Road Warriors: The Best Toyotas for Your Commute

As the return-to-office movement goes into full swing and companies welcome back their employees on-site, the dreaded commute has returned, but with some differences—and, in some cities, rush hour seems to never end. Indeed, anyone who has driven in a major metro recently will agree (albeit through gritted teeth) that it can take half an hour to drive ten miles on the interstate in the late morning or the middle of the afternoon.

With our hectic modern living, drivers looking for a Toyota dealer near Ardsley come to us for their ideal commuter vehicle—a true companion for the rush hour rumble—knowing that Toyota boasts a lineup of models that are ideal for the hustle and bustle. If you’re looking for a fuel efficiency champ, a luxurious cabin to make the outside chaos seem far away, a full suite of driver assistance features, or all-wheel drive for messy roads, we’re sure we can pair you with the perfect choice.

Hybrid Commuter Cars

For many commuters, fuel efficiency is a high priority—or even the top priority. Some of the most stingy fuel-sippers on the market are hybrids, and Toyota has one of the largest selections of hybrid vehicles of any manufacturer. Let’s take a look at a few…

Corolla Hybrid: The beloved Corolla has been a mainstay of the Toyota fleet for generations, selling millions in the US over the years. Its hybrid version combines one of the lowest base prices for any hybrid vehicle—just north of $23k—with an impressive combined city/highway fuel economy of 50 MPG. With 138 hp, it has more than enough oomph for merging onto busy freeways, and available Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive (eAWD) makes commuting safer when the roads get tricky. With optional features like 18-inch alloy wheels and a fully connected Toyota Audio Multimedia system, it offers style and luxury that once would have been impossible to find on a compact commuter car.

Corolla Cross Hybrid: The Corolla Cross Hybrid shares the “Corolla” name with its famous sedan sibling, but it’s a crossover SUV that combines the best features of a small car and a larger SUV. Starting just shy of $28k, the Corolla Cross Hybrid is very well-priced for a hybrid SUV while still offering a combined city/highway fuel economy rating of 42 MPG from its 196-hp hybrid powertrain. AWD is standard, while special trim packages like the Nightshade edition (with its glossy black alloy wheels) can help it stand out in the crowd.

Camry Hybrid: The hybrid version of the venerable Camry sedan starts just south of $29k and delivers a combined 52 MPG for your commuting budget. Even the base LE trim offers near-luxury levels of standard equipment, such as dual-zone climate control. There is also a Nightshade edition of the Camry, although in this case, it has stunning bronze alloy wheels and blacked-out trim. For some families, the Camry Hybrid just may be the perfect vehicle.

Crown: One of the newer members of Toyota’s lineup, the Crown doesn’t need “hybrid” added to its name because every Crown boasts a hybrid powertrain. Starting at $40k, it occupies the luxury spot in Toyota’s sedan lineup, and yet it delivers a combined fuel economy rating of up to 41 MPG. Every Crown also comes standard with AWD to go with its pulse-quickening 340 hp. The Crown’s sharp, muscular style is complemented by available two-tone exterior paint like the bronze-and-black color scheme, which looks like absolutely nothing else on the road. This car is a true beauty, inside and out.

Prius: You may know it as the grand-daddy of hybrid cars, but the current model Prius (starting somewhere north of $27k) looks young and stunning with edgy, race-inspired futuristic looks. It has the performance to back up its looks, too, with a zero-to-sixty time as low as 7.0 seconds in the AWD model—and yet, it still gets a combined 57 MPG! You can step up to the plug-in hybrid Prius Prime (starting somewhere north of $32k), too, and enjoy an astounding 127 MPGe when driving fully electric. With 44 miles of all-electric range, you may almost never need to gas up the Prius Prime if you have a short commute.

Trucks and SUVs

If you are looking for fuel economy champs, you’ll probably want one of the hybrid sedans listed above. However, if you need more passenger or cargo room, or you enjoy the view of the road from a higher-positioned driver’s seat, you’ll be glad to know that almost every SUV in Toyota’s lineup is available in a hybrid version. This includes the RAV4, Highlander, and Grand Highlander SUVs, as well as the Tundra pickup. There are also several hybrid-only SUVs—including the Venza, the Sequoia, and the re-released Land Cruiser—and one hybrid-only minivan, the Sienna.

Non-Hybrid Sedans and Hatchbacks

With so many hybrid options, it might be tempting to overlook the gasoline-only models in Toyota’s stable. However, gas-powered cars have plenty of advantages; for instance, they tend to have lower price points than their hybrid versions, and their highway fuel economy is sometimes only a little bit lower than the highway fuel economy of hybrid models.

This is because hybrid models actually get better mileage in the city than on the highway in general due to regenerative braking, which charges their batteries as you drive. As a result, on the highway, some economy-minded gas-only cars are almost as efficient as some hybrids. So, if your commute features a lot of highway miles, these may be the perfect cars for you.

Corolla: The Corolla has long been arguably the best small car sold anywhere. (More than 50 million buyers worldwide in 50 years can’t be wrong.) For 2024, it starts very low—under $22k—and yet offers sharp modern styling, Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, and up to 41 MPG on the highway and 35 MPG combined. A full set of connectivity features and optional two-tone exterior trim packages make the Corolla anything but a base model.

Corolla Hatchback: This snazzy hatchback sibling of the Corolla sedan starts at a slightly higher price point (above $23k) but offers the extra convenience of a hatchback cargo area along with a sportier driving dynamic. For instance, its Drive Mode Select features let you choose Sport Drive Mode, which enables you to change gears manually with paddle shifters—and this model’s 2.0-liter Dynamic Force engine offers the power to match. Even still, it gets up to 41 MPG on the highway.

Camry: Along with the smaller Corolla, the midsize Camry is a mainstay of Toyota’s sedan lineup. Starting north of $26k, it offers bold, race-inspired styling and an interior designed for extra comfort on long drives. An optional 301-hp V6 engine and available sport-tuned suspension can transform the Camry from a family car to a muscle car while still being perfect for your family—or you can stick with the base 2.5-liter four-cylinder and get up to 39 MPG on the highway.

A Range of Commuting Options

Toyota has a wide range of fuel-efficient models, but your commuting needs may be more specific than most. Just to give one example, if you need a commuter vehicle that can also tow your boat to the lake on weekends, the Highlander SUV—with its 29 MPG highway rating and its 5,000-lb towing capacity—may be perfect for you. So don’t hesitate to let your Toyota sales professional know exactly what you want because we can guarantee that we’ll find the perfect vehicle to match it!

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