The SUV vehicle segment has become the most popular vehicle segment in America. Consumers have naturally gravitated to SUVs and crossovers in recent years. Do SUVs last longer than cars?

Do SUV models last longer than cars?

According to iSeeCars.com, truck-based SUVs are some of the longest-lasting vehicles ever produced. Certain SUVs like the Toyota Land Cruiser and Toyota Sequoia outlast most sedans and coupes. Only two car models made it onto iSeeCars’ list of longest-lasting cars, SUVs and trucks. Both those models happen to be Toyotas.

Based on the study conducted by iSeeCars, the Toyota Land Cruiser accounted for a whopping 18% of all vehicles surveyed that lasted over 200,000 miles. The Toyota Sequoia accounted for 14.2%.

The Toyota 4Runner and Highlander are also known for being incredibly dependable over time. While there’s no empirical evidence to prove that SUVs generally last longer than cars, most of the longest-lasting vehicles are SUVs built by Japanese automaker Toyota. The Toyota Avalon and Toyota Prius are among some of the longest-lasting vehicles.

If you’re looking for a dependable vehicle that can last for over 200,000 miles, iSeeCars.com ranks the Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Sequoia, Chevrolet Suburban, and Ford Expedition among the most reliable SUVs. Consumers can save thousands by purchasing used models.

How many miles can SUVs last?

A well-maintained reliable new SUV should last for 200,000 miles. That equates to about 14.8 years based on the average annual driving range in America. Another study conducted by iSeeCars.com claims that consumers keep new vehicles for an average of just 8.4 years.

Based on this study, most consumers don’t keep the same vehicle for its entire lifespan. High mileage comes with more maintenance and higher maintenance costs. The most reliable SUV models can last over 200,000 miles, but the average consumer simply won’t keep the same vehicle for that long anymore.

SUVs appear to be more dependable than cars, but there are anomalies in the car vehicle class. There are Honda Civic models that have easily lasted for over 200,000 miles thanks to routine maintenance. The Drive shone the spotlight on a 2011 Honda Civic model that hit 500,000 miles.

What is considered high mileage for an SUV?

The general consensus in the automotive world is that mileage above 100K is where things can start to get tricky for a vehicle. Think of a vehicle’s lifespan the way you would consider the human life span. About halfway through, components may require more maintenance than they did before. Instead of higher medical bills and more frequent visits to the doc, SUVs get higher repair bills and more shop visits.

High mileage depends on the specific SUV, but these vehicles quickly begin to lose their value as they rack up mileage. Vehicles with over 100,000 miles can be great deals, especially through private sales. That being said, SUVs with mileage that high may need to have some major work done if they aren’t well-maintained.