10 Best Cars for Uber/Lyft Drivers

2020 Hyundai Sonata blue profile parked ・ Photo by Hyundai

There are amateur drivers who commute back-and-forth to work, run errands, and take the kids to their sporting events on nights and weekends. Those drivers need cars that can dependably fulfill all those tasks and do it with a little style and verve. Then there are the professional drivers for Uber and Lyft, women and men who absolutely depend upon their vehicles because without their vehicles they cannot make a living. They don’t just drive to and from work; the vast majority of their driving miles are work.

So what do Lyft and Uber drivers look for in a car? We asked them the question, and they replied that that need dependability, a low purchase price, and low-cost operation. They will drive their cars a lot more than the typical owner, so they need a vehicle that will give them tens of thousands of trouble-free miles with minimal preventive maintenance. Based on that input, here are the best cars for Uber and Lyft drivers.

2020 Toyota Camry

After spending many years as the best-selling car in the United States, the Toyota Camry has certainly proven its mettle. A great mid-size family sedan with attributes like quietness, great ride comfort, and economical operation also makes a great car for Uber and Lyft service. The Camry's interior offers a serene, quiet place for five full-size adults, so a four-person rideshare assignment is perfectly acceptable.

For professional driving services, we'd pick two of the three Camry powertrains. For low purchase price, the four-cylinder gas-powered model is a good choice, but the gas-electric hybrid is even better. In the Camry Hybrid, the 176-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is given a boost by a 118-horsepower electric motor, all driving the front wheels via a Toyota-developed continuously variable transmission intended for hybrid use. In terms of fuel economy, the hybrid LE trim level offers a stunning 51 mpg city/53 mpg highway/52 mpg overall.

Photo by Toyota

2020 Honda Civic

Some might call the Honda Civic the very definition of small-car versatility. The hatchback configuration is probably best for Uber/Lyft use because its luggage area can swallow up a lot of suitcases.

Even the base LX model offers LED running lights, split/folding rear seats, a touchscreen with a backup camera, and Bluetooth. The base hatchback's 174-horsepower 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine gives the Civic plenty of acceleration to slip into those tight spots in urban and airport driving. Equipped with the CVT automatic transmission, the compact car delivers 34 mpg overall in EPA fuel economy tests. When it comes to driver assistance, the Civic offers Honda Sensing technology, giving its drivers the benefits of a number of advanced safety and convenience systems, including adaptive cruise control.

Photo by Honda

2020 Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius isn’t just the car most people think of when the term hybrid car is mentioned, but it is also a favorite of rideshare drivers worldwide. The Prius is known for its incredible fuel efficiency and for its utterly practical demeanor, which is why so many taxicabs are Priuses.

This compact hatchback's hybrid system combines the output of a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and two motor/generators through an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. It’s a solidly built, inexpensive-to-maintain vehicle, and its EPA fuel economy numbers are stellar — as high as 58 mpg city/53 mpg highway/56 mpg combined. The Prius also is a very safe vehicle with standard Toyota Safety Sense P driver-assist technology: a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, a lane-departure alert with steering assist, adaptive radar cruise control, and automatic high beams.

Photo by Toyota

2020 Honda Accord

The Honda Accord is legendary for its economy, ease of operation, and reliability. A direct competitor to the Toyota Camry, it is a large, comfortable five-passenger vehicle that is also fun to drive. Even in its base trim, the Accord offers niceties like push-button ignition, alloy wheels, automatic headlights, and automatic climate control. The base engine is a turbocharged 192-horsepower 1.5-liter four-cylinder — a good choice for Uber and Lyft use with 33 mpg combined fuel economy.

Another great choice is the Honda Accord Hybrid with its technically fascinating hybrid-electric powertrain that joins a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine to a 181-horsepower electric propulsion motor that delivers substantial low-end torque. Total combined output is 212 horsepower. Fuel economy doesn’t quite climb to the lofty heights of the Camry Hybrid, but it is still laudable at 48 mpg city/47 mpg highway/48 mpg overall.

Photo by Honda

2020 Hyundai Sonata

With the 2020 Sonata mid-size sedan, Hyundai is making a very aggressive play to capture a bigger slice of the family-sedan market. Rideshare drivers looking for a highly dependable vehicle might be the beneficiaries of that strategy.

All-new for the 2020 model year, the redesigned Hyundai Sonata checks all the right boxes. Its controls are clear and easy to use, and it features a roomy, comfortable cabin. The chassis and suspension offer a quiet, supple and confident ride, and both engines offer impressive performance. Drivers can choose between a 191-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a 180-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, both equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy for both engines hovers around 32 mpg combined. The Sonata has a robust array of advanced driving aids, and then there’s Hyundai’s stellar warranty and product quality record.

Photo by Hyundai

2020 Kia Optima Hybrid

The Kia Optima Hybrid mid-size sedan offers several new standard features for the 2020 model year. Among them are wireless smartphone charging, an 8-inch rearview monitor with parking guidance, and the Kia Drive Wise safety/driver-assistance suite. The UVO link telematics includes a “Find My Car” feature, remote lock/unlock, and remote vehicle climate control.

The Optima Hybrid's powertrain includes a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline-fueled engine and 50.9-horsepower interior-permanent magnet synchronous electric motor delivering their combined motive force through a largely conventional six-speed automatic transmission. For those who want their hybrid to look and act like a "regular" sedan, the Kia Optima is right on the mark. It comes only as a well-equipped EX version with 40 mpg city/45 mpg highway/42 mpg overall fuel economy ratings.

Photo by Kia

2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid

The conventional, gasoline-engine-powered 2020 Toyota Corolla makes a great Uber/Lyft car, but we think the Corolla Hybrid is an even better bet. Not only is the fuel economy far superior to the already-good fuel economy of the conventional Corolla compact sedan, but the hybrid version doesn’t make you pay for that economy with noise, harshness, or discomfort. Instead, it offers better drivability. Its electric-motor-provided torque kicks in at just the right time to make everyday driving smoother and quieter.

The Corolla Hybrid is fitted with a high-compression 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine integrated with a 71-horsepower permanent synchronous magnet motor. The electric motor is powered by a tried-and-true nickel-metal-hydride battery. Total system horsepower is just 121, but fuel economy is 52 mpg combined. In addition, the Corolla Hybrid offers all the safety and driver assistance features of Toyota Safety Sense 2.0.

Photo by Toyota

2020 Honda Insight

The 2020 Honda Insight compact sedan is a hybrid that doesn’t advertise itself as a hybrid. More luxurious than the Toyota Prius, the Insight claims best-in-class passenger space fuel economy ratings as high as 55 mpg city/49 mpg highway/52 mpg overall — both reasons it makes a great Lyft/Uber car.

The five-seat Insight offers 151 total horsepower: 107 from its 2.5-liter Atkinson four-cylinder engine and 129 from its AC synchronous permanent-magnet electric motor. It's available in LX, EX, and Touring trims. All have LED headlights, push-button start, and the Honda Sensing suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies. The Insight's 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space is generous for a small sedan.

Photo by Honda

2020 Ford Fusion Hybrid

Ford has trimmed many of its sedans from its American portfolio, but it still offers the mid-size Fusion in hybrid and plug-in hybrid variants. Both hybrid Fusions use a 188-horsepower drive system that combines a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine with an 88-kW permanent-magnet AC synchronous motor.

The big difference between hybrid and plug-in hybrid is the size of the battery pack. The conventional hybrid is equipped with a 1.4-kWh lithium-ion battery, while the plug-in is fitted with a 9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. For Uber/Lyft use, the conventional hybrid is probably the better choice. Available in several grades similar to the gasoline-only Fusion, the conventional hybrid offers 43 mpg city/41 mpg highway/42 mpg overall.

Photo by Ford

2020 Lexus ES 300h

The Lexus ES sedan is one of the most popular luxury cars in America, and it also makes a super Uber Select and Lyft Premier vehicle. While all 2020 Lexus ES variants are excellent sedans, you can make a strong case that the 300h hybrid version is the best for rideshare use. It offers the best fuel economy of the Lexus ES variants, and additional benefits include drivability, smoothness, and quiet — in short everything an up-level ride should be.

The ES 300h is powered by a highly reliable hybrid system that includes a 176-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine plus an electric motor. The combination delivers fuel economy of 43 mpg city/44 mpg highway/44 mpg overall. The battery pack is nickel-metal hydride, and it has a terrific record for longevity. In normal driving, you wouldn’t know you’re piloting a hybrid.

Photo by Lexus