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The thoughts on buying new cars have changed dramatically since 2020. The cost of used cars caused many consumers to look at new cars for the first time ever. While it seems like new cars can stay stocked, the truth is the average car on the road in America is 12.2 years old. A new study shows that the cars that will last Americans the longest aren’t cars; they’re trucks. That’s right; pickup trucks are officially more reliable than any other vehicles on the road. 

Side view of blue 2023 Ford F-150, best-selling pickup truck that is no longer safe, says IIHS
2023 Ford F-150 | Ford

What’s the most reliable type of vehicle?

iSeeCars just released a study that lists the vehicle that lasts the longest. The study arranges cars, trucks, and SUVs based on the percentage chance of them lasting over 250,000 miles. The vehicles that dot the list the most are trucks – like, by a lot. 

The list of the most reliable vehicles is populated with all the usual suspects; Toyota Land Cruisers and Toyota Tacoma, and Toyota 4Runners, and various other Toyotas. However, while that might feel pretty boring and typical, what few people expected was that not only is the most reliable of all vehicles is a pickup truck, but that most of the list seems to be pickup trucks. 

What is the vehicle that lasts the longest?

The The Ford F-350 Super Duty is the most durable vehicle, beating the most reliable SUV
The Ford F-350 Super Duty | Ford

iSeeCars found that the Ford F-350 Super Duty has a 49.1% chance of reaching 250,000 miles. That is 4.2x more than the average vehicle. While those numbers are amazing, what is even crazier is that the Ford isn’t the only pickup truck with numbers like that. Not even close. 

Here is every pickup truck that is supposed to make it past 250,000 miles and the percentage chance associated with each:

  • Ram 3500: 24.3% chance
  • Ram 2500: 26.3%
  • Chevrolet Avalanche: 26.7%
  • Chevrolet Silverado 1500: 31%
  • GMC Sierra 2500HD: 41.3%
  • Toyota Tacoma: 41.7%
  • Ford F-250 Super Duty: 43.6%
  • Toyota Tundra: 47.9%
  • Ford F-350 Super Duty: 49.1%

Are Heavy-Duty trucks more reliable than regular trucks?

You may have noticed that the list is fat with HD pickup trucks. This isn’t that surprising. Heavy-duty trucks are built for hard work and, apparently, long lives. ItIt’slso worth mentioning that most HD trucks offer a diesel option. It’s a well-known fact that diesel engines often outlast their gasoline-powered cousins. 

According to Autoblog, all trucks in the study outperformed the overall vehicle average of 11.8% chance of lasting 250,000 miles. To get this amazing information, iSeeCars looked at more than 260 million cars between 2012 and 2022 in forming this list. But, as the group’s executive analyst, Karl Brauer, pointed out, vehicle lifespans are increasing across the board.