Uber Premier Cars and Requirements

If you already operate as an Uber driver in Australia, you might want to consider Uber Premier for the extra benefits it offers.

Uber Premier differs from UberX or Uber Comfort in that it offers the highest-end Uber ride to customers for a higher price.

As an Uber Premier driver, you would offer your clients a more customised and luxurious service. For example, your clients may want a quieter ride, assistance with their bags, or the car set to a warmer or cooler temperature, and so on.

At this stage, Uber Premier is available in all states except Tasmania and the Territories.

To become an Uber Premier driver, you must meet certain criteria regarding your vehicle and work performance.

Uber Premier cars

Cars used for Uber Premier must offer the extra luxury that customers want and are paying for. The minimum vehicle requirements are:

• 4-door high-end vehicle with a 5-star ANCAP safety rating
• No more than 6 years old
• Accommodates four people comfortably, not including the driver
• Lots of comfort - e.g. extra room inside
• Registered as a commercial passenger vehicle
• In excellent working condition, with working windows and air-conditioning
• No cosmetic damage - including scuff marks or chips
• Covered by compulsory third-party insurance.

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Uber Premier car list

Not all vehicles will be suitable for Uber Premier. Current eligible vehicle models include:

• Alfa Romeo - Stelvio
• Audi - A6 to A8L, Q5 to Q9, RS5 Sportsback, RS6, S6 to S8, SQ5, SQ7, e-tron, Sportsback e-tron, A5 Hybrid and Q5 Hybrid
• Bentley - Bentayga, Flying Spur, Mulsanne
• BMW - 5 series, 530e, Gran Turismo, 6 series, Gran Coupe, 7 series
• Genesis - G80, G90, GV70, GV80
• Holden - Caprice
• Hyundai - Genesis G70
• Infiniti - QX 50, QX 70, QX 80
• Jaguar - F-Pace, I-Pace, XF, XJ
• Lamborghini - Urus
• Land Rover - Defender, Discovery
• Lexus - ES, GS, LS, LX, NX, RX, RX L, RX350, RZ450e, RX Hybrid
• Maserati - Ghibi, Levante, Quattroporte
• Mercedes - 220, CLS Class, E200, E220, E-Class, E350e, EQB, EQC, EQE, EQS, G-Glass, GL-Class, GLC-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, S-Class, E300, E400
• Porsche - Cayenne, Macan, Panamera, Taycan
• Range Rover - Sport, Velar, Vogue
• Rolls Royce - Ghost, Phantom
• Tesla - Model S. Model X
• Volvo - S90, XC60, XC90.

Benefits of being an Uber Premier driver

You can earn more income as an Uber Premier driver than with standard UberX. This is because you can charge around twice as much for the luxury service in base fare, minimum fare, and per-minute and per-kilometre fees. 

Another potential benefit is gaining access to premium clients, who may sometimes request regular services, leading to a more stable income.

The costs of being an Uber Premier driver

While you may be able to earn more, the costs involved are usually higher. 

This includes the increased expenses of owning or leasing a more expensive car, such as loan interest or lease payments. 

Uber commissions remain at the same rate of 27.5%, but of course, more money will be deducted if you earn a higher income.  

Other increased expenses include the higher insurance premiums of a higher-value vehicle and running costs if your car has lower fuel efficiency than standard vehicles. For example, the fuel efficiency of a Toyota Camry per 100km is around 4 litres. At the same time, that of an Audi A4 is 6-7 litres, making the Audi about 60% more expensive for fuel (of course, this won’t apply if the car you use is an electric vehicle).

Luxury cars like those used for Uber Premier also tend to have higher maintenance and repair costs, sometimes requiring specialised services and parts. You'll be able to claim all business-related car expenses at tax time by the cents per kilometre method or the logbook method.

An added consideration is that not all your customers may be Uber Premier clients, which could mean your income is lower than expected.

Uber Premier requirements for drivers

As mentioned, you must already be an Uber driver to switch to Uber Premier, which assumes you have already met the minimum requirements for Uber.

However, to become Uber Premier, you must have a driver rating of at least 4.6 and have completed at least 20 Uber trips.

How to become an Uber Premier driver

Before applying for Uber Premier through the Uber online platform or app, you should thoroughly analyse the customer fees and additional costs to determine if it’s worthwhile. Also, consider speaking to your accountant for financial and tax advice.

You will need to check your personal eligibility and upgrade your vehicle if necessary. If you already own a vehicle that appears to meet the criteria for Premier, you should check with Uber first to make sure it’s definitely eligible, as it might not be.

You should not need to provide additional personal documents when applying, but you must show that your vehicle meets all the required conditions and is on the list for Uber Premier cars.