WhatsAppWhat are the best vehicles for PCO car hire?
Deciding to become a PCO driver opens up a whole load of different doors. You get to drive using any number of platforms, benefiting from a flexible, autonomous professional set up.
However, it’s important that you get yourself set up just right to maximally benefit from your experience. Part of that means finding the right vehicle for the job – let’s take a look at some of the main things to keep in mind, from comfort to safety.
What are the main restrictions?
Before we get onto the points to look out for, it’s worth mentioning some of the vehicles you’ll want to avoid. In particular, the main PCO driver app – UBER – has some restrictions on the vehicle you’re allowed to drive.
To operate using Uber, the car must be manufactured in 2008 or later if operating in London, 2006 or later for other locations. It must have at least 4 doors, or be a minivan, and must be able to legally carry at least 4 passengers.
Additionally, it must be in good condition, and not have any commercial branding. If any of the vehicles you’re considering don’t meet these basic requirements, then you’ll need to look at other options.
Comfort
If you’re working as a PCO driver full-time, then you will be spending a massive portion of your week in your vehicle. As a result, you’ll want that vehicle to be as comfortable as reasonably possible.
Comfort will also have an impact when it comes to the kinds of passengers you carry. For example, if you drive an exceptionally comfortable car – such as a luxury saloon – you’ll be able to command a much higher price as a premium driver.
Even as an UberX driver, the basic, economy option, you will still want to provide a basic level of comfort to your customers.
Fuel economy
As a professional driver, you will rack up tens of thousands of miles a year. As a result, even seemingly insignificant differences in fuel economy over shorter distances can end up saving – or costing – you thousands when multiplied out over the entire year.
While a decade ago, you had to trade off pretty much everything else to get good fuel economy, this is thankfully no longer the case. There are luxury and budget options alike that can help you keep costs as low as reasonably possible, often thanks to hybrid (often plug-in) setups.
Safety
While most modern cars are quite safe and built to exceptionally high standards nowadays, safety is still important to consider. If there are any features that make you feel more comfortable, such as lane control or other automated alert systems, then it’s worth factoring those into your search.
You can also look at safety ratings on websites like Euro NCAP for a detailed breakdown of how cars will fare in the unfortunate event of a crash.
Best models to go with
Below, we’ve gone through some of the best models for various PCO uses.
Toyota Prius
The Toyota Prius is an absolute classic PCO option. It’s highly reliable, with a good build quality, and offers a good level of comfort. In hybrid mode, you can expect to get over 50mpg; however, if you also use the plugin function, you can get up to over 100 MPGe (depending on how frequently you’re able to recharge between journeys of course).
With a Prius, you’ll be able to able to operate on UberX, but likely not on more luxurious levels or UberXL. On most other apps, you’ll be able to operate on their basic level, which is where you’ll get the highest volume of passengers in most cases.
View Toyota PCO Car Hire Options
2025 Mercedes 300e AMG Line
If you’re looking for a more luxurious model, then a classic option is a Mercedes 300e AMG Line. With this car, you’ll be able to operate at Uber Lux level (and comparable luxury levels on other apps), allowing you to command a much higher price per ride.
You’ll also find yourself driving in a much more comfortable environment, but there are some drawbacks of course. The car is a lot more expensive than something like a Prius, and at around 33 mpg combined, it’s not the most efficient.
That being said, if you’re able to charge the battery every 85 miles, you can get an MPGe of 470, which is astronomically low. You’ll need to consider how much you can afford initially, and whether or not you prefer that style of driving and clientele when making your decision.
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KIA Sorento 2
If you’re looking for something that’s a bit bigger, but doesn’t take too much of a hit in terms of MPG ratings, then the KIA Sorento 2 is a good option. Due to the fact that it’s a 7 seater, you’ll also be able to offer rides of UberXL and other larger ride options on different sites.
You’ll also be more set up for airport runs, with a bit more space compared to saloons and hatchbacks for bigger bags. It still offers a fuel efficiency of around 40 mpg, and more like 150+ MPGe if you’re regularly able to use the plugin function on the plugin hybrid model.
Trying different cars
If you’re hiring, rather than buying a car, then it could be perfectly possible to try a few different options over the months and years. Check that your contract doesn’t lock you in for an excessively long period of time, and then if you find that the car really doesn’t suit your needs, you can switch things up and try something else.
There are near countless options to choose between in today’s car market, with no option categorically better than the rest of the competition. That being said, the models listed above are great options for their respective categories, and have been tried and tested by countless PCO drivers in recent years. Make sure that you get them registered and insured properly, and take care of your own license, and then you should be good to go.