is the Prius, for the MPG's and I find them comfortable enough and some of them have excellent audio systems.

I drive a Jaguar for comfort and capability.

Suggestions:

Ford Fusion Hybrid, reasonably priced mid sized car that drives well.
Ford Escape AWD w/2.0 Ecoboost. (don't discount this one, they are really fun, have a great entertainment system and very comfortable/capable in nicer trim levels) (believe it or not, it's my favorite new vehicle)
Toyota Camry V6 or Hybrid (in nicer trim levels)
I do like the new Accords.
And, of course, a higher end Prius.

 

[Fleetmon]

While I agree fuel mileage is important in a long commute, comfort is a top concern in my world....I try to balance both. However, our comfort is considered first since we spend 3 to 3-1/2 hours per day in our ride.

Our 35d gets 27+ MPG all day long, every day....mostly at speeds of 75. If it wasn't for the hills on I-83 I think we would probably be getting close to 29. I don't know if it contributes, but I change the oil and rotate the tires every 5500 miles and change the fuel filter every 11k.

We did use a econobox for a while that gave us 37 MPG but it wasn't worth the beat-up feeling when we got home every night.

 

[sciphi]

I still like my Cruze Eco with the manual. It gets excellent fuel economy, handles well for what it is, and the clutch/transmission make rowing the gears fun. It's quiet, has a decent radio, and the seats are comfy for long drives.

The only major issue was the water pump going out. It was replaced under powertrain warranty at no cost to me.