Though many of us are hopelessly afflicted with a car-buying addiction, most people try to keep their vehicles for as long as possible. That makes longevity and reliability a top concern, but we’re guessing that even diehard cheapskates start considering a new car before 250,000 miles. Several models make it to that mark, however, and iSeeCars’ latest study found that some models are much more likely to stand the test of time than others.
iSeeCars looked at more than 260 million cars sold from 2012 to 2022. The firm built a model using the average expected odometer reading for each year of the vehicles’ lives. Then it used that to calculate a percentage likelihood that a vehicle lasts for a quarter-million miles. The overall average likelihood that a vehicle will last that long: 11.8%.
Toyota and Honda made the longevity list, as expected, but there are several pickup trucks. The 10 most likely vehicles to make it to 250,000 miles:
The rest of the list is populated with vehicles such as the Toyota Avalon (33.1%), Chevy Silverado 1500 (31%) and Honda Element (27.8%). See the iSeeCars report for the full list.
iSeeCars attributes trucks’ longevity to the fact that they’re designed to be work vehicles and are relied upon to be dependable. The Toyota Land Cruiser and Sequoia are both mainstays on longevity and reliability lists, so it’s no surprise to see them near the top. Though they didn’t make the top overall list, the Toyota Sienna and Toyota Avalon topped their respective segments.
Of course, there are outliers and exceptions to these kinds of lists. The owner’s care routine and driving habits have an outsized impact on the longevity of a vehicle, and even the most bulletproof Toyota can have issues if neglected. Almost any vehicle can make it to the 250,000 mark with enough work, though at a point, the maintenance costs overtake the car’s value.
