Have a car hit 100,000 miles, and you've just managed to not tear it apart (and probably remembered to change the oil once or twice). Have a car hit 200,000 miles, and you've got something built to last—and a car you've taken care of.
So which cars are most likely to join the 200,000-mile club? Automotive research firm iSeeCars.com analyzed a sample of the 12 million vehicles on road, looking at everything from built from 1981 to 2015 to find those with the highest percentage of vehicles still driving after 200,000 miles. They kindly shared the results with Popular Mechanics.
Work trucks dominate the top of the list. "Manufacturers build trucks with these demands in mind and stake their reputations on how long their trucks will last. Longevity is even a major focus of their marketing campaigns," says iSeeCars.com CEO Phong Ly. "Also, owners who are dependent on their vehicle to get from one job site to the next are going to pay closer attention to their vehicles' regular maintenance or repairs because their livelihood depends on keeping their trucks in good operating condition."Notice anything missing from that list? Luxury cars and non-trucks. Only one car cracked the top ten, the Toyota Avalon. "While the Avalon doesn't carry the best-selling title of the Accord, it does have Toyota's long-standing reputation for reliability," says Ly.
Curious to see what non-trucks can go the distance? Here are the top ten cars that make it to to 200,000 miles:
As you can see, the list is dominated dominated by Japanese models, with just three domestics—the Ford Taurus, the Chevy Impala, and the Dodge Grand Caravan.
But say you're in the market for something a little more upscale, but still want it to stick around for a while? The company also broke down the longest-lasting luxury vehicles.
In other words, if you want a luxury car to last, it looks like SUVs may be your best bet. "Overall, the luxury cars had notably lower percentages of cars sold with over 200,000 miles, perhaps because these cars are often leased and the requirements of those contracts keep the miles down," says Ly. Also, luxury cars in general just see fewer miles on the road period— iSeeCars.com says luxury vehicles log 10 percent less mileage than non-luxury ones.