(CONSUMER REPORTS) - Cars have started lasting longer than ever. The average age of cars on U.S. roads has now surpassed eleven years. And passing the 200,000-mile mark has become more and more common. A Consumer Reports reader survey, covering more than a million vehicles, identified which models most often reach 200,000 miles.
The top ten were either Toyotas or Hondas. They’re the Toyota Prius, Camry 4-cylinder, Corolla, Sienna V6, and Highlander V6. And from Honda, they’re the Odyssey, Pilot, Accord 4-cylinder sedan, CR-V, and the Civic, excluding the Hybrid, SI and GX.
Owners spent an average of $550 on maintenance and repairs in the past year on things like brakes, shocks, and timing belts.
Still, Consumer Reports said by the time a car hits 200,000 miles, you should think about replacing it. By then, most cars’ hard life on the road has begun to take a toll on the structure and key components. And older cars just don’t have the numerous safety advances that have appeared in recent years. Those included collision avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, side-curtain airbags, and electronic stability control.
Plus newer cars have been made with advanced steel and structural architecture that absorb the impact of a crash better.
Complete Ratings and recommendations on all kinds of products, including appliances, cars and trucks, and electronic gear, are available on Consumer Reports’ website. Subscribe to ConsumerReports.org.
