One of the benchmarks for high-mileage cars is rolling over 200,000 on the odometer. Owners hope that with conscientious maintenance plans, their vehicles can travel a distance that’s nearly halfway to the Moon. iSeeCars recently undertook a study to see which vehicles could last the longest. For them, 250,000 miles was the threshold, and Toyota and General Motors (GM) claimed the top seven spots.

How did iSeeCars determine its stats about which cars can last more than 250,000 miles?

iSeeCars evaluated over two million cars on the road between January and October 2022. Out of those, they selected vehicles that were produced and sold for at least 10 of the past 20 years. All vehicles must have been in production as of the 2020 model year. Heavy-duty vehicles like buses and box trucks were excluded from the analysis.

All 20 models on the list had at least 2.5% of their stock clear 200,000 miles, iSeeCars found. The top 1%, though, achieved at least 230,000 miles. The following vehicles have at least 1% of the models left on the road at or above the listed mileage.

#1: Toyota Sequoia—296,509 miles

Designed and manufactured specifically for the North American market, the Toyota Sequoia is the largest non-military market SUV produced by the company. Derived from the tried-and-true Tundra pickup truck, the seven-seater provided an alternative to American-branded SUVs.

#2: Toyota Land Cruiser—280,236 miles

Revered as one of, if not the best, adventure, off-road, and rescue vehicles ever made, the Land Cruiser has been in production since 1951. Over seven generations, Toyota has sent more than 10 million Land Cruisers to every corner of the world.

Often seen in military, rescue, and relief operations undertaken by the United Nations, it’s no surprise the Land Cruiser is high on the list. Unfortunately, Toyota decided to pull the nearly indestructible SUV out of the U.S. for the 2023 model year.

#3: Chevrolet Suburban—265,732 miles

Although it claimed the title of America’s “soccer mom” vehicle over the past two decades, the Chevy Suburban has been around much longer. GM began building the vehicle in 1934 as the “Carryall Suburban,” then a full-size station wagon.

Taking a brief production hiatus during World War II, the Suburban has been around for 12 generations. Relatively mechanically simplistic, the full-size SUV has featured multiple bulletproof engines that have helped the Chevrolet go the distance. 

#4: Toyota Tundra—256,022 miles

When Toyota decided to modernize its legendary T100 pickup, they gave the new iteration something the T100 never had: a V8. Built beside the Sequoia and based on the same platform, the Tundra quickly became one of America’s most popular pickup trucks. Although they never carried a diesel powerplant, V6 and V8 Tundras were plenty powerful and could stand up to continuous hard labor.

#5: GMC Yukon XL—252,360 miles

Mechanically identical to the Suburban, the Yukon XL debuted in 2000 as a more luxurious variant of GM’s full-size SUV. The seven-seater also had a set of durable engines, including the 8.1-liter Vortec V8.

Now in its fifth generation, the Yukon XL is available for the first time with a diesel engine. Given a cetane-powered engine’s long-lived reliability, the newer Yukon XL could likely last even longer.

#6: Toyota Prius—250,601 miles

For those who thought the Prius was just a political statement, think again. The Prius has proven its credentials past fuel efficiency and into genuine reliability. Mating an internal combustion engine with an electric motor, the Prius quickly became the symbol of hypermiling.

As the Prius reached 10 years old in America, Consumer Reports tested a 2002 Prius with over 200,000 miles on it in 2011. Comparing it with a 2,000-mile Prius, they found they were nearly identical in performance and fuel economy.

#7: Chevrolet Tahoe—250,338 miles

As a shorter wheelbase version of the iconic Suburban, the Tahoe has graced the road through five generations since 1995. Featuring the same V8 engines as the Suburban and Yukon, it was originally offered in three- and five-door models.

Yet, in 2000, the three-door was discontinued, along with its boxy styling. In its current variation, the premium SUV can now be had with a six-cylinder diesel engine.

What can you do to help your car last 250,000 miles?

It’s essential to pay attention to maintenance cycles. Every vehicle has an owner’s manual from the manufacturer, wherein a maintenance schedule outlines every service it needs and when. For example, routine matters like tire rotations and oil changes, but recommendations on bigger issues like timing chains can also be found in the manual.

Additionally, when problems arise, getting the vehicle serviced as quickly as possible is critical. To preserve your chances of a long-lasting vehicle, it’s crucial not to be cheap and use Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts for repairs. Warranties won’t last past 200,000 miles, so getting to a quarter-million will be up to the owner themselves. If this study is any indication, buying a Toyota or GM car could very well be the best start.