Best Car For Private Hire Taxi: UK Guide 2024

Let’s take a look at a few popular cars for private hire drivers (PHDs) – in no particular order:

1. Skoda Octavia

• Prices start from £24,770
• Average insurance cost: £83 per month
• Mileage: 51.5 – 2,824 miles per gallon (mpg); 47 – 49 miles battery range
• Number of doors: 5
• Fuel types: Petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid
• CO2 emissions: 35 – 204 g/mile

Known for its reliability, spacious interior, state-of-the-art technology, and fuel efficiency, the Skoda Octavia is a popular choice among taxi drivers. Now in its fourth generation, it’s a bigger car that’s not too bulky behind the wheel and nimble enough to park in tight spaces.

Available as an estate or booted-hatch/liftback saloon, it boasts an impressive 600-litre boot – ideal for luggage-loaded passengers.

Other features include:

• Crystalline-design LED Matrix beam headlights
• Ergonomic seats with massage function
• Premium CANTON sound system
• Advanced connectivity (standard Infotainment with 10″ screen size)
• SmartLink (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto)
• USB – two in the front and two in the back
• ISOFIX child car-seat mounts

2. MG 5 EV Estate

• Prices start from £30,900
• Average insurance cost: £45 per month
• Mileage: 205 – 250 miles per single battery charge
• Number of doors: 5
• Fuel types: Electric
• CO2 emissions: 0 (exempt from Congestion Charges)

The MG 5 EV Estate is one of the best plug-in hybrids currently available in the UK. Offering a blend of practicality, reliability, and eco-savviness, this vehicle provides ample space and zero emissions.

Its 580-litre boot and comfortable interior make it ideal for private hire work. While the shorter mileage distance might not be the best for long-hauls, it works well for nippy intercity transport. Take advantage of ‘MG Pilot’ active safety and driver-assistance systems, which comprise:

• Active emergency braking (a.k.a. regenerative braking)
• Lane-keeping assist
• Adaptive cruise control
• Traffic-jam assist
• High-beam assistance
• Speed-limit assist

3. Kia Niro EV

• Prices start from £36,600
• Average insurance cost: £33 per month
• Mileage: 253 miles per single battery charge
• Number of doors: 5
• Fuel types: Hybrid, fully electric
• CO2 emissions: 0 (exempt from Congestion Charges)

This spacious SUV is a strong contender for PHV drivers and handles well in the city and on motorways. It has a 475-litre boot, rear parking sensors, smartphone charging ports, stylish interiors and a fuel economy (for hybrid models) of 3.8 miles per kWh.

Other features include:

• 20 standard driver-assist features (blind-spot collision avoidance, emergency braking technology, front wheel traction, lane-follow assist, etc.)
• Onboard Power Generator
• Dual Panoramic Display (20.5″ screen)
• Head-up Display
• Smart Power Tailgate
• Advanced connectivity (Apple CarPlay/Android Auto)

4. Volkswagen Touran SE Family

• Prices start from £37,400
• Average insurance cost: £75 per month
• Mileage: 41.5 – 44.8 mpg
• Number of doors: 5
• Fuel types: Petrol
• CO2 emissions: 240 g/mile

The Touran is a practical and spacious vehicle, offering flexible seating arrangements and sufficient boot space (137 litres). It’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ)-compliant and the 4-cylinder, 1.5-litre petrol engine keeps running costs to a minimum.

It has a wide range of driving assistance features to keep you and your passengers safe on the road and is praised for its powerful, high-energy consumption engine.

Other features include:

• Roof rails
• 65% rear tinted glass
• Panoramic sunroof
• ‘We Connect’ functionality
• 16″ alloy wheels with anti-theft wheel bolts
• Leather-wrapped gear shift and steering wheel

5. Ford Grand Tourneo Connect

• Prices start from £35,000
• Average insurance cost: £140 per month
• Mileage: 48.8 – 59.2 mpg
• Number of doors: 5
• Fuel types: Petrol, diesel (Hybrid available from autumn 2024)
• CO2 emissions: 200 – 254 g/mile

The Ford Grand Tourneo Connect makes a versatile option, providing enough space for larger groups of passengers. It’s available as a five or seven-seater, with the long wheelbase model boasting seven seats.

Its sleek exterior, coupled with stylish interior finishes, make this worthwhile investment one of the best-selling taxi vehicles in the UK. The rear seats (second and third row) can be removed to provide bigger storage capacity, ranging from 322 to 1,287 litres of boot space.

Other features include:

• 8.25″ – 10″ colour screen touchscreen
• Smartphone connectivity
• Panoramic sunroof
• 7-speed powershift transmission (automatic models)

6. Toyota Corolla

• Prices start from £30,800
• Average insurance cost: £93 per month
• Mileage: 53.3 – 64 mpg
• Number of doors: 5
• Fuel types: Petrol, hybrid
• CO2 emissions: 158 – 193 g/mile

A Toyota Corolla makes a suitable private hire vehicle. It’s relatively cheap to run, looks pretty decent and has a long-standing history of being reliable on the road. It’s not the biggest car compared to others on our list, with only a 300 – 360-litre boot capacity.

This is fine for carrying passengers from A to B, but we wouldn’t suggest it’s used for large group airport trips.

Since its revamp in 2019, the Corolla is available in 1.8-litre petrol or 2.0-litre self-charging hybrids. These upgrades have improved efficiency and slashed CO2 emissions compared to previous models.

Other features include:

• 16″ alloy wheels
• Automatic LED headlights
• Lumbar support front seats
• 8″ multimedia touchscreen
• Smartphone integration
• Reverse camera

Now that we know what cars are best for private hire taxi drivers, let’s briefly discuss what you need to consider when choosing the right vehicle.