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253 Kia Sportages held TLC licenses on October 12, 2026, all as for-hire vehicles (FHVs). It ranks 53rd among TLC models.
The Sportage on TLC plates is mainly a hybrid: 155 decode as hybrid, or 61.3%. That is about twice the hybrid share of all FHVs (about 30%) and the highest of any Kia or Hyundai in the top 60. The fleet also arrived in two waves, model years 2023 and 2026.
Counting method
TLC's FHV list and medallion vehicle list have no model column. TLC Help decoded each VIN with NHTSA's vPIC decoder and counted the results. vPIC supplies the model family and fuel type; a few model years may be classified wrongly. The counts are for one day.
Two waves: 2023 and 2026
Up to model year 2022, Sportages trickle in at 11 or fewer per year. Then 2023 jumps to 70. The next two years are quieter (21 and 16), and 2026 jumps again to 85, the biggest year of all. There are even 11 model-year 2027 cars, which is normal: cars go on sale before their model year starts.
The 2023 jump lines up with the hybrid's arrival. The EPA's model listings show only gas Sportages through 2022, then a Sportage Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid from 2023. The TLC data cannot prove that drivers chose the Sportage because of the hybrid, but it does mean the 155 hybrids should all be among the 203 Sportages from 2023 or later, about three in four of those newer cars.
Only 3 Sportages are 2016 or older. TLC's current FHV rules have no fixed age limit (TLC vehicle retirement age).
Hybrid, gas or plug-in
Sources: EPA labels for the Hybrid FWD, Hybrid AWD, Plug-in Hybrid and FWD.
Notice how much the drive type matters. The hybrid with front-wheel drive (FWD) is rated 42 mpg, but with all-wheel drive (AWD) it drops to 35. If you are shopping, check which one you are getting. The FWD hybrid uses about 12 fewer gallons per 1,000 miles than the gas FWD on these ratings (23.8 vs 35.7). EPA tests are standard cycles; real stop-and-go results will differ.
Hybrid and gas Sportages look very similar from outside. When you look at a used one, confirm the powertrain from the window sticker, the registration or a VIN decode, not from the seller's listing alone. TLC's own list records the VIN but not the trim. Run your own numbers in the lease-vs-buy tool, and see EV vs hybrid for Uber in NYC.
Base types
252 are at black car bases, where app trips run, and 1 at a livery base. None are yellow taxis. One is labeled "PILOT" in TLC's wheelchair_accessible column, which the dataset does not define; none is marked WAV.
Plates and transfers
New FHV licenses are only available for approved wheelchair accessible vehicles (TLC), and the Sportage is not on the approved list. An existing non-WAV license can be moved to a Sportage: file the transfer within 15 days of DMV registration, then pass inspection (rule 59A-09(a), chapter 59). See TLC plates for FHVs and TLC vehicle inspection.
The Toyota RAV4 is the giant of this class and even more hybrid. Compare the Kia Sorento, Hyundai Tucson, Volvo XC90, Lincoln MKT 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.
- Kia Sportage: licensed TLC vehicles by model year — Active FHVs and authorized medallion taxis that are a Kia Sportage, 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.
- Kia Sportage in the TLC fleet: hybrid, electric or gas — Licensed Kia Sportage 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
- Kia Sportage: where it is licensed (FHV base type vs medallion taxi) — Licensed Kia Sportage 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, 1 PILOT. App-based (high-volume) work generally runs through black car bases.
Frequently asked questions
How many Kia Sportages are licensed by the TLC?
253 on October 12, 2026, all for-hire vehicles and none as yellow taxis, or 0.22% of TLC vehicles. TLC Help counted them by decoding VINs with NHTSA's vPIC decoder.
Are most TLC Sportages hybrids?
Yes. 155 decode as hybrid (61.3%), 2 as plug-in hybrid and 96 as gas. That is the highest hybrid share of any Kia or Hyundai in the TLC top 60, and about double the hybrid share of all FHVs.
When did the Sportage Hybrid come out?
The EPA's listings first show a Sportage Hybrid for model year 2023. Before that, only gas Sportages are listed. Model year 2023 is also when TLC Sportage numbers jump, from 11 in 2022 to 70.
Why are there 2027 Sportages on TLC plates already?
Cars are often sold before their model year starts. The EPA already lists 2027 Sportage versions, and 11 model-year 2027 Sportages are on TLC's list.
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: 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid FWD fueleconomy.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid AWD fueleconomy.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: 2026 Kia Sportage FWD fueleconomy.gov
- fueleconomy.gov: 2026 Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid 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.