Top 10 Cars bills itself as the “most comprehensive automotive ranking and comparison car website” out there, and last week it released a list of what it believes are the TOP 10 Cars for Commuting, based on fuel-efficiency ratings in city driving conditions and a high Total Car Score.
At the top of the list was the Nissan Leaf electric, with a whopping City Miles Per Gallon of 106, but a lower Total Car Score of 78.76. The full list of cars is below.
“The highway number can be an inaccurate representation of real-world fuel efficiency,” remarked Karl Brauer, Editor in Chief of Total Car Score. “The mixed mpg rating, which represents the overall fuel efficiency of a vehicle, is usually closer to the city mpg than the highway number. That’s because the EPA knows most people spend the majority of their drive time in low-speed, stop-and-go driving conditions.”
Additionally, Mr. Brauer points out, when you combine a high city mpg with a high Total Car Score, you get an interesting mix of cars that are excellent for commuting.
“While the list specifies 2012 models,” said Mr. Brauer, “most of these cars are largely unchanged for 2013. However, because dealers want to move the 2012s out and make room for the 2013s after Labor DayWeekend, shoppers will likely find more competitive pricing and negotiating power if they buy a 2012 model.”
Clearly, other than the fully electric Nissan Leaf, hybrids rule the show when it comes to commuting:
| Make/Model | City MPG | Total Car Score |
| 1. Nissan Leaf (electric) | 106 | 78.76 |
| 2. Toyota Camry Hybrid | 43 | 86.31 |
| 3. Ford Fusion Hybrid | 41 | 80.05 |
| 4. Hyundai Sonata Hybrid | 35 | 83.56 |
| 5. Lexus RX Hybrid | 32 | 85.13 |
| 6. Volkswagen Passat (diesel) | 31 | 82.19 |
| 7. Audi A3 (diesel) | 30 | 80.76 |
| 8. Volkswagen Golf (diesel) | 30 | 83.29 |
| 9. Chevrolet Sonic | 29 | 76.56 |
| 10. Ford Fiesta | 29 | 77.08 |
Source: PR Newswire
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