Hybrids for Urban Commuters
Very few people would like to willingly spend more than necessary on energy for their vehicle - whether that be gasoline, diesel, or electricity.
Modern hybrids can be a great option for drivers who find themselves commuting daily in urban environments thanks to that powertrain’s ability to sip fuel yet banish any sort of range anxiety (real or imagined) that comes part and parcel of an electric vehicle. We'll highlight a new traditional hybrids in this list, rather than ones of the plug-in variety, simply because they have a more approachable starting price.
[Image: Toyota, Subaru, Hyundai]
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Some brands jumped on board early while others tepidly dipped a toe in the waters only to recoil and leave the market for someone else to corner.
Assembled here is a short list of notable hybrids which won’t break the bank but aren’t complete penalty boxes. Saving fuel is one thing; willfully squeezing into a miserably dour car is quite another. There’s a difference between being smartly frugal and horribly cheap.
Toyota Corolla Hybrid
It will surprise absolutely no one to find a Toyota on this list. The brand has been perfecting the hybrid powertrain ever since it burst onto the scene with its original Prius. These days, just about every model it sells has hybrid guts; in fact, some of them (like the Sienna and new RAV4) are solely hybrid vehicles. As for the Corolla, its hybrid powertrain is one of multiple offered in the range and is even available with all-wheel drive in some markets. Buyers of the front-drive Corolla hybrid can expect a lofty 50 mpg in combined driving conditions as per the feds. Adding the security of all-wheel drive dings that figure by only about 2 miles per gallon.
Hyundai Elantra Hybrid
One look at the official fuel economy numbers for the Elantra Hybrid shows the different engineering approaches to efficiency by Hyundai and Toyota. While both of these cars have an impressive 50 mpg rating on the combined cycle, both machines reach that number in very different ways. The Elantra is rated 49 in town and 52 on the highway, while the Corolla is basically the inverse - 53 in town and 46 on the open road. In other words, look to the Korean car for slightly better fuel economy if the majority of your commute is on the interstate. Real world results may vary, of course, but an official gulf of 6 mpg is not to be trifled and could add up over the course of a year.
Toyota Prius
It would be sacrilege to pen a list of hybrids without mentioning the Prius. Finally a good looking car, this fuel sipper gets about 50 miles per gallon in both urban and extra-urban environments, making budgeting a breeze for the modern commuter. While the Prius has a higher price tag than either of the other hybrid sedans mentioned above, it still slides under $30,000 including destination charges for a front-wheel drive model. Including all variants, there are eight different trims of the Prius this year, all the way up to a Limited AWD priced at nearly 40 grand for a check-all-the-boxes example. We recommend the base LE.
