Why is Honda a good choice for e-hailing services

E-hailing services like Lyft, Uber and Uber eats require a unique vehicle for their particular needs. There are a number of reasons why Honda’s product range and in particular the Amaze and Ballade are perfect for use in this segment.

Reliability

Globally and in South Africa Honda have a reputation for being reliable. This reputation has been built on decades of products that have given motorists hundreds of thousands of hassle free kilometres with only the minimal service and maintenance. This is a reputation that Honda has been able to uphold since the advent of e-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, thanks to well engineered, well built products.

These vehicles work day in and day out and need to be reliable as downtime means a complete loss of earnings. Operators in this segment quickly realised which vehicles are best suited for these specific needs through trial and error.

Powerful yet frugal engines

Honda has utilised technology such as i-VTEC, which was originally designed as a performance advantage and fine-tuned it to offer fuel saving benefits too. The result is a range of vehicles that offer great performance and excellent fuel consumption. This coupled with a vehicle that is well built yet lightweight presents further benefits for fuel consumption too.

The 1.2-litre engine in the Honda Amaze offers 66kW and 110Nm but will use only 6,7-litres per 100km. The 1,5-litre engine fitted to the Ballade offers 89kW and 145Nm and will use just 6,6 litres per 100km on the combined cycle.

Automatic gearbox

In the past automatic gearboxes were only found in bigger more expensive cars but in recent times they have made their way into smaller, more affordable cars. On going research and development of these gearboxes now also means that in many cases they offer a fuel saving benefit compared to that of a manual gearbox. Both the Amaze and Ballade are available with CVT gearboxes, which do a great job of keeping the engine in the sweet spot and in that way finding a great balance between performance and fuel consumption.

Less of a risk

The overall Honda car park has shrunk in the last ten years, which means that Honda vehicles are generally less in demand with criminals who steal vehicles for parts compared to the volume sellers in the market. The result is that Honda vehicles are a safer option for drivers who often work in less than ideal conditions such as unknown high crime areas and at night. Another advantage of this phenomenon is that insurance premiums are significantly lower than those of vehicles that are in demand with criminals.

Roomy, well-appointed interior

Most Honda products boast a roomy cabin in relation to the exterior dimensions of the vehicle, thanks to clever interior design and packaging. Hardwearing materials ensure that the vehicle remains comfortable and presentable despite heavy use. In addition boot space is generous, an important factor when transporting luggage and goods.

Meets the criteria

E-hailing services like Uber have a variety of criteria that vehicles need to comply with in order to qualify and be used as part of their service. These services prefer sedans such as the Honda maze and Ballade and vehicles are required to be fitted with safety technology such as ABS, driver and front passenger airbags, which is standard fitment across the Honda range.