If you’re in the market for a car, no doubt you want one that is built to last. But how can you find a vehicle that you know will be reliable?
Top 10 Vehicles Most Likely To Last 200,000 Miles
Vehicle search engine iSeeCars.com recently released a list of vehicles most likely to last 200,000 miles.
To come up with its list of reliable cars, the site analyzed more than 11.8 million vehicles.
Here are some key findings from the report:
- Toyota dominates with six out of 10 vehicles in the top 10, including the #1-ranked Land Cruiser.
- The majority of long-lasting vehicles on the list are in the category called “truck-based SUVs.”
- The top models listed have each had at least 2.5% of their vehicles reach the 200,000 mile mark.
Money expert Clark Howard says driving a vehicle with big numbers on the dashboard isn’t quite the accomplishment it used to be. Nowadays, it’s common for cars to run well despite having accumulated six digits on the odometer. “Vehicles running a quarter-million miles, which is not at all unusual — that’s normal now,” Clark says.
But Clark says he understands the lure of a new — or at least newer — car.
“There are people who like a vehicle that feels new. That’s why, to me, the compromise has historically been a three-model-year-old vehicle,” he says. “When you buy a vehicle that’s three years old, a general back-of-the-envelope rule is that it would have lost roughly a third of its value.”
So what are the vehicles that have proven to have longevity according to iSeeCars.com? Let’s take a look.
Top 10 Vehicles Most Likely To Last 200,000 Miles or More
| Vehicles | % of Cars Lasting 200,000+ Miles |
| Toyota Land Cruiser | 16.3% |
| Toyota Sequoia | 11.2% |
| Chevrolet Suburban | 5.1% |
| Ford Expedition | 4.9% |
| Toyota 4Runner | 4.1% |
| Toyota Avalon | 3.9% |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | 3.9% |
| Toyota Highlander Hybrid | 3.8% |
| Toyota Tundra | 3.7% |
| GMC Yukon XL | 3.6% |
Read the full report from iSeeCars.com.
Although this list is a good indicator of which vehicles are likely to last the longest, Clark says that research is only one part of the car-buying process.
Things To Do When Buying a Used Car
If you’re buying used (which Clark recommends), here are two steps you need to include in your due diligence.
1. Look Up the VIN
VIN checks typically list a car’s registrations by state, type of title and whether anyone’s made an insurance claim on the vehicle following an accident.
“Check the VIN to see if the vehicle has been in any major accident,” Clark says.
This guide can help you find a free VIN check resource before you buy a used car.
2. Hire a Mechanic
You should always get any used car you’re thinking about buying checked out by a mechanic first. And Clark recommends that you choose the mechanic yourself:
“Don’t rely on the dealer or the vehicle owner to provide one. A mechanic associated with the dealer or owner may not be as neutral a party as you’d like them to be in that situation.”
Final Thought
Buying the right car can save you money in the long run. The longer the vehicle lasts, the better deal it turns out to be.
If you’ve already got a vehicle, make sure you do regular maintenance to make it last.
If you’re looking to purchase a previously owned vehicle, read Clark’s tips on how to buy a used car.
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