Are YOU Surprised? Japanese Automakers DOMINATE Top 10 List Of Cars Kept 10+ Years

In the past several months I've been having a lot of my fellow colleagues approaching me for car buying advice and tips. It's been a lot of fun and, frankly, frustrating at times.

That's because everyone tells you a story, you listen, you invest time into providing solid answers and then they go do whatever they'd like anyhow. To me it doesn't steam my clams too much, mostly because an automobile is typically a household's second largest purchase. Hell, people should buy what they want most.

But don't tell me you need a seven seater and come home with something that's uncomfortable to seat even five after visiting just one dealership.

One of the common threads during all of my conversations with my coworkers is that they want to buy and hold onto their vehicle for about 10 years. Considering all the technology these days and complexity involved in automobiles, I am not a betting man when it comes to reliability.

Whenever it comes to reliability though I always steer my friends and family to Japanese cars. Have I been onto something or DEAD wrong?

Well, a website called iSeeCars published some findings after analyzing used car data from January to October. After parsing through 2.5 million cars with model years 1981-2006, this is what it found. Below are the Top 10 vehicles that owners are keeping for 10 plus years.

If you click "Read Article" below you can see how the data is sliced in other ways but this is the most critical measure, at least the way I perceive it. So, are YOU surprised?

Top 10 Cars Owners Keep for At Least 10 Years

Rank	Car	% Original Owners Keeping Car for 10+ Years	Compared to Average
1	Toyota Highlander Hybrid	32.1%	2.5x
2	Toyota Prius	32.0%	2.5x
3	Toyota Highlander	29.0%	2.2x
4	Toyota Sienna	28.7%	2.2x
5	Honda Pilot	27.2%	2.1x
6	Honda CR-V	25.2%	2.0x
7	Toyota RAV4	24.9%	1.9x
8	Subaru Forester	24.2%	1.9x
9	Lexus RX (hybrid)	24.1%	1.9x
10	Honda Odyssey	24.0%	1.9x
Average for All Cars		12.9%	–

Read Article

TheSteve - 12/26/2016 3:01:09 PM

+3 Boost

It's hard to come to a conclusion as to why that these Japanese-car owners hang onto their vehicle for so long. One obvious answer is "because they can" (i.e., the vehicle *can* last that long, vs being scrapped out of necessity). However, if you think of someone who buys a Porsche 911 and doesn't keep it a decade, chances are it's not because the vehicle "had" to be replaced, but because the owner could do so comfortably, from a financial perspective.

I once kept a BMW 328 for over 18 years, just because I had no pressing need to get rid of it. My sister owned an "ordinary" American-made car for over 300,000 miles, and it was completely reliable. She got rid of it just because she wanted a new car.

MDarringer - 12/26/2016 7:26:51 PM

-2 Boost

As you note, cars like the 911 et. al. are trendy and therefore are traded more quickly.

Now factor in the sweetheart leases on near-premium and premium vehicles and none of them will make 10 years with one owner.

I would venture to say the list is also income dependent i.e. normal people who have to make ends meet choosing "sturdy" cars and driving them until they die.

I change cars like condoms...oh wait...I don't use condoms, but I change cars about every three to six months. My biggest quandary was Continental or G90. I'm adoring the Conti, but the sales staff knows it's for sale if anyone wants it.

I used to be an income dependent person who needed to own long term, but now that I'm income independent I don't want to own current cars when I can do a lease and turn and burn them.

Of the cars I own, only one--a GT350--is contemporary. The wife's Escalade is leased.

TomM - 12/28/2016 7:06:59 AM

+1 Boost

This "study" fails to say WHY or HOW they people keep their cars long. THe problem is - it is not as sure as saying the cars are more reliable than others. Virtually everyone who Leases a car - does so for a specified period of time far less than 10 years -and while some do buy the car at the end of the lease - the overwhelming majority do not - and that this might cause a car to be looked on as less reliable is ridiculous.

However - the people who buy "reliable cars" are likely to be older - who put - on average - less mileage on their cars. My mother puts less than 1,000 miles on hers per year - so the cars have far less mileage than average and don't really last LONGER in mileage - but do so for time. In addition - many seniors also have fixed income - and generally have to keep their cars longer - because they no longer have the income to constantly replace their cars. For years - early on - when I did not have money- I bought cars with 100,000 miles on them for nothing - properly serviced them - and kept them until they rusted through. Properly taken care of - 200,000 miles is not out of the question - and 250,000 is something I generally got with cars I kept.

On the other hand - my 1 year old Chrysler Mini-van already has 40,000 miles - has made the trip back and forth from NJ to central Florida 7 times - and while I will get the mileage out of that vehicle - It is likely to need replacement before 10 years.

Dexter1 - 12/27/2016 10:36:46 AM

-1 Boost

This phenomenon is because the new Japanese cars are so freaking hideous.

MrEE - 12/27/2016 11:48:28 AM

+3 Boost

The top 10 list models lead in high reliability, and are still functionally current in the market. The majority will keep their vehicle as long as it meets their needs. Most replace when repairs climb and/or reliability experience leads to fear of major repairs or being stranded. There are exceptions; the premium market where owning the latest model is paramount; or life changes drive functionality, job, marriage, family. A low number just likes to change up or try something different. I find buying for long ownership and maintaining is the best way to keeps costs in check.

skinny - 12/27/2016 3:16:30 PM

+2 Boost

I have a 2005 Toyota Sienna closing in on 250K miles. Bought new, paid cash. Now and then I think of getting a new car. At 80K miles I figured I would keep it until 100K miles, since all of previous cars, were traded at around 90K miles. At a 100K I was like I'll keep it until 120K. I figured at 120K miles it would start needing major repairs. After it passed 120K miles and nothing broke period, I figured it's pretty much a challenge to see how long it goes. Cars are soo well built today, in my opinion, why bother needlessly replacing a car. In 250K miles, I have spent maybe $2K(new radiator recently & gearshift assembly, and sliding door mechanim) o outside of normal wear and tear items.
Growing up, family never had a car that seemed to last past 100K without major problems. Other car, 2008 Acura TL also now at 120K miles, well built car, great condition, why get a new car? Also, I'm one who's turned by the overall complexity of new cars. Don't care for blind spot monitoring, hand free bluetooth, in car GPS systems, etc. Give me a car with the basics and safety equipment like airbags, stability control, and good lights, and I'm good to go.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 12/28/2016 10:28:34 PM

+3 Boost

Not a all really. If you are driving a reliable comfortable vehicle that still meets your needs (or a member of your family) then you keep the vehicle. My Mom had a Camry for 20 years. My 4Runner is 12 years old. I bought it off-lease after someone at Toyota Canada turned it in. I will do the same should it ever NEED to be replaced. Life is too rich (so many things to do and see) to spend all your money on cars or pmts. Besides who wants their Range Rover smelling like wet dog?