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The Toyota Grand Highlander is one of the newest models in the TLC fleet, and it is spreading fast. On October 12, 2026, 2,006 for-hire vehicles (FHVs) were Grand Highlanders, and every one is model-year 2024 or newer. No yellow taxis are Grand Highlanders.
Among TLC vehicles from model-year 2026, only the Toyota Sienna, Chevrolet Suburban and Toyota Camry are more common. If you are shopping for a new larger SUV for app work, this is the model many other drivers have recently put on their plates.
How we counted
TLC's FHV – Active list and medallion list have no model column. TLC Help decoded each VIN with NHTSA's vPIC decoder, which reports the Grand Highlander separately from the Toyota Highlander. The lists change every day.
Three model years, all recent
There are 620 Grand Highlanders from model-year 2024, 508 from 2025 and 878 from 2026. Model-year 2026 is the largest group, even though the calendar year is not over.
Compare this with the regular Highlander. Its newest years are shrinking: 682 for 2024, 368 for 2025 and 283 for 2026. For 2026, Grand Highlanders outnumber Highlanders about 3 to 1. Our data shows the switch; it can't tell you why drivers made it.
Because the whole fleet is so new, age rules are not a near-term question for Grand Highlander owners. If you want to understand them anyway, see TLC vehicle retirement age.
More hybrid than the Highlander
1,178 Grand Highlanders (58.7%) decode as hybrid. That is about twice the hybrid share of the regular Highlander (25.8%) and of the FHV fleet overall (about 30%). If you are choosing between a hybrid and a gas version, the lease-vs-buy tool and the EV vs hybrid guide can help you compare running costs with your own numbers.
Base types
1,990 Grand Highlanders are at black car bases, the type that handles app trips. Only 15 are at livery bases and 1 at a luxury limousine base. Compare the Cadillac Escalade ESV, where 20.9% are at luxury bases. None are marked wheelchair accessible; 4 carry the "PILOT" label that TLC's dataset does not define.
Putting a new Grand Highlander on TLC plates
For a non-accessible car like this, the route onto TLC plates today is a vehicle transfer onto an FHV license you already hold:
- You need an FHV license already. TLC issues new FHV licenses only to owners of approved wheelchair accessible vehicles (TLC). TLC says an FHV license is not transferable: it stays attached to the SSN or EIN on the application (TLC vehicle FAQ).
- Register the new car with DMV, then file the vehicle transfer within 15 days (rule 59A-09(a), chapter 59).
- Pass TLC's inspection before the transfer is approved. Details: TLC plates for FHVs and TLC vehicle inspection.
- Brand-new car? TLC's vehicle inspections page says that after a vehicle license transfer, a car with fewer than 500 miles gets a visual inspection appointment instead of the full NYS DMV inspection. A car with 500 miles or more gets the full inspection, so the timing of your first trips can matter.
- Update insurance for the new VIN; see FHV insurance requirements.
See the Lexus TX, Cadillac XT6, Chevrolet Suburban and the full 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.
- Toyota Grand Highlander: licensed TLC vehicles by model year — Active FHVs and authorized medallion taxis that are a Toyota Grand Highlander, 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.
- Toyota Grand Highlander in the TLC fleet: hybrid, electric or gas — Licensed Toyota Grand Highlander 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
- Toyota Grand Highlander: where it is licensed (FHV base type vs medallion taxi) — Licensed Toyota Grand Highlander 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, 4 PILOT. App-based (high-volume) work generally runs through black car bases.
Frequently asked questions
How many Toyota Grand Highlanders are licensed by the TLC?
2,006 in the October 12, 2026 snapshot, all for-hire vehicles: 620 from model-year 2024, 508 from 2025 and 878 from 2026. TLC Help counted them by decoding VINs with NHTSA's vPIC decoder.
Is the Grand Highlander counted with the Highlander?
No. vPIC decodes it as a separate model. The regular Highlander has its own page and count (10,346 TLC vehicles).
How many TLC Grand Highlanders are hybrids?
1,178 decode as hybrid (58.7%) and 828 as gas. The regular Highlander is only 25.8% hybrid by the same method.
Can I get new TLC plates for a Grand Highlander?
No. New FHV vehicle licenses go only to approved wheelchair accessible vehicles, and the Grand Highlander is not on TLC's approved list. You can move an FHV license you already hold onto one with a vehicle transfer.
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: Vehicle Inspections nyc.gov
- TLC: Vehicle License Frequently Asked Questions nyc.gov
- TLC: Get a For-Hire Vehicle License 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.