On this page (8)
424 Acura MDXs held TLC licenses on October 12, 2026, all as for-hire vehicles (FHVs). It ranks 34th among TLC models and is the only Acura in the top 60.
The MDX is an app car through and through: 99.1% are at black car bases, and none are at luxury limousine bases. Its numbers point to a model that is aging on TLC plates. After 70 model-year 2022 cars, each newer year has fewer: 41, 24, 18, and just 8 for 2026.
Data method
TLC's vehicle lists (FHVs, medallion taxis) have no make or model, so we decoded every VIN with NHTSA's vPIC and counted the MDXs. The lists change daily.
Model years: rising, a gap, then falling
The MDX count builds from 2014 (16) to 2016–2017 (48 and 50), dips, then reaches 60 for 2020. There are no 2021 MDXs at all, because Acura went straight from the 2020 to the 2022 model year (fueleconomy.gov lists no 2021 MDX). 2022 is the peak at 70, and then each year is smaller. The median model year is 2020, older than the 2022 median for the QX60 and Traverse. 84 MDXs (19.8%) are 2016 or older, about twice the share for all FHVs. See TLC vehicle retirement age for how long each year can stay licensed.
Fuel: gas and premium
For 2022, fueleconomy.gov rates the FWD MDX (3.5-liter V6) at 22 mpg combined (19 city, 26 highway) and the AWD at 21. EPA lists premium fuel for both. The 3.0-liter turbo Type S AWD is rated 19 mpg combined. Only 5 TLC MDXs decode as hybrid. To see what premium fuel costs you per week, use the lease-vs-buy tool; for taxes, see the tax deduction estimator.
Base types
420 MDXs are at black car bases, where Uber and Lyft trips are dispatched, and 4 are at livery bases. None are taxis or marked wheelchair accessible. That 99.1% black car share is higher than the 96.7% for all FHVs, so the MDX's fortunes on TLC plates are tied closely to app work.
Insurance: what the minimum covers
Every FHV must carry TLC's minimum insurance at all times. For an FHV that seats fewer than 8 passengers (not counting the driver) and is not a luxury limousine, rule 59A-12(c)(1) in chapter 59 requires at least:
- $100,000 per person in no-fault benefits (basic economic loss under New York Insurance Law §5102);
- $100,000 / $300,000 bodily injury and death liability;
- $10,000 for damage to property.
Driving without the required coverage brings a $350 fine and suspension until you comply. If your MDX ever seats 8 or more passengers, a higher $1.5 million minimum applies under 59A-12(c)(2). These are minimums; your lender or lease may ask for more.
If your insurer sends a notice that the policy will end, act before that date. Rule 59A-12(a) says you must either hand in the FHV license and decals to TLC on or before the termination date, or send TLC proof of a new policy that starts the day the old one ends. Missing this can mean a $150–$350 fine and up to 30 days' suspension. Details and carriers: FHV insurance requirements.
Plates
The MDX is not on TLC's approved accessible list, so it can't get a new FHV license. Move an existing license with a vehicle transfer: TLC plates for FHVs, then pass TLC vehicle inspection.
See the Lexus RX, Lincoln Navigator L, Lexus GX, Infiniti QX60, Ford Explorer and TLC fleet by make and model.
More in the vehicles topic.
Data on this page
Aggregates of public data. They describe trips and vehicles, never individual people.
TLC's vehicle lists have no make/model column, so TLC Help decoded the VIN of every licensed vehicle with NHTSA's vPIC decoder (one representative VIN per manufacturer + model-descriptor + model-year pattern) and published only counts. 5 of 115,081 vehicles (0%) could not be decoded to a model and are left out. vPIC sometimes reports trim-family names (e.g. 'RX' not 'RX 350h'); powertrain comes from vPIC's electrification/fuel fields and may misclassify a few model years. Snapshot lists change daily.
- Acura MDX: licensed TLC vehicles by model year — Active FHVs and authorized medallion taxis that are a Acura MDX, by model year.NYC Open Data: FHV - Active (8wbx-tsch) and Medallion Vehicles - Authorized (rhe8-mgbb), VINs decoded with NHTSA vPIC · pulled Oct 12, 2026Model year from TLC's vehicle_year / model_year columns. Age limits for TLC vehicles come from TLC rules, not this chart.
- Acura MDX in the TLC fleet: hybrid, electric or gas — Licensed Acura MDX vehicles by powertrain (from decoded VINs).NYC Open Data: FHV - Active (8wbx-tsch) and Medallion Vehicles - Authorized (rhe8-mgbb), VINs decoded with NHTSA vPIC · pulled Oct 12, 2026
- Acura MDX: where it is licensed (FHV base type vs medallion taxi) — Licensed Acura MDX vehicles by fleet: FHVs by the type of base they are affiliated with, and medallion taxis.NYC Open Data: FHV - Active (8wbx-tsch) and Medallion Vehicles - Authorized (rhe8-mgbb), VINs decoded with NHTSA vPIC · pulled Oct 12, 2026Wheelchair-accessible (FHV list): 0 WAV, 0 PILOT. App-based (high-volume) work generally runs through black car bases.
Frequently asked questions
How many Acura MDXs are licensed by the TLC?
424 on October 12, 2026, all for-hire vehicles and 0.37% of all TLC vehicles. It is the only Acura among the 60 most common TLC models. TLC Help counted them by decoding each VIN with NHTSA's vPIC decoder.
Are there hybrid MDXs on TLC plates?
Only 5 decode as hybrid. The other 419 decode as gas.
What insurance does an MDX need as an FHV?
If it seats fewer than 8 passengers (not counting the driver) and is not a luxury limousine, rule 59A-12(c)(1) requires at least $100,000 per person in no-fault (personal injury protection) benefits, $100,000/$300,000 bodily injury liability, and $10,000 property damage.
Why are there no 2021 MDXs?
Because there was no 2021 MDX to buy. fueleconomy.gov lists 2020 and 2022 MDXs but no 2021 MDX, so the gap is in the model's history, not an error in TLC's lists.
Sources
Last reviewed against the official sources on .
- NYC Open Data: For Hire Vehicles (FHV) – Active (8wbx-tsch) data.cityofnewyork.us
- NYC Open Data: Medallion Vehicles – Authorized (rhe8-mgbb) data.cityofnewyork.us
- NHTSA vPIC VIN decoder API vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
- TLC Rule Book Chapter 59 (For-Hire Vehicles), updated Feb 27, 2026 nyc.gov
- TLC: Approved accessible vehicles (revised Oct 2, 2026) nyc.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: 2022 Acura MDX FWD fueleconomy.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: 2022 Acura MDX AWD fueleconomy.gov
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it against the official source.
TLC Help is not a law firm and is not affiliated with the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission or OATH. Explanations on this site are general information, not legal advice. Legal representation is provided by independent attorneys and OATH-registered representatives in our network.