Toyota Prius Named Best Commuter Car by Forbes

Toyota Prius, on Forbes list of best commuter cars

Forbes recently compiled a list of the Best Cars for Commuters for 2013, and Toyota of Concord is proud, but not at all surprised, to announce that the Toyota Prius scored high marks.

Forbes broke their list down into five categories: short commute, long commute, carpool, winter commute and summer commute. They also narrowed the pool of cars by selecting those from the list of Recommended Cars by Consumer Reports and those that scored well in Consumer Union reliability and crash tests. Finally, they examined fuel economy, capacity, and range.

The Toyota Prius was a winner in the Long Commute category, the category in which fuel efficiency played a starring role. According to TrueCar.com editor Brandy Shaffels, commuters “traveling longer distances may be focused on saving money with a car that gets better mileage or, considering the amount of time they spend in their cars, they might prefer to sacrifice some miles per gallon for more comfort.”

The Toyota Prius rises to the challenge, offering fuel economy of 51 city/48 highway/50 combined mpg and almost 600 miles between fuel stops. Forbes said this is a great asset because it cuts the time needed for filling up out of the commuting time, and it could allow drivers to save money on the fuel they do buy by allowing them greater flexibility in shopping around for the lowest gas prices.

More commuting advice from the Aaron Gold in the About.com Guide to Cars advised drivers that “if you mostly commute solo or with one other person, avoid big vehicles like SUVs and minivans — you’re wasting a lot of fuel hauling around all that steel and empty space. Best to commute in something smaller and save the big car for family trips.”

If you are in the market for a new commuter car, Toyota of Concord is happy to help you explore the Forbes favorite Toyota Prius. Check out what we have to offer online, call our sales team at 704-979-7700 with any questions, or stop by our Toyota dealership near Charlotte for a test drive. We look forward to seeing you!