Boot-iful: 8 Practical Taxis That Are All About That Boot Space
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but if you’re a taxi driver than you’re more likely to have your eye on a car’s ‘booty’.
Indeed, while there are multiple factors to take into consideration for that perfect taxi - a comfortable interior, low running costs, generous specification, for example – but it is outright passenger and load space that often trumps all strengths.
Fortunately, there are myriad cars out there that make practicality a priority whether you’re keen on a hatchback, a saloon, an SUV or a people-carrier.
So, here The Taxi Centre has our top picks that are ‘booted’ to suit you
Skoda Octavia
Boot Space (Hatchback): 600 litres (seats up), 1555 litres (seats down)
Boot Space (Estate): 640 litres (seats up), 1700 litres (seats down)
The modern-day Skoda Octavia has come a very long way since the nameplate returned to the market in 1996.
Back 30 years ago, Skoda’s interpretation of the Volkswagen Golf platform was reimagined as being less of a compact hatchback and more of a mid-sized family car. In fact, it was only marginally smaller than a Volkswagen Passat.
By boasting the value of a smaller car with the interior room of a much bigger one, it made the Octavia an instant hit with taxi drivers, so much so that Skoda hasn’t messed too much with the formula ever since.
In that time, the Octavia has grown in size and is now equipped with a mammoth 600-litre boot. Importantly, however, it has taken a significant step in quality, reliability and dynamic prowess that – for many taxi drivers – makes it all the car you could ever need.
And if the standard hatchback isn’t big enough for you, there is also the larger Octavia Estate which boasts 640-litres of boot space.
Search Skoda Octavia Taxi Deals
Skoda Superb
Boot Space (Hatchback): 645 litres (seats up), 1795 litres (seats down)
Boot Space (Estate): 690 litres (seats up), 1920 litres (seats down)
If for whatever reason the Octavia just simply isn’t big enough for you, there is always the Skoda Superb, a more premium offering that has even more boot space.
The original model, launched in 2001, was based on a long-wheelbase version of the Volkswagen Passat that was only available in China. It offered executive levels of passenger room with a huge boot to match.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Superb found its niche as the ideal taxi with its luxuriant interior space and high-end specification list, especially among those acquainted with the strengths of the Octavia.
Later generations of the Superb even come with a nifty ‘liftback’ body style, which gives the visual of a big-booted saloon, but with a tailgate that can open as a more practical hatchback.
Today, the Skoda Superb has never been more accomplished and has a plethora of awards to match. Indeed, publications have raved about the Superb in a number of areas, but none more so than when praising the huge 645-litre boot (690-litres in estate trim).
Search Skoda Superb Taxi Deals
Toyota Corolla Touring Sports
Boot Space: 596 litres (seats up), 1606 litres (seats down)
While SUVs have come to sound the death knell for conventional estates in the motoring industry, a small number of manufacturers have remained steadfast to fulfil their enduring appeal certain segments – such as taxi drivers.
One such manufacturer is Toyota, which has – and will continue to – offer an estate-version of its venerable Corolla.
Rebranded Toyota Corolla Touring Sports to give it a lifestyle edge, the Corolla Estate takes the many well-liked qualities of the standard hatchback and reframes them in a more practical body.
It’s a worthwhile endeavour for Toyota, with the Corolla Touring Sports offering up to 596-litres of boot space. This is vastly more than the 361-litres available in the hatchback.
Coupled with the Corolla’s self-charging hybrid powertrain, bulletproof reliability record and top-notch quality, it’s little wonder the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports is so sought after among taxi drivers.
Search Toyota Corolla Taxi Deals
Nissan X-Trail
Boot Space: 120 litres (7-seats up), 585 litres (5-seats up), 1396 (seats down)
There aren’t many cars out there that have the capability to offering a full seven seats, but the acclaimed Nissan X-Trail ranks as one of them.
Having an extra couple of pews for additional passenger capacity speaks for itself and allows the X-Trail to appeal to taxi drivers who might be prone to transporting up to six more people.
If this isn’t a regular occurrence though, the X-Trail can also be an incredibly practical five-seater once the rearmost pair of seats are folded into the boot floor.
As a space large enough to accommodate an extra row of chairs, removing them means you’re left with just a large space – 585-litres to be exact, growing to 1396-litres when you drop the second row.
Beyond that, the X-Trail offers attractive styling, a lofty driving position, high-quality interior and a clever four-wheel drive hybrid system.
Search Nissan X-Trail Taxi Deals
Volkswagen Caddy Maxi
Boot Space: 629 litres (7-seats up), 1452 litres (5-seats up), 2265 litres (seats down)
For outright cargo carrying capacity, you can’t go wrong with a van.
So, it’s little wonder that vans that have been converted for passenger-carrying capabilities are so popular with taxi drivers.
Better still, buying a van-based people-carrier doesn’t have to mean a big, boxy vehicle as demonstrated by the Volkswagen Caddy Maxi, which is shorter than a VW Passat, for instance.
The Maxi is based on the long-wheelbase Caddy Maxi Cargo, which is not only big enough to fit a full seven seats but all of their luggage too.
With the full seven seats in place, there is still a full 629 litres of boot space available but this swells to a massive 1452 litres when converted into a regular five-seat car.
Search Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Taxi Deals
Hyundai IONIQ 5
Boot Space: 527 litres (seats up), 1587 litres (seats down)
The advent of electric vehicles has led to manufacturers adopting a variety of different solutions of how to build models around battery cells instead of a conventional internal combustion engine.
However, one of the first brands to pull off the many challenges posed by electric power was Hyundai with its multi award-winning IONIQ 5.
Blurring the lines between compact hatchback, large family car and chunky-SUV, the genre-busting Hyundai IONIQ 5 has gone a long way to proving electric cars can be designed to flourish in other areas beyond low running costs and clean emissions.
With its battery located under the car, it helps open the IONIQ 5 up to a huge interior with masses of rear head and legroom, while the well-judged interior isn’t incumbered by a chunky centre console.
At the back, the IONIQ 5 opens-up a large 527-litre boot, while those that need a bit of extra space can find some useful litres in the ‘frunk’ (front trunk) where the engine would traditionally be.
Search Hyundai IONIQ 5 Taxi Deals
Ford Capri
Boot Space: 572 litres (seats up), 1505 litres (seats down)
While you wouldn’t necessarily have had the original Ford Capri down as standard-setting model for practicality, the latest generation very much has interior and boot space at the forefront of its design.
Truthfully, beyond the evocative revived nameplate, there is precious little linking the Capri of old with today’s reimagining, which is positioned entirely differently – arguably to its detriment if you happen to remember coveting the sleek original way back when.
And yet, by taking the modern-day Ford Capri for what it is, it emerges as an entirely attractive taxi proposition on practicality alone.
Though it has a coupe-esque shape to its four-door profile, the electric-only Capri offers a vast amount of interior room for driver and passengers, both leg and headroom.
Better still, it has one of the biggest boots out there with a full 572-litres on offer, which increases to 1505-litres with the seats down.
Renault Rafale
Boot Space: 539 litres (seats up), 1709 litres (seats down)
As the manufacturer that popularised not only the multi-purpose vehicle (Espace) but also the mini multi-purpose vehicle (Scenic), it is no surprise that practicality and space are traits Renault have continued to maintain with its most modern offerings.
In fact, the electric Renault Scenic and Renault Austral SUV could have easily filled this spot, but we have plumped for the striking-looking Renault Rafale coupe-SUV as a top draw taxi option.
For one, it will turn heads on the taxi rank with its sleek shape and accentuated front-end features.
With a similar profile to that of the Ford Capri, while you might expect the tapered roofline to eat into passenger room, it actually doesn’t, with the Rafale offering generous head and legroom for three passengers in the back.
Moreover, there is a well sized 539-litre boot hitting under the lid, which is on a par with the similar length Scenic and Austral.
Where the Rafale has both – and most other cars – beaten is the size of its boot when the seats are lowered. It opens up to a full 1704-litres, which is larger than its stablemates.
Search Renault Rafale Taxi Deals
Buy A New Taxi at The Taxi Centre
From SUVs to family cars to executive saloons, The Taxi Centre’s used stock will have the right taxi at the right price for you.
At The Taxi Centre, we want to help you find the best new taxi deal possible.
We offer a selection of taxi finance options to help cover the costs of your new taxi in a way that suits your budget. Just one of the many benefits you get when buying a taxi direct from us.
We offer Hire Purchase (HP) on all of our new taxi, as well as Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) for specific models.