Whether you’re just starting out or you have been in the York taxi business for a long time, you’ll know the difficulty in picking which type of vehicle to drive. There are so many different car models on the road, including York Taxi options, with a variety of reliability levels, pros, and cons. Here’s our choice of four of the best local taxi options.

Toyota Avensis

This ultra-reliable car has been around for quite a few years now and has a proven record for being able to rack up very high mileages. Both the saloon and estate models are available with  both diesel and petrol engines and the 2 litre diesel engine will provide a solid 60 mpg (according to Autocar’s figures). The Avensis is said to keep a good resale value and you’ll find that even older versions tend to get bought up fairly quickly when put on sale.

Volkswagen Transporter Shuttle

If airport runs or nightclub pickups are your thing, then you’ll need something a bit bigger and the Transporter Shuttle comfortably seats 8 passengers and still has loads of luggage space especially the long wheelbase version. It is pretty high-spec with ABS, ESP, Automatic Post-Collision Braking and Bluetooth connectivity all as standard. The 2 litre TDI diesel engine model is the pick of the crop for most taxi drivers, as it gives a reported 47 mpg with CO2 emissions of 155g/km.

Whatever you decide to go for and whether it’s for airport runs, distance work or town runs, make sure you get a good private hire Hull taxi insurance policy in place and you’re good to go. You can save money on taxi insurance by using comparison sites.

Skoda Octavia

This model has gained rapid popularity amongst taxi drivers for its good looks, massive 624 litres of boot space, 5* Euro NCAP safety rating and amazing fuel consumption of 42-80 mpg (according to Parkers) with the highest figures given by economical diesel engines. The estate version is the Octavia Scout, for those that prefer more load-carrying capacity.

Toyota Prius

Initially the choice of celebs looking to burnish their eco-credentials, the popularity of the Prius has spread far and wide due its reputation for Toyota reliability. If you plan to work mainly in the town and city, this hybrid engine car will not only provide excellent fuel economy but it is welcomed in most low emission zones without a penalty. According to Autocar, the Prius generally offers around 62.5 mpg, rather than the claimed 94, but that’s still very good around town. As you would expect you get a lot of equipment as standard.

Joyce Laroche