Updated at: 25-05-2022 - By: Lucas

This article will tell you about the different kinds of Uber cars, so you’ll know what to order.

Uber is a ride-hailing company that was started in 2009, and its taxi app with the same name is well-known. As of December 2018, Uber was available in more than 700 cities in 63 countries around the world. It also had 91 million platform users who used it every month and 3.9 million drivers.

Since it started, Uber has changed the way people think about transportation by making it more fun, cheaper, and easier to use. Getting somewhere should be easy, whether you’re running an errand across town, going to an airport, or exploring a city far from home.

The 7 Uber Car Types Explained

Uber has a wide range of cars, from basic to high-end. You can ask for a specific type of ride based on your own needs if you have a few options to choose from. Having different ways to share a ride takes care of problems. For instance, if you and your friends or family want to go into town in an SUV, you won’t end up trying to fit into a sports car.

Some people, especially those who are new to Uber, may find these different ride options confusing. This guide will help you figure out which ride is right for you if you aren’t sure. Here are the different ways you can share a ride.

1. UberX

UberX

The most popular rideshare option for riders is UberX, which is the standard Uber ride. Most of the cars that are part of this service are sedans like the Honda Accord, the Mazda3, the Chevy Impala, the Ford Fusion, etc. When you choose this rideshare option, most of the uncertainty that comes with asking for a ride is taken away. This is why:

At least four people must be able to fit in an UberX car.

A sedan or SUV with four doors is the only kind of car that can be used as an Uber X ride.

Also, the type of car that responds to an Uber X ride request must meet other Uber car requirements, like an age limit for the car. But the age limit for an UberX is different in each city and can change at Uber’s discretion.

UberX prices may change depending on where you live, how many riders are looking for rides, traffic, discounts, traffic jams, or other things. But basically, the base rate plus the per-minute or per-mile rate is added to the base rate to figure out the price up front.

UberX summary

Transports 1-4 passengers (excluding the driver)

Most of the time, 4-door sedans

UberXL

UberXL is a ride for groups of five to six people who need to get somewhere. If you ask for this ride, the driver will likely be in a minivan or SUV like a Ford Explorer, Honda Pilot, or Hyundai Santa Fe.

UberXL is also a good choice if you have a lot of luggage or want to spread out a bit during the ride. Different cities have different rules about how old a car must be for Uber XL. In Virginia, for example, uber vehicles must be 15 years old or less. On the other hand, in Washington, DC, they shouldn’t be older than ten years.

UberXL summary

Share a ride in a minivan or SUV

It’s comfortable for six people.

2. UberPool

The idea of carpooling has been updated with UberPool. In this version, however, Uber takes care of all the scheduling details for pick-up and drop-off. If you ask for an UberPool, Uber will look at the routes that are already in use in the area. And if another rider is in the same general area or going the same way, Uber combines your rides and gives you both the savings.

When compared to UberX prices, UberPool riders usually save between 40% and 55% on a single ride. Both ways of sharing a ride require the same kind of car. The ride time is what makes the difference. When Uber combines two routes into one, the ride time for both passengers can go up by a lot.

Uberpool also has a limit on how many people can ride. Riders who ask for the service can only bring one other person along. The rule makes sure that everyone has enough room on the trip. You can save a lot of money by using Uberpool, but you never know who else will be in the car with you.

UberPool is different from other ride-sharing services offered by Uber because:

There are several stops along the way. Uber looks for riders who are going in the same direction as you to fill the other seats.

It takes a little longer because you have to pick up and drop off more than one person, and their pick-up and drop-off points may be different from yours. Try uberX if you’re in a hurry.

It’s better to get there before your driver. If you time your ride right, no one will have to wait, which will save time.

The destination can’t be changed. Once your trip has started, the driver has to stay on course because it helps him or her figure out which other ride requests to take and the best way to get there.

You can only request a ride for yourself and one other person. If you want to request a ride for you and two other people or have extra luggage, you need to request an UberX or UberXL.

UberPool summary

Service for carpools

carries up to four people

Uses sedans

3. Uber SUV

Uber SUV

Not every day is a good day to carpool. Sometimes you want a bit of style and a bit of room. Uber Black SUVs are the way to go if you wake up feeling like a rock star. This fancy version of UberXL uses luxury SUVs to get your whole group where they need to go.

High-end cars like the Cadillac Escalade, the Infiniti QX80, the Lincoln Navigator, and the Hummer will make you feel like a million bucks. Both the inside and outside should be black and in great shape. In some cities, you can only get an Uber SUV if your car is less than a certain age. For example, in New York, Uber will start enforcing a 5-year rolling minimum vehicle year (2015 or later by 2020) for both UberBlack and Uber Black SUV on January 1, 2020.

Uber Black SUV has different driver requirements than other Uber services, which is another thing that sets it apart. Drivers who want to get ride requests from Black SUV users and accept them must be registered as a business and have business insurance. But, hey, if you drive people around in a Cadillac Escalade ESV, you probably want high-level insurance coverage anyway, right? Uber Black is a lot more expensive than the other Uber rideshare services that most people use.

Uber Black SUV summary

1-6 riders

Luxury SUVs

Black on the outside and inside

4. Uber Black

You can’t go wrong with an Uber Black for a black-tie event, a classy date, or a business dinner. Bring this all-black Uber service car to that important event to make a strong impression. Cars like the Maserati Quattroporte, Lexus LS, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and others will definitely make an impression.

Like with the Uber SUV, drivers who want to take Uber Black rides must update their registration and insurance to the commercial level. But in some cities, this is something that all Uber drivers must do. The same is true for UberBlack drivers: they need airport permits. Even though Uber Black is not as expensive as Uber Black SUV, it is still very expensive.

Uber Black summary

Seats 4 passengers

Black on the inside and outside

People who work as drivers

Uber Select

Want a ride like Uberx, but with a little more style? Uber Select will not let you down. For a car to qualify as an Uber Select, it has to look like a high-end sedan. We are talking about cars like BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Cadillac, etc. The cars’ interiors should be made of leather or vinyl.

If Uber Select is available in your city and you decide to try it out, you can expect a 4-door car, a highly-rated driver, and a higher-than-usual fare price that is still affordable. Uber Select is not yet available in every state, and in San Francisco, vehicles with a third row of seats cannot be used for Select.

Uber Select summary

4-door luxury sedan

seats up to four people

Drivers with good ratings

5. Uber Express Pool

Uber Express Pool

Uber Express Pool is the same as Uber Pool, but there is no door-to-door service. When you choose Uber’s cheapest option, you’ll have to walk some, but you’ll save a lot of money.

How to use Express Pool:

Request and wait for your pickup spot

Once you confirm the ride, you’ll have to wait a few extra minutes so that Uber can find riders along your route. Then, they’ll figure out the best route and tell you where to meet your driver.

Walk to your pickup spot

When you walk to a corner, you help the driver avoid detours, which speeds up the pickups. Walk to where the driver will pick you up before he or she gets there so you don’t make everyone wait.

Walk to your destination

Uber will choose a good place to drop you off so you don’t have to walk too far to get where you need to go.

Uber Express Pool summary

The rider walks to and from the spots where they are picked up and dropped off.

6. Uber Lux

The most expensive Uber ride you could order is the Uber Lux. Only the best luxury cars on the market are offered in the ride option. Cars like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the Audi A8, the Porsche Panamera, and the Lexus LS. All of the cars that are used for the Uber Lux service must be full-size luxury cars. Uber Lux drivers are the best, and they have to get a business licence and insurance.

Uber Lux summary

Full-size luxury vehicles

seats up to four people

People who work as drivers

7. Uber WAV

Uber WAV

People who use motorised wheelchairs or scooters can ask for a wheelchair-accessible vehicle in certain cities (WAV). A third party verifies that WAV drivers know how to drive safely and help people with disabilities.

Don’t worry that a WAV ride will cost you a lot of money. The cost of the ride is the same as it would be with UberX, which is the standard option.

To use the Uber app:

Create an account

To make an account, you’ll need a phone number and an email address that works. Then, you can ask for a ride through the Uber website or the Uber app on your phone. To get the app, go to the Apple App Store or, if you have an Android phone, Google Play.

Enter your destination

Using a feature called “geolocation,” Uber can figure out where you are. All you have to do is type your destination into the “Where to?” box. The app will then suggest a pickup point and ask you to confirm it before sending your ride request to a nearby Uber driver.

Meet your assigned driver

You’ll be asked to choose what kind of car will pick you up. You might only need a small car to get yourself around. Or you might need a bigger car to move more than one person. We’ll talk more about this soon. Once you choose the kind of car you want, a driver will be sent to pick you up. You can track their arrival on a map to know when they’re getting close, so you can be at the meeting place on time.

Check your ride

Before you get in the car when your ride comes, make sure it’s the right car and the right driver. Match the licence plate, car make and model, and driver’s photo to the information on the app. Don’t get in the car if the information you were given doesn’t match the car or the driver.

Buckle up, sit back, and enjoy the ride

Once you get where you’re going, it’s easy to pay for your fare. Depending on where you live, there are different ways to pay. You could pay cash or use something else, like a credit card or your Uber Cash balance.

Rate your driver

At the end of each trip, you can give your driver a rating between 1 and 5 stars. After you give a rating, you will be able to leave a tip. But you can give cash directly to the driver as a tip.

Conclusion

Uber’s rideshare services are only available in certain places. Because of this, some of the options in this article might not be available to you. In the same way, the article may not talk about some Uber services that are available in your country, state, or city. So, go to https://www.uber.com/global/en/cities/ for more information about the types of Uber cars where you are.

I hope this article has taught you what you need to know to use Uber in a fun way. Try out Uber if you haven’t already. I’ve used it a lot and had great conversations with local drivers who knew a lot about where to eat and what to see while I was there.