4 Best Cars for L.A. Traffic
Rush hour traffic is the worst part of the workday, especially if you live in a city like Los Angeles. During its busiest time, it can take up to an hour and a half to drive 26 miles across the 101 Freeway. Even when rush hour ends, the city is always bustling with cars and pedestrians, so it feels like you can never fully escape the traffic.
Needless to say, people in L.A. can spend a lot of time in their cars. Drivers should have a car that is comfortable and has a decent selection of features to keep them occupied while creeping along the highway. Cargurus put together a fantastic list of ideal cars for L.A traffic, and we picked out a few of our favorites.
Dodge Charger
A luxury sports car will definitely make your car stand out in a sea of traffic, but it may not offer as much space to stretch your limbs. The Dodge Charger looks cool and has more head and leg space than its competitors, which also makes it ideal for taller drivers.
The seats come with cloth upholstery on standard models, with an option to upgrade to leather seats. Test drivers reported that the seats were very supportive, plus heated and power-adjustable front seats are available.
It also has an impressive selection of engines. Its base engine is a V6 capable of 292 hp. The most expensive option comes with the Hellcat trim, which is an astounding V8 Hemi engine capable of 707 hp.
Toyota Highlander Hybrid
The constant starting and stopping on congested roads will definitely lower your gas mileage. Toyota offers a wide variety of hybrid cars that have excellent fuel economy ratings.
If you need a larger vehicle, the Highlander Hybrid is a great option. Its base engine is a hybrid gas-electric V6 capable of 306 hp and 215 lb-ft of torque. When tested for fuel economy, it scored 30 mpg on city roads and 28 mpg on the highway.
To prevent accidental fender benders, the Highlander also comes equipped with many more standard safety features than other SUVs in its class. These include cruise control, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, emergency braking, and lane departure warning.
Chrysler Pacifica
The Pacifica is one of the best minivans available on the market, and it’s also a great car for handling L.A. traffic. It comes with a V6 3.6-liter engine capable of 287 hp and 262 lb-ft of torque. It’s very good on gas, with a rating of 18 mpg on city roads and 28 mpg on the freeway. Like most minivans, you won’t be getting from 0 to 60 in under 5 seconds, but it still has great handling.
If you’re driving a minivan, chances are that you have at least a few passengers occupying the backseat. To keep them entertained during the slog of rush hour, the Pacifica has a good array of infotainment features.
A rear-seat DVD player and touchscreens are offered as additional upgrades, and every model comes standard with Bluetooth, a six-speaker stereo system, and Android Auto or Apple CarPlay integration.
Tesla Model S
The Model S may be the most expensive car on this list, but it definitely gives you the most bang for your buck. It has more standard infotainment features than many rivals, including Bluetooth, satellite radio, a Wi-fi hotspot, and an 11-speaker stereo system.
You definitely won’t get bored in a Tesla, even when traffic is at a standstill. It also has one of the longest driving ranges of any electric car, up to 370 miles after one charge.