10 Cars That Outlast the Average American Brand
Buying a car can be one of the most important financial decisions in life. Not only do you have to account for the upfront cost of the car and/or any ongoing loan payments, but you also have to factor in additional costs, like maintenance and insurance, all of which can throw off your budget if you’re not careful.
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As such, many prudent car buyers want a vehicle that has great reliability. With that in mind, many individuals turn to auto manufacturers headquartered outside the U.S., like Toyota and Honda, in the search for a long-lasting vehicle. That’s not to say that American brands don’t have good longevity — much depends on factors like the specific model and the car owner’s care — but some foreign brands have a strong reputation for durability.
Are Foreign Car Brands Better?
The idea stems from a historical precedent dating back to the post-World War II era, explained Carl Anthony, managing editor of Automoblog, based in Detroit. While American manufacturers like GM, Ford and Chrysler excelled during the 1950s, automakers in Japan and Europe were part of economies trying to completely rebuild following the devastation of the war.
So, Anthony said, these foreign manufacturers had to try to build better vehicles to catch up and compete. And brands like Toyota in particular developed manufacturing methods that are still revered in business schools today, he added.
As such, many consumers see some foreign brands as being of superior quality. But the reality today is that manufacturing is more globalized, with parts coming from different factories, and brands like Toyota, Honda and Subaru all having manufacturing facilities within the U.S., as well, Anthony explained.
All that’s to say, if you’re looking for a long-lasting vehicle, you might not want to get too bogged down by the location of that brand’s headquarters.
“Today, for the average car, we in the industry don’t make the distinction between what is Japanese vs. European vs. American,” said Anthony.
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Lasting 250,000 Plus Miles
Still, if you’re looking for a car that has a good chance of lasting over 250,000 miles, and you don’t want an American-headquartered brand, consider a study by iSeeCars of the longest-lasting vehicles.
Within this study, the Ford F-350 Super Duty actually comes out on top, with a 49.1% chance of making it to 250,000 plus miles. However, it’s tough to separate causation from correlation. As Anthony noted, while the build quality of that vehicle is exceptional, it’s also likely to be owned by someone such as a farmer or plumber who’s using it for work and taking very good care of it, making sure it lasts.
Likewise, some other cars on this list, like some of the sedans, might reflect a car owner making a more economical choice to downsize their vehicle and get their money’s worth over time, he said.
Among brands overall, though, Toyota comes out on top of the iSeeCars study, with its vehicles having a blended average of a 19.5% chance of making it to 250,000 plus miles. Chevrolet comes in at No. 2 at 19.2%. Other American brands include GMC at No. 4 (15.9%), Ram at No. 5 (14.9%), and Ford at No. 7 (13.1%), though these all exceed the overall average of 11.8%.
“It makes sense that Toyota leads,” said Gretchen Seidel, automotive expert at Seidel & Co. “Their reliability scores, along with the sheer number of Toyotas on the road over the years, give them a propensity to have more vehicles on this list.”
Part of these rankings can also reflect the types of vehicles offered, with trucks lasting on average longer than SUVs, which last longer than passenger cars/sedans.
Still, if you’re looking for a car from a foreign-based manufacturer that has an above-average chance of making it to 250,000 plus miles, consider the following list that reflects a mix of vehicle types, but not the top 10 overall, as trucks dominate that list:
Toyota Tundra
This popular pickup truck is one of the most durable vehicles, coming in third overall in the iSeeCars study, with a 47.9% chance of making it to 250,000 plus miles. But it’s also typically more affordable than the two that precede it — the Ford F-350 Super Duty and Toyota Land Cruiser.
Honda Pilot
The Honda Pilot is one of the most durable SUVs and vehicles overall, with a 42.7% chance of making it to 250,000 plus miles. And Honda as a whole ranks third on the iSeeCars study — behind Chevrolet but ahead of GMC.
Toyota Avalon
A step up in luxury from the popular Toyota Camry, the Toyota Avalon ranks at the top of the list for sedans, with a 33.1% chance of lasting 250,000 plus miles.
Acura MDX
Acura as a whole ranks sixth in the iSeeCars study, ahead of Ford. And the Acura MDX, a luxury SUV, comes far ahead of the average, with a 29.2% chance of going for 250,000 plus miles.
Honda CR-V
This compact SUV tends to be pretty affordable as SUVs go, and it’s also relatively reliable, with a 27.5% chance of lasting 250,000 plus miles.
Honda Accord
On the sedan front, Honda also offers a fairly reliable model with the Honda Accord. This car ranks second in sedans behind the Toyota Avalon in the iSeeCars study, with a 27.1% chance of making it to 250,000 plus miles.
Toyota Sienna
Minivans are much less likely to last to 250,000 plus miles, but the Toyota Sienna is an exception, with its odds at 23.3%.
Subaru Outback
While Subaru ranks eighth as an overall brand in the iSeeCars study, behind Ford, the Subaru Outback is a crossover SUV that stands out for durability. It has a 22.3% chance of going for 250,000 plus miles.
Toyota Camry
This popular sedan is also one of the longest-lasting cars, coming in third for passenger cars and ranking just ahead of Toyota’s overall brand average, with a 20.4% chance of lasting for 250,000 plus miles.
Honda Odyssey
Lastly, the Honda Odyssey doesn’t rank as high as some overall brand averages, but it does beat the category average for minivans handily, including discontinued models like the Chrysler Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan. The Odyssey has a 13.8% chance of making it to 250,000 plus miles vs. 5.9% for minivans overall, iSeeCars found.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 10 Cars That Outlast the Average American Brand
