Most taxi drivers look for the same things in their cars, such as comfort, practicality and fuel economy. The big one for all of them however is going to be reliability. After all, every hour the car is in the shop when it should be on the roads costs money. It’s no surprise that you’ll see many drivers in the same cars - these are the ones that are the least likely to break down. Here are four of the best:
Honda Accord
Honda Accord
We’ll start out this list with what should be an obvious point - Japanese cars, by and large, are the most reliable vehicles on the road. It’s no surprise then, that the workhorse of the Honda lineup makes it into this list. It’s got sharp styling, frugal engines and some nice new tech. It does of course come in an estate body style too, which is important for drivers making airport runs.
Toyota Avensis
This is a car very similar indeed to Honda’s offering. They are direct rivals and always have been, and the choice between them will come down almost purely to aesthetics - something most will agree goes in the Honda’s favour. Reliability indexes do suggest however that Toyota is ever so slightly more reliable than Honda, and it’s got more space in it too - both for passengers and luggage.
Toyota Prius
Most auto enthusiasts will likely brand the Prius as one of the most boring cars that money can buy. But of course, taxi drivers aren’t looking for excitement. The qualities they do appreciate can be found in spades here, and in particular, while this hybrid is known for its low fuel consumption, it’s very reliable too.
Skoda Octavia
Skoda was once the butt of many automotive jokes, but it’s now a very well respected brand under the Volkswagen umbrella. The Octavia is based on the same platform as the Golf, but crucially for taxi drivers, it’s got more rear space and an entire boot of capacity too. Serious faults are very rare indeed, and repairs are cheap.
There are many more cars that would potentially fit the bill as a good taxi. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class for instance is ubiquitous across Europe, and accounts for huge numbers of taxi sales because of its comfort and size, but the four above are probably the best bet when it comes to repairs or lack thereof.
