Which is more suitable for a Taxi: The Avanza or the Vios?

[Benji_DCP]

Any Taxi owner/operators out there willing to share their insights? I will be venturing again into this business after so many years, but my choices for vehicles are limited to the Avanza and Vios only. Since both the J models are almost equally priced, which makes for a better taxi between the two vehicles?

I am looking at durability, riding public's preference and LPG conversion at a later stage.

Thanks.

[vinj]

Avanza: Cargo space and height
Vios: Passenger comfort

I'd lean more on the Avanza for taxi purposes.

If you go LPG, i'd recommend the Greenfuel SGI Kits in the value for money stakes. It runs well with the Toyota EFI/VVTi engines and will give hardly any change in engine power. Then get a nice "audio box" fabricated to cover up the tank in the cargo bay.

[Mile2]

For me it would be Vios.

Riding public preference would be the Vios since it is car base not like Avanza that is more of MPV. Most taxi drivers avoids passengers with many baggage's anyway, and even Avanza taxi drivers do.

If the passenger has smelly baggage, the entire cabin of Avanza would be affected directly and that's why some passengers avoids taxi's that has no separate rear compartment.

If you will use it as city taxi, Vios would still be the best in terms of public preference and Fuel Efficiency. IMO

[redorange]

The rwd Avanza will be more sturdy in the long run as opposed to the fwd Vios. If you look at most taxis worldwide they prefer the rwd platform for this reason.

[niky]

The Avanza's ride comfort isn't that bad compared to the Vios. And the ability to carry many passengers is a bonus.

Plus... the extra size and weight of the Avanza doesn't seem to make it very thirsty compared to the Vios.

Sturdiness is in the eye of the beholder. The problem with the Vios and Corolla are soft shocks. The Avanza has a lot of rattles and thin sheet metal. Plus... it's unibody, not body-on-frame like the Innova... which would probably be much sturdier in the long run.

[james00112233]

I would go for avanza for space and, comfort also.

[Benji_DCP]

Thanks Tsikoteers for all your inputs!... It still really looks like a tough choice, since I only have the resource right now to invest in two units. Although I would not consider buying both, I would want have to have a common vehicle for later interchangeability of parts.

Btw do the Vios and Avanza use the same steel rims and tires?

As I drive along the Metro, I estimate an even split between the Avanza and Vios taxis that are on the road. Maybe the next step is to take a ride in these taxis and interview their drivers.

[kihtmaine]

I'll go for the vios rather than the Avanza or depends on you, 590,000 for the vios J compared to Avanza J na 593,000..

OT:
If you don't have a franchise I can assist you to have one just pm me.

[ARB]

avanza rims is 4-114 while the vios has 4-100 PCD. I would go for the avanza because it is RWD.

[LeOxe]

space-wise, i would go with the avanza but the ride quality especially on the 2nd row (no 3rd row for the taxi variant) is jittery but acceptable on the front row. the vios has a better ride quality but lesser space. any of the two is great for taxi business.

[ghosthunter]

For taxi purposes, I would probably go for the Avanza. Better headroom and bigger cargo area helps.

[Benji_DCP]

Thanks ARB! definitely wheels between the Vios and Avanza are not interchangeable. Having two of a kind vehicle already gives me a pair of brand new tires which I can use.

*khitmaine, If you are offering new taxi franchises, PM your contact details and I will call you.

Thanks.

[shadow3616931]

If I were you vios, kasi pag avanza baka gawing kargahan ng kung ano-ano yan ng mga driver mo, o kaya gawing parang FX sakyan 10 katao mag lagay sila jump seat sa likod kawawa naman yung avanza baka di tumagal. Alam mo naman mga driver para malaki kita nila papakontrata nila ng mahal para kargahan ng kahit ano kahit overloaded.

I guess thats the reason why R&E did not include avanza for their new taxis. Vios and Kia Rio lang.

[vinj]

If I were you vios, kasi pag avanza baka gawing kargahan ng kung ano-ano yan ng mga driver mo, o kaya gawing parang FX sakyan 10 katao mag lagay sila jump seat sa likod kawawa naman yung avanza baka di tumagal. Alam mo naman mga driver para malaki kita nila papakontrata nila ng mahal para kargahan ng kahit ano kahit overloaded.

I guess thats the reason why R&E did not include avanza for their new taxis. Vios and Kia Rio lang.

AFAIK there's a ruling on the taxis that they can only fit up to 5 pax (incl. the driver). That's why the Avanza taxi units dont have 3rd row seating.

[kihtmaine]

If I were you vios, kasi pag avanza baka gawing kargahan ng kung ano-ano yan ng mga driver mo, o kaya gawing parang FX sakyan 10 katao mag lagay sila jump seat sa likod kawawa naman yung avanza baka di tumagal. Alam mo naman mga driver para malaki kita nila papakontrata nila ng mahal para kargahan ng kahit ano kahit overloaded.

I guess thats the reason why R&E did not include avanza for their new taxis. Vios and Kia Rio lang.

Add ko lang about R&E sa kia rio, test run nila yun (30 units) pero in the end nag vios sila ulit cos of the lpg consumption "malakas" (sa amin kumukuha ang operator ng R&E).

[ronw123w124]

Avanza for me, mas suited kasi sa mga kalye nating sira-sira ang RWD.

[monterez]

Vios ka na lang. Hindi kasi masyado napapansin na taxi ang avanza, tignan mo yung ibang avanza na taxi meron nakalagay na "TAXI" or "TAXI PO ITO" sign sa side window. Hirap din yung iba sumakay sa avanza kasi mataas. Mas comfortable din pasahero mo kapag sa vios.

[miketejero]

when the Avanza Taxi first came out, people were skeptic about it, but if you look around nowadays, more and more avanza taxis are out on the streets..


i'd go for the avanza.

[vinj]

Vitignan mo yung ibang avanza na taxi meron nakalagay na "TAXI" or "TAXI PO ITO" sign sa side window.

I think that is more to inform would-be riders that the Avanza is a taxi and not a FX shuttle.

[tidus1203]

If I was the operator maybe Avanza, but if I was the commuter Vios ako...