In Great Britain, Uber offers five classes of service to its customers. These range from its most popular flagship the UberX, all the way up to Uber Lux and Uber XL.
Most rideshare drivers opt for UberX as the area where they’ll operate, and Uber has rules on which vehicles it will accept for this service in the UK. You can see the full details here, but the guidelines are simple:
1. There must be a model year of the vehicle that is 10 years or newer.
2. It must have four doors or be a minivan.
3. It must be in good condition with no cosmetic damage
4. It must have no commercial branding.
5. Vehicles that have been salvaged or rebuilt are not allowed.
6. Should pass a vehicle inspection.
In London there are additional rules set by TFL, but otherwise, given the variety of vehicles that Uber will accept for UberX, you’ve got a great range to choose from. With London moving toward hybrid and electric cars and the rest of the UK gradually making the change, we’ve got some great planet-friendly options.
We’ve looked at all the new cars currently available in the UK and narrowed them down to the top ten for driving UberX. Read on to see which wheels you’ll want.
Get your Private hire, or TLC insurance sorted.
What do the most popular Uber cars have in common?
1. Good Fuel Economy
Every car has one large running cost: the fuel required to drive it. It doesn’t matter if it has a petrol engine, an electric one, or a hybrid system. The advantages and disadvantages of each category make them suitable for different uses, but one thing is clear, the more you convert to total electricity, the lower your daily energy bills will be.
Therefore, we have compiled a list of the best cars with an average of 50-60mpg to help you save on fuel costs.
2. Strong Resale Value
All cars depreciate over time, so their value drops when they leave the dealership. While depreciation is closely linked to mileage and age, different models depreciate at different rates no matter how much you drive.
According to Autocar, Mini models have the strongest resale value, followed by Audi and Volkswagen. Here is the Top 13 brands list.
3. Affordable Insurance
Did you know that Uber doesn’t directly offer insurance in the UK for their drivers? Uber drivers are also not covered by their regular car insurance in case of an accident.
In these expensive and uncertain times, it can be hard to know who to trust with your money.
That’s where we come in. INSHUR are the selected insurance partner of Uber and provide competitive prices according to your specified needs for your insurance.
We are more than just car insurance. Vehicle Cost, Public Liability, Parcel/Package cost, all of this is covered for you by us. Get yourself a quote and get insured within minutes Now!
Top 10 Cars For UberX in the UK
Uber X is Uber’s economy fare option, offering standard rates per ride. We’ve put together a list of the best vehicles currently on the market that we think will be the perfect partner. Though you won’t find a Mercedes S Class here (keep that for Uber Lux), these cars should keep your passengers riding in style.
First, Our Top 5
1. Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid
Pros: Roomy with excellent acceleration
Cons: Electric battery range on the lower side at just 28 miles.
Still in our top spot, it’s the hybrid that finally knocked long-time champion Prius from pole position. The Hyundai Ioniq is available as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or all-electric, offers excellent comfort, and better-than-Prius styling. While the rear seats fit three, whoever sits in the middle will not be uncomfortable. While the cargo space is shallow despite the car’s width, the hybrid’s petrol and electric motors scoot this car forwards like no other. Expect mpg of around 60 per petrol gallon equivalent when using both power sources. On batteries only, that will leap to 90mpg, with a range of 28 miles. The Ioniq Hybrid is truly the car to beat!
Cost: From £24,000
Mileage: 50-60 MPG Combined
Engine: 1.6L Petrol Electric
Gearbox: 6 Speed Auto
Seats: 5
Cargo Capacity: Average
Comfort: Good
Speed: Faster than a Prius, but no Mustang
Styling: Slick, but nothing extraordinary
Warranty: 5 years unlimited mileage
Best Option: 1.6L GDi Hybrid Premium 5 Door DCT
2. Toyota Prius Hybrid
Pros: Sprightly, with impressive MPG and Toyota’s excellent support
Cons: Boot is on the smaller side, similar models on market are priced better
Even in its latest form, the Prius is still a bit of an ugly duckling, but for UberX, it’s a great choice. Ideal for urban driving, its first-class petrol/electric power mix gives impressive mpg. Combine that with sprightly performance, decent turning circle, roomy interior and a flat floor, and you have a car that’s an obvious choice for Uber drivers. However, the rear view is hampered by the split screen, and the boot is not as big as you’d hope. The Business Edition, at around £28,000, may cost more than some of its petrol or diesel rivals, but despite this the Prius holds its value well and benefits from Toyota’s excellent maintenance support.
Cost: From £25,000
Mileage: 50-65 MPG Combined
Engine: 1.8L Petrol Electric
Gearbox: CVT Automatic
Seats: 5
Cargo Capacity: Average
Comfort: Good
Speed: Average, acceptable for the city
Styling: Not a favourite
Warranty: 3/5 years
Best Option: 1.8 VVT-i Business Edition AT
3. Skoda Octavia
Pros: Roomy interior, 0-60 in 8 seconds
Cons: Less warranty than the competition, fossil fueled
The Octavia is the fossil-fuelled car to take on the hybrids with a lower price and bigger space inside and in the boot. In petrol form, the 1.5litres 148 horsepower engine will propel this roomy vehicle to 60mph in around 8 seconds, which isn’t too shabby! Add in an extendable warranty and 12 years of body protection, and it’s easy to see why this is currently the number one choice for Uber drivers across the UK.
Cost: From £20,000
Mileage: 55 MPG Combined
Engine: 1.5L Petrol
Gearbox: Semi-Automatic
Seats: 5
Cargo Capacity: Good
Comfort: Good
Speed: Punchy when you pull away
Styling: Clean and imposing
Warranty: 3 years, 60,000 miles
Best Option: 1.5 TSI SE 5 Door DSG
4. Peugeot e-208 Electric (all Options available)
Pros: Excellent for daily use, fast charging
Cons: Small interior
If you’re looking for a nifty little electric car, consider the Peugeot e-208. It boasts a better mile range than competitors the Honda e and Mini Electric, looks cooler and is more practical for daily use. The e-208 has great specs and recovers 80% in 30 mins, as well as allowing you to choose petrol, diesel, or electric. This e-208 is a sweet supermini. Our one downside is that it’s not terribly roomy, this is no Tardis!
Cost: From £20,000
Mileage: Around 225 miles per full charge
Engine: Electric
Gearbox: Automatic
Seats: 5
Cargo Capacity: Not too big, not too small
Comfort: Good
Speed: 0-100mph in 8.1sec
Styling: Looks Sleek
Warranty: 8 years 160,000km
Best Option: e-208
5. Toyota Corolla Hybrid
Pros: The best low-cost hybrid on the market
Cons: Could do with bigger interior, visibility can be hampered
The Corolla has long been a bestseller in the UK and the jump to Hybrid makes it an even better choice. From the same people who brought you the Prius, the Corolla costs less, but you do get what you pay for. As a result the Corolla hybrid feels cheaper inside and out than its teardrop-shaped sibling, this car is no beauty queen!
However, in all other respects, the Corolla is comparatively similar to either the Ioniq or the Prius, with decent handling, performance and passenger/cargo space. It is still the best, low-cost hybrid on the market. Like the other hybrids, the neat petrol/electric power source will move this car along at a swift pace, however it does suffer in visibility and interior space.
Cost: From £23,000
Mileage: 65 MPG Combined
Engine: 1.8L Petrol Electric
Gearbox: CVT Automatic
Seats: 5
Cargo Capacity: Good
Comfort: Better than basic range cars
Speed: Swift as you would expect
Styling: Not as clunky as the Prius but still chunky
Warranty: 3/5 years
Best Option: 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid Icon 5 Door CVT
The Best of the Rest
6. Hyundai Kona Electric
Pros: Low running costs, extra safety features
Cons: Compact interior, exterior leaves a lot to be desired!
With somewhat of a Marmite exterior (do you love it or hate it?), the Hyundai Kona is nevertheless one of the most affordable electric cars shaking up the electric vehicle race. A rival to the Nissan Juke (another “Marmite” contender!), the Kona is compact and inexpensive to run. It’s almost silent with light loads and, as such, comes with Hyundai’s ‘Virtual Engine Sound System’, which emits imitation engine noise at nearby cars and pedestrians at low speeds as a safety feature. Ideal for stopping and starting in a city!
Cost: From £27,500
Mileage: Around 280 miles per full charge
Engine: Electric
Gearbox: Automatic
Seats: 5
Cargo Capacity: A little on the snug side
Comfort: Average
Speed: 0-60mph in 6.7sec
Styling: An edgy upgrade on the Nissan Juke’s unique look
Warranty: 5 years unlimited mileage
Best Option: 39 kWh Kona Electric SE
7. Skoda Kodiaq
Pros: Excellent build quality that we’ve come to expect from VW
Cons: Heavy to drive
Skoda’s second entry is in our top ten and the best all-around SUV for UberX. The Kodiaq boasts high build quality (thank you, VW) and suitable materials for the money, along with excellent high position visibility and outstanding mpg for an SUV. The 148hp 1.5L petrol pushes the SUV along quickly, however a dragster this ain’t! With tons of space inside and a large boot area to handle multiple suitcases, this is a perfect choice for those jet-setting passengers! If you like a big, sturdy car, this is the one to go for.
Cost: From £25,000
Mileage: 46 MPG
Engine: 1.5L Petrol
Gearbox: Automatic
Seats: 5
Cargo Capacity: Excellent
Comfort: Excellent
Speed: A bit heavy but more than enough power
Styling: Looks more costly than it is
Warranty: 3 years, 60,000 miles
Best Option: 1.5 TSI SE 5dr DSG
8. Ford Focus (all options available)
Pros: A long-time favourite choice, workhorse
Cons: Styling leaves a lot to be desired, cargo capacity on the small side
Incredibly the popularity of the Ford Focus hasn’t dimmed since its first introduction to the market in 1998. Does it have the most glamour? Nope. Is it the most intriguing? Probably not. But is it a wise decision? You bet. Smooth handling and great suspension make the Focus a great choice for the daily driver. Engine-wise, you have the freedom to choose from the petrol, diesel, or electric model.
Download the Ford app and you can even remote lock, find your car and check your fuel.
Cost: From £20,460
Mileage: 50-55 MPG
Engine: 1.0L
Gearbox: Automatic
Seats: 5
Cargo Capacity: Little on the smaller side
Comfort: Excellent
Speed: 0-60mph in 4.7sec
Styling: Looks Average
Warranty: 3 years 36,000 miles
Best Option: Ford Focus Titanium
9. KIA Proceed Hybrid
Pros: Reasonable running costs, stylish looks
Cons: Decent speed, average comfort that doesn’t quite live up to the hype.
Kia’s Proceed is all grown up! Once a small coupe, it’s now a small but stylish estate. Competing with the brand’s Ceed Sportswagon estate, the Proceed’s swoopier ‘shooting brake’ styling creates a ‘Fastback’ look with a ‘want one factor. As well as this, Kia promises that the drive dynamics will be just as stylish. A compact yet spacious estate that doesn’t act like one, the Proceed is nicely finished, practical, and reasonably priced to run. It’s an estate for people who wouldn’t normally consider one. We think that that makes the Proceed a very appealing prospect.
Cost: From £26,500
Mileage: 80.7 MPG with hybrid assist
Engine: 1.5L Diesel Electric
Gearbox: Manual
Seats: 5
Cargo Capacity: Good
Comfort: Average
Speed: Good but lacking torque
Styling: Cool with aerodynamic lines
Warranty: 5 years or 100,000 miles
Best Option: Renault Scenic dCi 110 Hybrid Assist Dynamique S
10. Skoda Scala
Pros: Roomy interior, great cargo space, pulling power and good MPG
Cons: Too similar to other offerings from Skoda, basic trim and smaller engine
Lastly but by no means least, the Skoda Scala is positioned as an entry-level estate car. Unfortunately, the salespeople at Skoda seemed to have been confused about the pricing. Should you opt for the 115hp SE to get a little power and an auto gearbox, you’re getting close to Octavia country. It’s this that has landed the Scala at number 10 on our list. Otherwise, despite the basic plastic trim, this one is roomy, has great cargo space and looks pretty good. Its small, 1.0-litre turbo will never cut it as a speedster, but around town, it has decent pulling power and good mpg. If you fancy something new, you’d be hard pressed to beat a Scala.
Cost: From £17,000
Mileage: 41 MPG Combined
Engine: 1.0L Turbo Petrol
Gearbox: Automatic
Seats: 5
Cargo Capacity: Good
Comfort: Good
Speed: About 10 seconds 0-60…
Styling: It is an estate, but it looks good
Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles
Best Option: SE TSI 115hp
Bonus Pick
11. Volkswagen Polo
Pros: New zesty colours, affordably priced
Cons: Automatic gearbox, smaller engine
A bonus for sticking around and reading to the end! The new VW Polo has some fresh styling tweaks inspired by the latest Golf. Long competing with Ford giants the Festa and the Focus, the Polo remains a solid choice. There are new colours to be had too (vibrant purple is my favourite)! No matter which Polo you choose, you will get the classiest supermini from entry-level up to rapid GTI. The Polo is also the third best-selling car of 2021, so you really can’t go wrong here.
Cost: From £18,000
Mileage: 53-55 MPG
Engine: 1.0L
Gearbox: Automatic
Seats: 5
Cargo Capacity: Good
Comfort: Great
Speed: 0-100 in 9.97sec
Styling: Looks terrific (especially the purple one)
Warranty: 4 years/100,000 miles
Best Option: Polo TDI
To conclude…
In conclusion, you really can’t beat the Hyundai Ioniq for style, drive and eco credentials. The Prius has always been hard competition to beat, but in our opinion, the Ioniq has done it.
THE HIGHLIGHTS:
Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid
Toyota Prius Hybrid
Skoda Octavia
Peugeot e-208 Electric
Toyota Corolla Hybrid
Hyundai Kona Electric
Skoda Kodiaq
Ford Focus
Kia ProCeed Hybrid
Skoda Scala Estate
Volkswagen Polo
SOURCES:
Uber
Vehicle rules
Stats
General stats
Ride classifications
Cars
