Best Luxury Commuter Cars
Aaron Turpen is an automotive writer and reviewer living in Wyoming, USA. A life-long off-road and mechanical enthusiast, Aaron has had a varied career in vehicles. Aaron grew up with home mechanics and maintenance on tractors, trucks, and cars as well as small engines and devices. At any one time, he’s worked as an automotive disassembler (aka “junk yard parts puller”), shade tree mechanic, over-the-road truck driver, and more. Aaron’s interests include family-oriented vehicles, off-roading, and anything fun involving tires and steering. With most of his life having been in rural America, Aaron understands pickup trucks and SUVs, winter weather hazards, and what life is like where phrases like “Just down the road” mean “within 100 miles.” Aaron’s automotive writing career has included outlets such as Carfax, CarTalk, NewAtlas.com, and many others. He’s appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered, on various YouTube channels, and on several podcasts.
What matters most to a commuter is fuel economy and comfort. For maximum comfort, performance, and quality of life, we look to luxury vehicles.
This list comprises the best luxury vehicles for commuting and includes some sedans, SUVs, and one or two sporty options for those who like excitement as well.
We’ve ranked these based on fuel economy, as the easiest to measure metric, but any of the five vehicles below could be your next luxury commuter choice.
Check out our top picks for the best commuter cars >>
Table of Contents
What Is a “Luxury” Vehicle?
For our purposes here, we are considering vehicles called “luxury” by their maker to be luxurious. For most people, the price tag and the marque are what mark a luxury car versus its more mundane counterparts. Thus the crosshairs of Lincoln denote a luxury marque while the blue oval of Ford does not.
Beyond that, we have dropped consideration for vehicles that might be labeled as "luxury", but clearly do not have luxurious reputations in terms of design quality or interior accouterments. For example, we have a couple of Tesla models on the list but do not include the Model 3, which is priced as a luxury vehicle but does not have the interior design and quality expected of one. For that matter, none of the luxury models listed here are “entry-level” luxury models in terms of their price tag or design.
Best Luxury Commuter Comparison
| Make & Model | Vehicle Type | Hwy MPG | Seating | Base Price |
| Tesla Model S | ||||
| Tesla Model X | ||||
| Polestar 2 | ||||
| Volvo XC40 Recharge | ||||
| Audi e-tron Sportback | ||||
| Lincoln Aviator PHEV |
1. Sedan: Tesla Model S
Driving Range: 396 Miles
Top for fuel economy on our list is the Tesla Model S, which was revamped for the 2021 model year.
This new S comes with a new and improved interior, an oddball “flying yoke” style steering wheel, and more screen real estate.
The Model S is fully electric and offers a luxurious, though relatively minimalist, interior and plenty of roomy, cush seating.
2. SUV: Tesla Model X
Driving Range: 340 Miles
The Model X is, for all intents and purposes, the SUV version of the Model S.
It is available in both two-row and (cramped) three-row models and gets excellent fuel economy thanks to its all-electric design.
The X is also the most expensive vehicle on our list and may not be a match for everyone’s lifestyle or needs.
Check out this month's best deals for:
3. Sedan: Polestar 2
Driving Range: 233 Miles
The Polestar brand is new and the 2 is its first offering in the U.S.
Tied to the Volvo brand, the Polestar brand offers only electric vehicles (so far) with relatively long ranges and strong luxury offerings.
The Polestar 2 is smaller and less costly than the Tesla Model S, but more traditionally luxurious by comparison.
4. SUV: Volvo XC40 Recharge
Combined MPGe: 79 MPGe
As Volvo’s first full battery-electric vehicle (or EV), the XC40 Recharge shares many powertrain commonalities with the Polestar 2 above.
Its lower fuel economy is thanks to its boxier and taller design.
Both models offer more than 200 miles of driving range per charge.
Current Volvo XC40 Deals & Incentives
| Year | Make | Model | Cash Incentives (up to) | Best Avail. APR | Lease Offers | Expiration |
You may qualify for additional deals and incentives, check out this month's Volvo deals and average prices paid.
5. SUV: Audi e-tron Sportback
Combined MPGe: 77 MPGe
The Audi e-tron is all-electric and the most descriptive, in name, on this list as to what it’s about.
As a compact model, the Sportback has a less crossover-SUV or wagon shape compared to the standard e-tron model.
Some of the practicality of the hatchback is lost, but the sedan shaping of the Sportback offers a smoother drive and has a more commuter-friendly feel.
Current Audi e-tron Deals & Incentives
| Year | Make | Model | Cash Incentives (up to) | Best Avail. APR | Lease Offers | Expiration |
You may qualify for additional deals and incentives, check out this month's Audi deals and average prices paid.
6. SUV: Lincoln Aviator PHEV
Combined MPGe: 56 MPGe
As the only hybrid on our list, the Aviator Hybrid, a plug-in hybrid with a limited all-electric range, has the largest size of any other option here.
The Aviator is extremely roomy (with a true, full third row), very comfortable, highly luxurious, and combines both gasoline and electric propulsion for maximum convenience.
Current Lincoln Aviator Deals & Incentives
| Year | Make | Model | Cash Incentives (up to) | Best Avail. APR | Lease Offers | Expiration |
You may qualify for additional deals and incentives, check out this month's Lincoln deals and average prices paid.
