Long Distance Runners
Image caption: A recent study ranked the Ford Expedition (shown above) as the automobile most likely to reach 200,000 miles.
Whether by choice or necessity, we’re holding onto our cars for longer periods than ever. According to the research company IHS Markit in Southfield, Mich., the average age of all cars and light-duty trucks on the road is up to a record 11.6 years.
“Quality of new vehicles continues to be a key driver of the rising average vehicle age over time,” says Mark Seng, global automotive aftermarket practice director at IHS Markit.
While just about any vehicle sold within the last decade or two can reach the 200,000 – even the 250,000-mile threshold – with proper maintenance and ongoing repairs, the truth is some models are easier, cheaper and more amenable to keep running over time than others.
According to a recent study of more than 13 million auto registrations conducted by the used vehicle website iSeeCars.com in Boston, big trucks, big cars and big SUVs are most likely to keep running after registering 200,000 miles or more on their respective odometers.
The current road warrior in this regard is the full-size Ford Expedition SUV, with 5.7 percent of all models still on the road having clocked more than 200,000 miles; by comparison, the industry average among all vehicles in 1.3 percent. Other long-running SUVs include the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban and the Toyota 4Runner and Sequoia. We’re featuring the full list of longest running models in the accompanying box.
“Super-sized SUVs are often workhorses for families,” says iSeeCars.com CEO Phong Ly. “For parents who don’t want to drive a minivan, these are the vehicles of choice to transport the kids from one activity to the next. They typically transport eight people and usually have significant towing capacity for active families who boat or camp.”
Pickup trucks are most likely to go the distance, having an average mileage of 74,777 miles on the odometer according to iSeeCars.com data; that’s 37 percent higher than the average passenger car. The models most likely to exceed 200,000 miles are the Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Ford F-150 and GMC Sierra 1500.
“These pickup trucks are often essential to the owner’s livelihood, so there’s a greater incentive to keep them in top shape,” Ly says. “When you depend on your pickup not just to get you to and from your job, but also to get you from one job to the next and carry your work gear, you are going to stay on top of maintenance and necessary repairs.”
But what about good old passenger cars? Digging deeper into iSeeCars.com’s data, the odds again favor those who prefer to live large, with the sedans that record the most miles including the Toyota Avalon, Honda Accord, Ford Taurus and Chevrolet Impala. Among luxury vehicles, the marathon-running models also are trucks, with the Lincoln Navigator, Cadillac Escalade and Acura MDX SUVs leading the pack.
“For any consumer looking to buy a used car that will last for the long haul, these cars are likely to go the distance successfully,” Ly says. “And for current owners of these vehicles who aren’t anxious to buy something new, these cars can keep you out of a car payment for a long time if you choose.”
Vehicles Most Likely To Run for 200,000 Miles or More
1. Ford Expedition SUV
2. Toyota Sequoia SUV
3. Chevrolet Suburban SUV
4. Toyota 4Runner SUV
5. GMC Yukon XL SUV
6. Chevrolet Tahoe SUV
7. GMC Yukon SUV
8. Toyota Avalon sedan
9. Toyota Tacoma pickup
10. Honda Accord sedan
11. Honda Odyssey minivan
12. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup
13. Ford F-150 pickup
14. GMC Sierra 1500 pickup
Source: iSeeCars.com, based on an analysis of more than 13 million pre-owned cars and light-duty trucks sold in 2016 from model years 1981 through 2017.
Copyright © CTW Features