Top 10 Features for Commuter Cars Identified by Edmunds.com

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 11, 2004 -- The average commuter spends the equivalent of nearly nine full days every year commuting to and from work, according to the latest report from the U.S. Census Bureau. The editors at Edmunds.com (http://www.edmunds.com/), the premier online resource for automotive information, have identified the following top ten features that will make any commute more tolerable.

 

   1.   Comfortable Seats   Among the features to look for are lumbar
        support, power controls, adjustable seat height, heated seats and,
        for those with long legs, seats that scoot far enough back.

   2.   Automatic Transmission   Stop-and-go traffic can be particularly
        trying for those with a manual transmission.  Automatic
        transmissions can make the drive home smoother and allow drivers to
        keep both hands on the wheel.

   3.   Good visibility   Thin A-, B- and C-pillars help in this area; so do
        large side-view mirrors and height-adjustable seats.  Many
        convertibles have poor rear visibility when the top is up.

   4.   In-dash CD changer or satellite radio   In-dash CD changers allow
        drivers to load several discs at a time to take the edge off long
        commutes, while satellite radio can help them avoid morning chatter
        and irritating commercials.

   5.   Steering wheel-mounted stereo controls   Sometimes the only way to
        make it through a long drive is to have good music.  Steering
        wheel-mounted controls allow volume and station adjustments without
        drivers having to take their eyes off the road or hands off the
        wheel.

   6.   Controlled noise, vibration and handling   Excessive engine
        vibration, road noise and wind noise can prove very annoying for
        those who spend a lot of time in their cars, so pay attention to
        this during test drives.  Shoppers should also consider pros and
        cons of tighter handling versus ride comfort.

   7.   Good fuel economy   Good gas mileage is critical for the commuter
        car.  Nothing burns up more gas than stop-and-go traffic.

   8.   Well-designed cup holders and ample storage   Drivers need a place
        to keep their morning coffee safe and within sipping distance, as
        well as a place to store their parking cards, toll money, breakfast,
        etc.

   9.   Two power points and a hands-free voice activated phone system   Two
        power outlets will allow drivers to charge a mobile phone as well as
        a laptop battery.  A hands-free voice-activated phone system enables
        drivers to both place calls and chat on a cell phone without letting
        go of the wheel.

   10.  Reasonably compact size   For a vehicle primarily used for
        commuting, an SUV or truck usually isn't necessary.  A smaller
        vehicle is easier to maneuver, park and thread through traffic.

"The driver is the single most important safety component of a vehicle, so he or she should be comfortable, alert and as stress-free as possible when behind the wheel," said Karl Brauer, Editor in Chief, Edmunds.com. "Vehicle features can really help drivers be safe and maintain a positive attitude through their commuting experiences."

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About Edmunds.com, Inc.

Edmunds.com is the premier online resource for automotive information. Its comprehensive set of data, tools and services, including Edmunds.com True Market Value(R) pricing, is generated by Edmunds.com Information Solutions and is licensed to third parties. For example, the company supplies over 800,000 pages of content for the auto sections of AOL and NYTimes.com, provides weekly data to Automotive News and delivers monthly data reports to Wall Street analysts. Edmunds.com was named "best car research" site by Forbes ASAP, has been selected by consumers as the "most useful Web site" according to every J.D. Power and Associates New Autoshopper.com Study(SM) and was ranked first in the Survey of Car-Shopping Web Sites as reported by The Wall Street Journal. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif. and maintains a satellite office near Detroit.