Any of the incredibly fuel efficient vehicles you will find at Honda Hartford will make excellent commuter cars. If you find that you spend hours and hours in your car every day, you should go somewhere like a Salem Nissan Dealer and ask the salesmen which vehicle is the most comfortable. Better yet, head on over to VW Peoria and ask the employees there who has the longest commute and then find out what vehicle they drive and if they like it or not. Aside from reading helpful online articles, asking people in person what their real-life experiences are is probably the best advice you will find.
For anyone that has ever sat in Los Angeles traffic, you remember it being a million times worse than it really is if your vehicle has a manual transmission. If you have to commute daily, make sure your vehicle has an automatic transmission. It is true that an automatic transmission is going to cost about $1,000 more than a standard and slightly lower your fuel economy. If you must get a manual, make sure it has an accommodating first gear!
For all the time you spend in your car, you need to be safely entertained. Do not go install a TV in the passenger dash, but rather, opt for satellite radio, a CD changer, auxiliary jack for MP3 player, or even the new models that let you download music to your car’s hard drive. Also, look for a vehicle that has the volume and radio controls mounted on the steering wheel. If you are an avid carpooler, invest in a radio with a remote control so that your passengers can easily take control of the radio and leave you free to concentrate on driving.
While you are test-driving a vehicle, look for the bumpiest road you can find and check out how the car does at controlling road noise. Also, how does the suspension handle the vibrations? Not all highways are in the best of condition, and the constant road vibration felt through the steering wheel can make your hands exhausted and sore. Make sure you check behind you during the test-drive to ensure you don’t buy a car with a lot of blind spots. Lastly, and it should almost go without saying, your perfect commuter car should have amazing fuel economy!
