Buying a car can be a very personal choice and trading it in an even more personal one. Some drivers don’t like to let go of a vehicle they’ve had because it’s been such a reliable ride over the years. Such is the case for the Toyota brand of cars, trucks, and SUVs.

As the largest auto manufacturer today, it is no surprise they are a well-loved brand. Their rankings speak for themselves, too. The Toyota brand ranks high in multiple top-10 lists across the board, with the Toyota Highlander counted among their best models. It’s one of the best-selling mid-size SUVs on the market and also one Toyota fans refuse to get rid of.

For love of the SUV

SUVs have continuing to gain in popularity since they started surging in the late ’90s, early ’00s. With their rise in popularity, the amount and dangers of carbon emissions have too. But that hasn’t stopped consumers from purchasing SUVs, and they now corner over 40% of the global market, with 1 out of every 2 sales in the US being an SUV.

SUVs are just liked more than sedans. They’re roomy, family-oriented, exciting to drive, and offer loads of fun features. Consumers can take them to work, out for a spin on the highway, or enjoy some off-road fun. They’re often cheaper than trucks but offer some of the same towing capacity and cargo space with the seats folded down.

Because it’s an SUV, it’s no wonder the Highlander is popular among Toyota fans. Toyota seems to be banking on the fact that this trend will continue, too.

The Highlander

So why is the Highlander the SUV Toyota fans can’t seem to get rid of? Well, according to ISeeCars.com’s list of the cars people tend to keep the longest, the Highlander tops the list with 18.3% of owners keeping their vehicles past 15 years.

To put this in perspective, the overall average of cars kept that long is 7.7%, making the Highlander an SUV that is kept more than twice as long as the average vehicle. This is partly to do the high dependability ratings and partly due to the lower-than-average ownership costs.

It might also have something to do with the fact that it’s one of the more spacious mid-size SUVs on the market and comes from a brand that boasts a solid reputation. It’s in its 20th year of production, with the 2020 Highlander proving to be just as robust of an option as previous years. 

The Toyota brand

It’s not just the Highlander that has people talking. Toyota is a highly-established, well-loved, and top-ranked brand. It’s been at the top of many lists, including Consumer Reports, where it took 9th out of 33 spots with its namesake brand as well as the 5th spot for its luxury brand, Lexus.

It also finds itself in the top spot on JD Power’s Vehicle Dependability Study for the eighth year in a row, with Lexus at #1 and Toyota tied for #2. Both brands earned multiple most-dependable vehicle honors, snagging two each, with 20 brands total scored.

And the list mentioned above that the Highlander came in first on? There are eight Toyotas on the list out of 15 cars mentioned: The Highlander (1), Sienna (2), Tacoma (3), Tundra (4), RAV4 (6), Prius (9), 4Runner (10), Corolla (12), Camry (13), and Land Cruiser (15). Toyota was also the only brand with a hybrid vehicle included. 

Ready for your next car?

It’s evident that Toyota is one of the best brands out there, with the Highlander being one of the longest-owned cars among drivers. From customer satisfaction to safety to reliability, It sounds like your next car might need to be a Toyota.