181 Cadillac XTS sedans held TLC licenses on October 12, 2026, all as for-hire vehicles (FHVs). That puts the XTS in 60th place among TLC models. It is gas-only, and 108 of the 181 (59.7%) are model year 2019, the last year Cadillac built it.
Among the 60 most common TLC models, only three are more concentrated in a single model year: the Fisker Ocean, Tesla Model Y and Cadillac Lyriq, all electric and all from 2023 or 2024. The XTS is the only one where that peak year is 2019. If you own one, it is now about seven model years old and there is no newer XTS to replace it with.
How we counted
TLC's lists of active FHVs and medallion taxis contain VINs, not model names. TLC Help decoded every VIN with NHTSA's vPIC decoder and counted the results. The lists change every day; this is the October 12, 2026 snapshot.
The 2019 spike
From 2013 to 2016 there are only 15 XTS sedans in total. Then 2017 has 32, 2018 has 26, and 2019 has 108. The EPA's listings show XTS versions for 2019 but none for 2020, so 2019 was the end of the line. The data can't say why so many TLC owners bought that final year.
Compare the whole FHV fleet: in TLC's model-year data, 2019 cars are just 4.5% of FHVs, and about 31% are 2024 or newer. No XTS is newer than 2019. Cadillac's other models on TLC plates are much younger: the Escalade ESV has a median model year of 2023, and the XT6 and Lyriq 2024. The XTS is also the only Cadillac sedan in the top 60.
For FHVs, there is no fixed age limit in TLC's current rules. What keeps an older XTS licensed is passing inspection three times a year, at least once every four months (rule 59A-26(a), chapter 59). See TLC vehicle retirement age and TLC vehicle inspection.
Fuel: gas only
The EPA lists several 2019 XTS versions, and their ratings are far apart:
Sources: EPA labels for the XTS, AWD 3.6 L, AWD turbo and XTS Limo.
The turbo version needs premium fuel, so it costs more per gallon as well as using more gallons. When you look at a used XTS, check which engine it has. The front-wheel-drive car uses about 45 gallons per 1,000 miles on its rating, the turbo about 56. Try your own numbers in the lease-vs-buy tool.
Which bases use it
178 XTS sedans (98.3%) are at black car bases, which is where app trips are dispatched. Two are at livery bases and one at a luxury limousine base. That is a very different pattern from the Lincoln MKT, the other luxury model last built for 2019, which has 21.5% at livery or limo bases. No XTS is marked wheelchair accessible.
Plates
TLC issues new FHV licenses only for wheelchair accessible vehicles (TLC). An XTS can carry an existing license that is not WAV-restricted. To switch that license from another car, file the transfer within 15 days of DMV registration and pass TLC inspection (rule 59A-09(a)). See TLC plates for FHVs.
The Lexus ES and Toyota Avalon are large sedans that often decode as hybrids. Also compare the Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Civic and the full ranking in 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.
- Cadillac XTS: licensed TLC vehicles by model year — Active FHVs and authorized medallion taxis that are a Cadillac XTS, 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.
- Cadillac XTS in the TLC fleet: hybrid, electric or gas — Licensed Cadillac XTS 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
- Cadillac XTS: where it is licensed (FHV base type vs medallion taxi) — Licensed Cadillac XTS 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 Cadillac XTS cars are licensed by the TLC?
181 on October 12, 2026, all for-hire vehicles. That is 0.16% of TLC vehicles and 60th place among models. TLC Help counted them from VINs decoded with NHTSA's vPIC decoder.
What is the newest Cadillac XTS?
Model year 2019. The EPA lists XTS versions for 2019 and none for 2020, and the newest XTS on TLC plates is a 2019. 108 of the 181 are 2019s.
Is there an age limit for a TLC Cadillac XTS?
TLC's current for-hire vehicle rules set no fixed retirement age. The car must pass three inspections a year, at least once every four months. Yellow taxis follow different rules, but no XTS is a yellow taxi.
What mileage does a Cadillac XTS get?
The EPA rates the 2019 XTS with front-wheel drive at 22 mpg combined, the 3.6 L AWD at 20 mpg, and the turbocharged AWD at 18 mpg on premium gas. Real city mileage in an older car is often lower.
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
- fueleconomy.gov: 2019 Cadillac XTS fueleconomy.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: 2019 Cadillac XTS AWD (3.6 L) fueleconomy.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: 2019 Cadillac XTS AWD (3.6 L turbo) fueleconomy.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: 2019 Cadillac XTS Limo fueleconomy.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: Find a Car (model listings by year) fueleconomy.gov
- TLC: Get a For-Hire Vehicle License nyc.gov
- TLC Rule Book Chapter 59 (For-Hire Vehicles) nyc.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.