These Are The Vehicles Tough Enough To Last For 250,000 Miles Or More

It seems that after several years of new-vehicle leasing gaining in popularity, the pendulum is swinging in the other direction. Recently accounting for as much as a third or more of all transactions, consumers have been rejecting the notion of swapping their cars for new models as frequently as their mobile phones, and are again embracing the notion of long-term ownership.

Lease penetration dropped to an average 19% of all new vehicles delivered last year, according to Cox Automotive. Much of that dive can be attributed to how expensive new cars, trucks, and SUVs have become to lease, due largely to the one-two punch of skyrocketing transaction prices and rising interest rates. In many cases the sticker shock of leasing another new vehicle has caused lessees to instead purchase their rides at the end of the term (at what last year were below-market-value prices) and hold onto them steadfastly.

A study conducted by the personal finance website TheZebra.com found that owners are now keeping their vehicles for an average of eight years, which is about 60% longer than it stood a decade earlier. That’s pushed the average age of all vehicles on the road in the U.S. to a record high 12.1 years.

Whether buying a new or a used model, those looking to take a “buy and hold” strategy for their automotive investments will want to choose a model that’s expected to go the distance without breaking the bank in terms of ongoing upkeep and repairs.

As it turns out, those looking to buy a true long-distance runner are advised to shop for a pickup truck or an SUV, with the former being indeed the toughest rides on the road. And that’s especially admirable considering these are the vehicles most likely subjected to heavy-duty hauling and towing.

That’s according to a just-released study conducted by the automotive marketplace iSeeCars.com of over 260 million cars that changed hands between 2012 and 2022. The data determined that the Ford F-150 Super Duty full-size pickup truck is historically the most durable model, with 49.1% of those built likely to surpass the 250,000-mile mark. By comparison, the website says the average vehicle has only an 11.8% chance of exceeding 250K miles, with trucks averaging 25.9%, and SUVs at an expected 15.0%. A dying breed in more ways than one, only 8.6% of traditional passenger cars are expected to make it to 250,000 miles or more.

Toyota models lead the longevity pack, accounting for eight out of the 23 vehicles that can be expected to go the distance. We’re featuring the complete list of the top-ranked models below.

“Vehicle lifespans continue to grow, with more than 20 cars now having a 20 percent or better chance of lasting at least a quarter million miles—for most of the automobile’s history, 100,000 miles was considered the maximum usable lifespan.” says iSeeCars.com Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. “The cost of new and used cars has never been higher, which means a long vehicle lifespan has never been more appealing to buyers on a budget.”

Unfortunately for new-vehicle shoppers, a few of the top-ranked models are no longer in production. These include the Toyota Avalon sedan, the Toyota Land Cruiser and Honda Element SUVs, and the Chevrolet Avalanche pickup truck. They remain plentiful in the used-car market, however, and would seem to make suitable choices, even with six figures already on their odometers (provided, of course, they’ve passed a mechanic’s inspection and a title search reveals no unpleasant surprises).

The top model in the longevity report among SUVs is the aforementioned Toyota Land Cruiser, which is among the longest-running models in more ways than one, first reaching U.S.dealerships back in 1958. The car most likely to last beyond 250,000 miles is the full-size Toyota Avalon sedan, which was replaced by the Crown for 2023. The Toyota Sienna, which is still alive and well we should note, tops the foreshortened pack of minivans that age well.

The full report including lists of the most durable models in each vehicle segment can be found here. In the meantime, these are the vehicles iSeeCars.com have determined are the most probable models to reach and exceed 250,000 miles, with the percentage of those that have accomplished that feat noted.

1. Ford F-350 Super Duty (49.1%)
2. Toyota Land Cruiser (47.9%)
3. Toyota Tundra (47.9%)
4. Toyota Sequoia (47.1%)
5. Ford F-250 Super Duty (43.6%)
6. Honda Pilot (42.7%)
7. Toyota Tacoma (41.7%)
8. GMC Sierra 2500HD (41.3%)
9. Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD (41.2%)
10. Toyota 4Runner (41.0%)
11. Toyota Avalon (33.1%)
12. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (31.0%)
13. Acura MDX (29.2%)
14. Honda Element (27.8%)
15. Honda CR-V (27.5%)
16. Honda Accord (27.1%)
17. Chevrolet Avalanche (26.7%)
18. Ram 2500 (26.3%)
19. Ram 3500 (24.3%)
20. Toyota Sienna (23.3%)
21. Subaru Outback (22.3%)
22. GMC Yukon XL (21.3%)
23. Toyota Camry (20.4%)

Source: iSeeCars.com.

The preceding content was 100% generated by a human contributor.