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Top 5 Taxis on the Indian Roads

Indian Taxi market is a booming sector in the transport industry of India. It is evident that out of every five cars on Indian roads, two are taxis. Taxis have always had a special, nostalgic presence in every Indian’s psyche. Taxis are an integral part of the Indian automotive market. The origin of taxis in India has come a long way from bullock carts to horse-drawn-carriages, hand-pulled rickshaws to motorized auto rickshaws to fleet operated taxi cabs. A taxi is a means of public transport that could be hired, and allows a small number of passengers to travel together. There is a host of normal cars to luxurious cars that are being used as taxi in India. A luxury car, in the fast-developing India, such as a variant of Mercedes Benz, rented as a taxi, does not send shock waves, as it has already become a common sight. Majority of the companies now provide cab services to its employees. The cars with yellow number plates are making good business and there are a number of agencies that provide taxi services 24/7. A large variety of cars are now available as taxis. Now in Mumbai, the state government has brought out a new policy to completely replace the decades old taxis with new ones. And as a result of this, Hyundai Motors India Ltd handed over its entry level model, Santro, to the Mumbai Taxi union, and it will be here on seen painted in black and yellow colour. There are luxurious taxis that are devoted for airports and hotels, and most of them will be exclusively for the elite class. Name the car and it will be parked in front of the house for you to travel anywhere in the country.

Below listed are five cars that are been used as taxis:

Premier Padmini

This car is commonly seen painted in yellow and black plying on the streets of Mumbai as taxis. Premier Padmini was manufactured at the plant of Premier Automobile in Mumbai until 1997. It is powered by 1,089 cc engine and has great fuel efficiency. The car though is crampy, it still would seat four comfortably. But it is a city car and is apt for small distance travels. There was a time when only Premier Padmini and Ambassador adorned the Indian roads, in spite of the availability of many new models. Premier Padmini is been still used widely as taxi. Many of these taxis in Mumbai run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) for better fuel efficiency.

Hindustan Motors Ambassador

Hindustan Motors Ambassador has been once the most used car by the politicians in India, and it continues to be the means of conveyance for some of them. Despite being the favourite car of the ministers, it is seen mostly as taxis throughout the country. The full yellow paint Ambassador taxi is seen plying in the roads of Kolkata in large numbers. Indians, in the 1980s and 90s, didn’t have a variety of cars to choose from, and Ambassador won the hearts of many with its truly Indian looks. It is a fact that the new models of cars launched in India by companies from all over the world have dimmed the glorious phase of the Ambassador. It is the perfect match for the Indian roads. Literally.

Tata Indica

The Tata Indica diesel has become the broadly used car in the private transport sector of the country. In metropolitan cities, it has been used largely by companies for commuting their employees. The turbo-kit equipped version of Indica V2, Indica V2 Turbo is the most commonly used variant of Indica as taxi. Tata Indica is available in two models namely Indica V2 and Vista and has numerous variants.

Toyota Qualis

Even though Toyota Kirloskar Motors has phased out the production of Toyota Qualis, it is still among the commonly used taxis in the country. Qualis is a mighty MUV with 2.4-litre diesel engine that is naturally aspirated. It has great fuel efficiency and has a fuel-tank capacity of 53-litres. This is combined with latest safety features that will keep the passengers safe in any conditions. Toyota Qualis is found as taxis mostly in airports and railway stations because of its spacious interiors that will not only occupy eight to ten passengers depending on the variant but also has enough room for luggage. These MUVs are also used as corporate taxis, thanks to its huge seating capacity.

Mahindra-Renault Logan

Logan is a luxury sedan and one among the luxurious taxis of the country. Mahindra-Renault Logan was launched as a joint venture by Renault, the French automobile manufacturer, and Mahindra & Mahindra. It was largely criticized for its gaudy shape and was thought that it would never be accepted by the Indian car consumers. But its utilitarian approach and raw appeal made the car lovers of India to embrace it. The car is affordably priced and has good fuel efficiency. The car has very low maintenance cost and is not a burden on the car owner. Logan is built on Renault's space optimization design. Available in over 13 variants, it is the diesel version that is used as taxis. Logan taxis are mostly seen in Bangalore and Hyderabad.