Those big yellow Ford Crown Victoria sedans plying the streets of major cities and picking up passengers will soon become a thing of the past. For one, Ford no longer makes the Crown Victoria. For another, taxi fleets are looking for more efficient vehicles to get the job done.
Enter the Nissan NV200 Taxi
The Nissan NV200 is one answer that taxi fleets are responding with including in New York City where its adoption will soon become widespread. The Nissan NV200 Taxi is a compact model with a big interior, able to carry passengers in comfort and hold much luggage. Here are seven facts about Nissans Taxi:
1. It has a four-cylinder engine. Most taxis are powered by gas-gulping V-8 engines. The Nissan NV200 taxi is powered by a 2.0-liter four cylinder engine. Its 16-valve engine makes 131 horsepower with an output of 139 foot-pounds of torque. It is paired with a continuously variable transmission.
2. The taxi is front-wheel drive. Traditional vans have been rear-wheel drive, but the current crop of small- and medium-size vans are front-wheel drive. With front-wheel drive, the Nissan NV200 can provide more interior room, indeed more cabin space than the traditional rear-wheel drive taxi sedans.
3. There is room for five. Including the driver, the Nissan NV200 has room for five people. Three customers sit in the back and the fourth passenger rides up front with the driver, sitting in the passenger seat. Traditionally, most cabs have provided a separation between the driver and the passenger, but this arrangement makes it possible for larger groups of people to ride together. A rear cargo floor mat protects luggage, offering room equivalent to a sedans trunk.
4. It gets good gas mileage. New York cabbies are lucky to get 10 mpg when driving around town. They traditionally put a whopping 70,000 miles on their vehicles each year too. And with gasoline averaging $4 per gallon in NYC, thats 7,000 gallons of fuel costing $28,000 per year. The Nissan NV200 is rated at 24 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. Even if the taxi gets just 20 mpg, that fuel cost has been halved. Saving $14,000 on fuel annually should cause a lot of people to sit up and take notice. What is also noticeable is the corresponding reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
5. Passengers can see up as well as out. Driving down the cavernous streets of Manhattan, it is easy to miss much of the activity going on around you. With its standard panoramic roof, passengers can crane their heads upward to take in the sites including row upon row of skyscrapers. And if the natural lighting is too intense, a shade can be drawn to cover it all.
6. Connecting online is possible. Bluetooth wireless is standard with the Nissan NV200 taxi. That means passengers can continue with their business as they take the long trip in from LaGuardia to midtown Manhattan. Rear USB and 12-volt charging ports ensure that your devices never lack power.
7. Anti-microbial seats are standard. One complaint of taxi passengers has to do with cabin cleanliness. With so many people entering and leaving cabs each day, one or more is bound to make a mess. Germs are another matter altogether. Anti-microbial vinyl seating surfaces may not sound fancy, but they help do the job of ensuring that germs have no place to gather. They can easily be cleaned off too.
Safety Habits
Nissan has also equipped the NV200 taxi with a host of safety features including air bags, antilock brakes, and warning lights. Indeed, the dual sliding doors help eliminate collisions with cyclists, motorists and pedestrians by activating a warning light to alert other drivers.
See Also — Tiny Cargo Transporter: 2016 Nissan NV200
Nissan NV200 Taxi photos courtesy of Nissan.