The passenger door on the driver's seat side is a hinged door that can easily distinguish the opened and closed state from the front and rear, and prevent the passenger from jumping forward. The vehicle is based around a "universal design" model. The rear passenger door is an electrical slide door and it is possible to get on and off in a wheelchair. The rear seats also fold up, and a ramp folds out, to accommodate wheelchair passengers. The powertrain is based on the hybrid system "THS II" and newly adopted "LPG hybrid system" compatible with LPG fuel. The engine uses 1.5L 1NZ-FXP, and an electric water pump that does not require auxiliary belt maintenance. The battery is nickel hydride. In order to realize a flat floor, the battery is thin and placed under the floor, and the vehicles exterior dimensions are in compliance with the Japanese Government's dimension regulations that allow tax savings for commercial use. The dashboard and centre console differ from the related Toyota Sienta to allow the fitment of equipment for taxi operation, including an easily-accessible hazard light button on steering wheel at the driver's right thumb. The rear cargo area is spacious enough to hold two large suitcases or four golf bags, while the passenger compartment offers nine inches of headroom due to its high roof. The vehicle comes equipped with built-in soundproofing and air purification, while the high-end "Takumi" model includes a ceiling-mounted air circulator and a heating system for the rear seats.
Safety
The JPN Taxi is equipped with 6 SRS airbags as standard as well as Toyota Safety Sense. The JPN Taxi also received a 5-star safety rating from JNCAP.
Production and sales
The JPN Taxi is manufactured at the Toyota plant in Higashi-Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture, along with the Toyota Century, Toyota Porte and Toyota Spade. Toyota plans to move production to one of its north-eastern plants in Miyagi Prefecture or Iwate Prefecture by 2020. , the JPN Taxi accounted for around 10% of Tokyo taxis, while the traditional Toyota Comfort model accounted for around 70%. By mid-2020, Toyota expects the JPN Taxi to account for about one-third of the Tokyo fleet. It debuted in Hong Kong in July 2018, sold as the Toyota Comfort Hybrid. They were officially launched on January 2019. They're officially distributed by Crown Motors. As of May 2019, 17 Comfort Hybrids are in service and are due to replace the Crown LPG taxis. Four of the taxis were brought to Hong Kong initially for research and field testing before they were adopted into service.
