1 Honda Stands Out Among the Vehicles Most Likely to Hit 250,000 Miles
When the iSeeCars website’s analysts went over a decade of resale data to rank the cars and trucks most likely to reach 250,000 miles, they found something interesting. The Honda Pilot landed at number six on the list. It was the only Honda, and the only unibody vehicle, to break the top 10. Here are the longest-lasting vehicles, and each one’s likelihood of hitting 250k.
- Ford F-350 Super Duty – 49.1%
- Toyota Land Cruiser – 47.9%
- Toyota Tundra – 47.9%
- Toyota Sequoia – 47.1%
- Ford F-250 Super Duty – 43.6%
- Honda Pilot – 42.7%
- Toyota Tacoma – 41.7%
- GMC Sierra 2500HD – 41.3%
- Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD – 41.2%
- Toyota 4Runner 41.0%
Notice something about this list? It is made up of Toyota pickups and SUVs, heavy-duty trucks, and the trusty Honda Pilot. The average vehicle has an 11.8% chance of making it to 250k miles. So all these makes and models are going way above and beyond.
The heavy-duty trucks make some sense: many of them are purchased by companies operating commercial fleets. They represent a major investment and are often professionally maintained for the longest lifespan possible.
Toyota trucks and SUVs have a reputation for lasting a long time. And I’m sure this is earned. But I also suspect this reputation is why owners of old Toyotas are more likely to invest in maintenance, even at high mileage. Thus the vehicles are likely to continue lasting. Finally, many of them command a high resale value, even at higher mileage. So iSeeCars trackable mileage numbers–via resale data–stay high.
So what about the only Honda in the top ten? The trusty Pilot? Its long lifespan must be, at least partly, because Honda built it well. It also features a naturally-aspirated V6 which may last longer than a turbocharged engine because it’s simpler. Finally, it is obvious that Pilot owners are investing in their vehicles for the longterm. Maybe this is just because they love them so much.
So how is the Honda Pilot constructed differently than the other vehicles on the list? Full-size trucks all feature body-on-frame construction. Their powertrain, suspension, and axles are attached to a ladder-shaped metal frame. Then their body and bed are set on top of this frame. Full-frame or body-on-frame SUVs usually share this chassis with a pickup truck (The Toyota Tacoma and 4Runner or Chevrolet Silverado and Suburban are examples). They just have an SUV body instead.
Every vehicle on this list is either a pickup truck or a full-frame SUV. Except for the Honda Pilot. To build the pilot, Honda used a method called “unibody construction.” Similar to the CR-V or Honda sedans, the Pilot has a reinforced body shell. Its suspension and powertrain are all attached directly to the body.
Fans of body-on-frame construction argue that unibody vehicles don’t last as long, adding that they are weaker and you can’t swap out a rusty frame to keep them running. But the numbers show that at least one unibody vehicle–the Honda Pilot–lasts just as long as its full-frame competition.
Next, find out which Nissan is on the list of vehicles with the longest potential lifespan, or see how an old Honda Pilot stands up to modern vehicle review standards in the video below:
