John lives in Annapolis and has to outlive a brutal every day commute across the Baltimore/DC Beltway. His plans on buying and selling his two vehicles into one that may deal with the drive in consolation and hopefully preserve his gas prices down. What automotive ought to he purchase?
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Right here is the state of affairs.
I’ve a brutal commute, 75 miles one-way, across the Capital Beltway. I’m killing new vehicles at a fast clip. I at present am splitting miles between my 2019 Volkswagen Alltrack (58,000 miles) and my 2017 Mini Cooper 2-door Hardtop S (38,000 miles). I’m planning on promoting them each and shopping for one automotive that may cost-effectively deal with this commute for a very long time.
I want Gasoline Environment friendly, or a big gasoline tank, or electrical. Comfy to sit down in for lengthy durations. Good tech (Android Auto, Heated Seats, Backup cameras, Adaptive Cruise Management)
The automotive will need to have respectable pep. We have now a hidden driveway, so we have to hit the gasoline laborious to keep away from getting smushed by folks flying across the nook in entrance of our home. Additionally I’m a bigger fellow, 6 foot, 225, so it wants to suit me comfortably. Funds us wherever between $40-$65k
Fast Details:
Funds: $40,000 – $65,000
Location: Annapolis, MD
Every day Driver: Sure
Desires: Consolation, Tech, Good MPG
Doesn’t need: One thing too gradual
Skilled 1- Tom McParland: Match For A King
John, I can’t think about driving the hellscape that’s the Beltway every day. Whereas your Alltrack and Mini Cooper are definitely enjoyable vehicles, they’re higher suited to zooming round and carving turns. You want an isolation chamber to maintain you snug in that visitors mess. You additionally need one thing that’s sturdy to maintain your operating prices low.
The all-new Camry could possibly be a compelling selection, nevertheless it doubtless lacks the pep you’re searching for. Nonetheless, the Toyota Crown may be the improve you want. With the next trip top and a bit extra room the Crown was made for cruising in consolation. You will have the totally loaded Platinum trim that will get you the two.4-liter Turbo Hybrid Max motor which pumps out round 340 horsepower. These aren’t low-cost, as a top-spec Crown will put you in Lexus pricing territory with an MSRP of about $58,000.
The excellent news is that the Crown is likely one of the few Toyotas which you can benefit from some used automotive depreciation. A market scan of your space reveals a number of evenly used fashions within the low-mid $40,000 vary.
Skilled 2: Collin Woodard – An Air Of Superiority
John, I’ll be sincere, after I first learn your submission, my preliminary response was that it is best to simply transfer both nearer to work or nearer to a prepare station. Driving 150 miles a day in DC visitors appears like absolute hell. Then once more, one thing tells me you’ve in all probability already considered that sooner or later throughout your, what, four-hour commute? Extra? So let’s discover a automotive that may make the commute from hell slightly extra fulfilling.
The apparent reply is, after all, a Lexus hybrid, however I say we must always suppose outdoors the field on this one. You mentioned you’re open to going electrical, so why not go along with a Lucid Air? If you would like know-how, it’s obtained know-how. It’s additionally the most effective EVs we’ve ever examined, and due to the magic of depreciation you possibly can truly discover an Air Pure in your value vary with 410 miles of vary. In idea, that will be sufficient so that you can get away with charging each different day, though you’ll in all probability nonetheless wish to high off each night time simply to make sure you have loads of cushion if one thing sudden occurs.
The draw back is that there aren’t a ton of used Lucid Airs in the marketplace, so that you’ll in all probability need to have one shipped to you. Right here’s what appears to be like like a terrific deal on a 2023 Air Pure with solely 2,106 miles on it for lower than $60,000. It’ll be simpler to only stroll into the closest Lexus vendor and purchase no matter hybrid you want finest, however did you actually ask Jalopnik for car-buying recommendation hoping to be informed to purchase a Lexus? Get the Lucid, John. You realize you wish to.
Skilled 2: Bradley Brownell – Lengthy Title, Good Wagon
I assumed we had been lovers round right here? The place’s the enjoyable in a lux hybrid Toyota? I’ll admit I like Lucid quite a bit, nevertheless it doesn’t have the verve that you just wish to dwell with daily. No, you want a Volvo V60 T8 Recharge Polestar Engineered eAWD to get you thru the boredom and monotony of your ridiculous commute.
The 2024 model of the V60 hybrid is a bit higher with extra electrical vary and improved energy, nevertheless it’s out of your price range, so seize a used one. Why wouldn’t you need an all-wheel drive wagon with 22 miles of battery vary, 415 horsepower, and adjustable Ohlins dampers? It’s the final word commuter.
There are half a dozen of them obtainable at any time. This one has 20,000 miles on it and it’ll run you $54,904.
