In some ways, it feels like they heard some backlash over the learning curve of the first game and tried to make it a little more forgiving. Drifts and dashes are a little less essential, and you get a new jump ability.
However, I think the game suffers in other areas, mostly with the map design. In Crazy Taxi 1, each area was fairly unique with different landmarks that after enough playing, you could generally remember how to get where without relying only on the guiding arrow. In CT2, the city area is a grid of samey-looking buildings and it feels way less interesting, not to mention the actual layout of drop-off points is such a mess, on top of the guiding arrow being drunk 50% of the time. I ended up just going back to the first game.
However, I think the game suffers in other areas, mostly with the map design. In Crazy Taxi 1, each area was fairly unique with different landmarks that after enough playing, you could generally remember how to get where without relying only on the guiding arrow. In CT2, the city area is a grid of samey-looking buildings and it feels way less interesting, not to mention the actual layout of drop-off points is such a mess, on top of the guiding arrow being drunk 50% of the time. I ended up just going back to the first game.