Both the Honda Civic and Accord Are Perfect Commuter Cars
It shouldn’t be a surprise that Honda’s two best-selling sedans are great at a lot of things. Their sharp designs, affordable prices, and well-equipped interiors make the Honda Civic and the Honda Accord particularly well-suited to be daily drivers. Either one of these sedans could be the best car for your daily commute, but which one is better? Explore two of the best commuter cars in 2022.
The 2022 Honda Civic is the best commuter sedan for long solo drives
“Proving that a commuter car can be fun as well as frugal, the Honda Civic offers a combination of a comfortable ride and lively handling, along with excellent fuel economy, lots of tech features, and a spacious, well-finished cabin. Its combination of virtues helped make it the winner of our 2022 Best Compact Car for the Money Award.”
Jim Travers, U.S. News Cars
Which is the best car for city driving? We could argue that it’s the Honda Civic, which is all-new for 2022 and starts at $21,700. The Civic is consistently scored highly by U.S. News. It offers a standard 158-horsepower, four-cylinder engine, or an optional 180-horsepower turbo. The peppy Civic is one of the last great commuter cars with a manual transmission.
The most fuel-efficient model is the 2022 Civic LX with up to 31 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. This trim is the best car for commuting 50 miles per day, but higher trim levels will offer more comfort features.
If the company does bring back the Honda Civic Hybrid, there will be a new best commuter car on the scene.
The 2022 Honda Accord is the best commuter sedan for carpooling
“One of our top-ranked midsize sedans, the Honda Accord is an excellent choice overall. It boasts a spacious and upscale interior, easy to use tech features, and capable handling combined with a comfortable ride.”
Jim Travers, U.S. News Cars
Which car is best for the daily commute? The Honda Accord makes a strong case for being the best sedan in the carpool lane. It offers more interior space than the Civic, which makes this four-door a better commuting option if you’re traveling with passengers.
Premium interior features like leather seats make the 2022 Accord a comfortable and luxurious cruiser for your commute. The Accord also offers great interior tech features, perfect for binging true crime podcasts on your way to and from work. It could even tow a trailer if you really needed to—now that’s versatility.
If you’re looking for the best car for commuting 100 miles per day, consider the 2022 Accord Hybrid. This sedan gets up to 48 mpg combined and offers a range of trim levels to match your comfort and connectivity needs.
Used Honda cars are best for commuting on a budget
If you’re looking for the best cheap commuter car, you don’t need any other reason to buy a used Honda Civic. Both the Civic and Accord are almost always available on used-car listing sites, and they pack a bunch even with a few thousand miles on the odometer.
If you’re comfortable with your car-care skills, you can hunt for a used Honda that’s 12-15+ years old. These older, high-mileage cars are the best commuter cars under $10,000, or under $5,000 if you’re really lucky.
The new HondaTrue Used program is one way to connect shoppers with great used cars for commuting
If you’re feeling brave and want to dive into the used-car market by yourself to find the best used commuter cars, check out my tips for how to choose a reliable car.
Tips for getting the most out of your commute
There are a variety of ways to destress on your commute, and everyone does things a little differently. When we lived close to our office, my husband liked to walk home in complete silence to unwind from his workday. I liked to listen to electronic dance music to pump me up for my afternoon commitments.
In the video above, Degreed offers a few tips for making your commute awesome:
- Listen to educational or informational podcasts to keep your brain sharp
- Make a playlist for your commute so you always have something to listen to
- Adjust the playback speed if you want to get through them faster
- If you’re the passenger, use brain-training apps to learn a new language or sharpen your skills
Whatever your commute preferences, the Honda Civic and Accord are both along for the ride. Not sure that a Honda is right for you? Read a few tips for buying a commuter car to make sure you can get something you love.
