It’s no secret that, in many places around the world, Mercedes sedans and estates are the obvious choice for taxi companies and private chauffeurs. Mercedes has built a reputation for delivering a comfortable experience for each occupant in the car.
Mercs are popular with taxi drivers and taxi customers, as well. Not many other cars are as iconic as the Mercedes taxi. It is somewhat the European version of the legendary NY yellow cab, or the understated period corrected London Cab.
As a cultural symbol, London cabs and New York yellow cabs are surely the way to go, but as far as comfort is concerned, Mercedes wins by a landslide. The best Mercedes car to serve as a taxi is the E-Class, but the more luxurious S-Class or the more modest C-Class are good options as well.
What makes a good taxi vehicle?
Taxi cars are primarily used to transport people and luggage. So, taxis have to be spacious and capable of fitting multiple occupants comfortably. They should be seen as a better alternative to public transportation.
Taxi cultures do vary from one part of the world to another. In the US, cabs don’t necessarily serve any other purpose other than as a mode of transportation for getting from point A to point B. So, there isn’t as much of a need for a large luxurious Mercedes sedan. The same thing goes for UK cities like London.
In Germany, however, taxis were primarily made for wealthier individuals, and it’s similar nowadays. Germans who take a taxi ride expect a comfortable ride, comfortable seats and a polite driver. Taxis also profit from reliability, as they work around the clock and tend to get into accidents. So, it helps for the parts to be easily accessible.
Let’s take a look at the best Mercedes that serve as taxis.
E-Class
It’s rather impossible to consider a Mercedes taxi without considering the model upon which the entire phenomenon is based upon. The E-Class as a taxi cab needs no introduction. Especially in Germany.
The E-Class is used as a taxi for multiple different reasons, efficiency and operational costs being the most important. Mercedes cars are well built and prone to accumulating huge miles on the clock without breaking, if maintained correctly.
Mercedes as a company also carries out different types of deals for E-class taxis. E-classes are used as taxis all around the world. So, if an E-Class starts its life as a taxi, it’s fairly likely it will stay a taxi until it serves no purpose besides scrap metal.
Mercedes realizes that every E-Class taxi is an E-Class sold, so Mercedes tends to deliver the best price and service packages.
S-Class
Choosing the E-Class sedan as a taxicab is an obvious choice. But, if you want to deliver a more relaxing, upscale taxi experience perfectly tailored for the occasional VIPs, the S-Class is the Mercedes of choice.
It’s no secret that most S-classes are used for chauffeuring duties. That’s why Mercedes offers the S-Class in two different sizes. The more “regular” wheelbase S-Class or the colossal long-wheelbase S-Class, which offers extremely spacious cabins for multiple passengers.
The S-Class is an all-around more refined vehicle compared to the E-Class. It’s larger, more luxurious and more comfortable. However, the E-Class is more than capable of delivering a premium traveling experience, and it costs a lot less too.
C-Class
The C-class is the smallest regular sedan Mercedes offers. While the taxi duty Benzes are mostly E-classes with an occasional S-class, the C-Class might serve you even better in some instances.
The size of the C-Class is its main drawback, but it can also be an obvious advantage as well. Europe is well known for its cities with incredibly crowded streets, and in these conditions, the C-Class might prove better than the S- or the E-Class.
The C-Class is also capable of transporting multiple occupants and still has a decent sized trunk space. If it’s a crowded European city, damaging a C-Class is a lot less stressful than it is to damage an S-Class.
FAQ about choosing a taxi vehicle
Should I consider SUVs for taxis?
SUVs are becoming more and more popular. So, why aren’t SUVs used for taxis as much? Well, that’s rather simple. SUVs are far less fuel-efficient. They are also usually pricier to maintain and service.
SUVs are capable of comfortably driving over many different types of terrains, but taxis are mostly used as city runarounds. So, driving a huge barge on 4 wheels in tiny city streets crowded with people, bikes, cars, and public transportation is not such a good idea.
Are there any better alternatives to Mercedes taxi sedans?
Well, it depends. When choosing a Mercedes as a package deal Mercedes, it’s usually the best choice one can get. But, when you are buying independently, without any manufacturer deals, you could argue that there are better alternatives to Mercedes sedans.
One of which could be the Škoda Superb. It’s a large, mid to full-size sedan from VW’s sub-brand Škoda. Now the Škoda is not offered in as many markets as Mercedes sedans, but things might change because Škoda is creeping up in popularity fast.
The Superb offers plenty of room, great reliability, parts are easy to come by and they come at a more reasonable price. One could even say that the Superb offers the best value for money, as far as this segment is considered.
If your market does not yet offer a Škoda, it most definitely should offer the all-mighty Toyota Prius. Now, it may not be a looker, but it does make up for it by being a hybrid Toyota. Toyota is well known for its stellar reliability, and the hybrid aspect makes it easy to enter pretty much any low emission zone.
What should you avoid when shopping for a taxi car?
Well, you should avoid inefficient cars. The goal of taxi driving is earning money, so you should carefully consider all different types of expenses some cars might be associated with.
You should avoid two-seater cars. Using a Lamborghini for an Uber gets you many Youtube views, but as an Uber itself, it’s pointless. Any supercar in these instances is pointless. The same thing goes for unreliable cars, or cars that are not decently well covered with warranties and service packages.
You should also avoid gas-guzzlers because they are slowly being banned in city centers. You should pay close attention to the size of the automobile. It all depends on where you plan to operate.
Choosing a safe car is a top priority. If you plan on taxi driving, you are probably going to be spending ample hours behind the wheel. As such, you should make sure that you and your passengers are as safe as possible.
