If you set out to build the perfect taxicab, you’d have two options. The first is to realize the British have already done it, and the result is the perfect-for-its-task London taxi. In fact, we’re beginning to see a few in service here.

The only problem is the cost; it’s high for two reasons. One is the low value of the dollar vs. the pound sterling. The other is the high costs/low volume of production of London taxis.

So let’s design option two. We know it won’t be much like the Ford Crown Victoria used by most cabbies in San Francisco. The Fords last a long time — 300-400,000 miles is not uncommon. But a car today gets dog-eared and banged up long before it’s worn out. The Ford meets one design objective — it’s durable; and it’s relatively cheap to buy. But consider these shortcomings:

1) It’s big without being space efficient
2) It’s not economical, of fuel, tires, or brakes
3) It’s uncomfortable to enter or exit, and not very comfortable once you’re seated
4) It occupies a huge amount of street space in a crowded, compact city

There are at least three types of cab uses — short city trips, airport trips, and special handicapped-version needs.

Basic minivans have been adapted to serve the handicapped. The result is a spacious, useful, economical vehicle. Minivans are being used in many cities as the cab of choice. They’re space efficient, much easier to enter and exit than the Fords of today, and have good and easily accessible luggage space. The high roof makes for comfortable seating, much like those London cabs. Minivans would be great airport cabs.

There’s a whole new generation of mini-minivans coming out. Last year we reviewed the Scion, Toyota’s severely boxy, but oddly stylish new “people conveyance.” It’s tall, square and comfortable. I saw one being used as a taxi up in Ukiah the other day. I thought it would be a perfect cab for all those in-city taxi rides. A Scion xB is almost four feet shorter than a typical sedan taxi. It’s narrower, makes a tighter U-turn (though not as tight as those London taxis), and uses almost no fuel.

A Chrysler PT Cruiser would work too, and there are other possibilities coming.

A New Standard of Value

In a recently-released tabulation of new car reliability, the Hyundai Sonata was the top-finishing individual model, while Toyota’s Subaru was the top-rated brand. Those Japanese brands always seem to finish at the top of these surveys, closely followed by other Asian brands. That’s been driving the American and European car companies crazy. But now, the bargain-priced Korean pipped the top-drawer Lexus and Infiniti brands.

I decided to try a KIA, and selected the Spectra 5 model, a short, tall, inexpensive, five-door hatchback. The KIA is part of the Korean Hyundai group, which has announced its intention to be the #5 auto company worldwide within the next few years. Their rapidly-increasing sales suggest they could achieve their goal.

It’s easy to see their strategy with this KIA: high quality, low cost, long warranty. For starters, it’s not very expensive — $15,500, and its quality is quickly evident. Nothing looks or feels cheap. Nothing sloppy, either. Everything fits just right. My car came with lots of options included at that price; major things like a 10 year/100,000 mile warranty, stereo, CD, power windows and door locks, power steering, alloy wheels, 4-wheel disc brakes, a leather-wrapped steering wheel. You don’t even want to read the entire list — it’s really long.

Driving the car a few hundred miles only strengthened the initial observations. This efficient car is precision made, quiet, stable and fast. My everyday car is a $40,000 European. I asked myself what it had that the KIA didn’t. The answer:

1) Leather interior
2) Sunroof
3) Prestige
4) 6 speeds vs. 5
5) Not quite as good a radio

If the leather is worth $1500, the sunroof $1000, and six speeds over 5 about $500, more than $20,000 is still unaccounted for. Oh — I have a spiffy stainless steel-looking luggage rack, too. And my seats are better-shaped.

Thirty-five years ago when I first acquired a Datsun (now Nissan) dealership, people laughed. A few years later I entered the Toyota business. Less laughter. No one in Detroit believed the reliability/longevity stories coming from West Coast Datsun and Toyota owners.

In sports-car racing, 240Z Datsuns were creaming Europe’s best, and the sales numbers increased every year. On every front, they moved ahead while the smart guys in Detroit laughed it off and thought we’d come to our senses.

The whole scenario is being repeated, except that Toyota, Nissan, and Honda are not complacent. My advice: don’t bet against KIA. And think what you could do with this mini as a cab. Cost: maybe half of a big Ford. Operating cost: probably another 50 percent saving. Space efficiency: no calculations necessary — the KIA wins again.

Mini-cabs could cruise main routes in the city, like the “pesero” cabs in Mexico City, providing jitney-like cab service at low cost. Shouldn’t we be thinking about something like this?