After thinking for a few minutes about just how odd it would be to drive one, I decided, hey, why not?

So I soon had a taxi delivered to my doorstep; and it was my ride for the week.

NOT TOO SHABBY
First let me explain what I mean when I say taxi. Not the dingy little green sedans with bad upholstery that I remember from my youth -- Think more along the lines of a nice-sized work van fully decked out in bright yellow and black and with plenty of storage space in back for everyone's luggage.

I checked it out upon arrival; Front seat had a pretty basic setup -- nothing too glamorous but comfortable seating for driver and passenger. But once you got in the back of the taxi it’s quite a different tale -- as passengers are from from cramped and have a nice tech setup in front of them (complete with intercom and USB and 12-volt charging ports) to help the ride go by quicker.

I’ll just say it like this -- If I were to get picked up in a taxi this nice I wouldn’t be disappointed with the experience.

MY WEEK AS A CABBY

To answer the question on everyone’s mind, no I didn’t pick up any fares during my week in the taxi, though I’m pretty sure some people were about to offer me.

It was a bit of a sense of disbelief with some people -- (i.e. one lady at a drive-thru simply asking me; “Is that a New York City taxi?” as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“Yes it is” I answered, “Just testing it out”; then drove off as she probably thought I had stolen it and jumped over state lines.

In addition to direct encounters, I definitely stuck out like a sore thumb driving this bright yellow beast around Southeast Michigan -- I could see quite a few drivers gawking and doing double-takes, as this isn’t the type of cab they seem driving on the streets around here.

HOW WAS THE RIDE?
Putting aside the cab setup, I was essentially driving a cargo van -- the Nissan NV200 (probably the main competitor on the market for Ford’s Transit cargo vans).

Is a cargo van going to be a silky smooth drive? No, that’s not realistic.

But I felt very comfortable driving the vehicle and it was never a bad experience. So while it’s wasn’t extra smooth, it wasn’t extra rough either. 131 horsepower came from a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder engine.

WRAPUP
If you're in the market for a taxicab (I know, most of you probably aren't), the Nissan NV200 Taxi runs about $30K.

But I can let you know that the regular, non-taxi, NV200 van from Nissan starts about $20,000, and I’d recommend checking one out (along with Ford's Transit) if you’re looking for a work van. Both are quality vehicles that will get the job done and it's a matter of preference as to which you'll like better.

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Matt Myftiu can be foundon Twitter @MattMyftiu.