Americans Are Putting the Most Miles on These Vehicles
A recent study by AAA found that Americans drove approximately 2.6 trillion miles between 2016 and 2017, with an average of 51 minutes per day spent in the car. There’s no doubt that, as a nation, we drive a lot. But which vehicles do people favor? If you’re wondering which cars Americans are driving the most, here are a few of Autoblog’s highest-mileage vehicles (excluding pickup trucks).
Chevrolet Suburban (14,862 miles per year)
This enormous SUV tops the list of most miles driven per year. The Suburban comfortably seats eight, making it an excellent family vehicle. It uses a 5.3 liter V8 with 355 hp, and gets 22 miles per gallon. It is also available in all-wheel drive.
While it is equipped with plenty of safety technology, the Suburban’s high center of gravity makes it slightly more likely to flip. Demonstrating this fact, the 2018 Suburban scored only three stars in the rollover prevention category.
Honda Odyssey (14,120 miles per year)
Another excellent family car, this minivan seats eight and features passenger seats that can slide or be removed to create more storage space. The Odyssey uses a 3.5 liter V6 with 280 hp.
If you’re looking for a vehicle this size with decent miles per gallon, the Odyssey is a good choice—it gets 28 miles per gallon on the highway, with start/stop technology that turns off the engine at red lights.
The Odyssey was also chosen as a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS, but it should be noted that the crash-test ratings aren’t completed yet for the 2019 model.
Nissan Armada (13,753 miles per year)
This is the only Nissan on the most-driven list, and its popularity is understandable—its 5.6 liter V8 gets 390 hp, and it can tow up to 8,500 pounds. All-wheel drive is also available. The Armada’s size and power make it an affordable substitute for more expensive luxury SUVs.
However, the Armada does not drive particularly smoothly, and it gets only 16 miles per gallon on the highway. It also does not score well in crash tests. For example, the NHTSA only gave it a three-star rating in rollover prevention and frontal crash protection.
Cadillac Escalade (13,615 miles per year)
The enormous Escalade uses a 6.2 liter V8 with 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. While this luxury SUV may not be driven quite as much as, say, the Chevrolet Suburban, it certainly holds its own—it drives smoothly, seats eight, and can tow up to 8,300 pounds. It gets 22 miles per gallon on the highway.
As with many of the SUVs on this list, however, the Escalade was ranked quite poorly in rollover prevention due to its high center of gravity.
Toyota Prius (13,534 miles per year)
Of all the most-driven vehicles on this list, the Toyota Prius is the only one that is not an SUV or a minivan. The Prius is an excellent choice for folks who drive frequently but want to save on fuel. That is because it is a hybrid vehicle with a long-lasting battery.
The 2019 Prius comes with all-wheel drive and gets 50 miles per gallon, making it the most efficient all-wheel drive that you can purchase without a plug. Unfortunately, older models of the Prius do not come with all-wheel drive. So this may make them unappealing to anyone who lives in areas with inclement weather.
Toyota Sienna (13,442 miles per year)
The Toyota Sienna is currently the only minivan to offer all-wheel drive. It uses a 3.5-liter V6 engine and gets 27 miles per gallon on the highway, not bad for a vehicle that seats seven passengers. The 2019 Sienna includes Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa integration. Not to mention, its numerous cupholders and USB ports make it a great car for a large family.
However, despite the technological upgrade in the 2019 model, it still does not include Android Auto, meaning that Android users will not be able to connect their phones.
