Hoping to fall in love with a new car? Your odds of living happily ever after may increase if you say “I do” to the Toyota Land Cruiser.
The original owner stays with the luxury SUV for an average of 11.4 years — the longest owner-car relationship among any of the models in a recent analysis by iSeeCars.com.
The automotive search engine and research website noted that sports cars and SUVs dominate the list of happy owner-vehicle unions. Sports cars make up half of the top 10 vehicles on the list. According to iSeeCars.com CEO Phong Ly:
“Sports cars typically aren’t daily drivers and don’t accrue high mileage as a result, so it takes them longer to show signs of wear and tear.”
The top 10 vehicles with the longest average relationship between car and owner are:
- Toyota Land Cruiser (SUV): Original owners keep it for 11.4 years, on average
- Chevrolet Corvette (sports car): 10.5 years
- Mercedes-Benz SL-Class (sports car): 10.3 years
- Audi TT (sports car): 10.2 years
- Ford Expedition (SUV): 10.1 years
- Ford Mustang (sports car): 10 years
- Toyota 4Runner (SUV): 10 years
- Porsche 911 (sports car): 9.9 years
- Toyota Sequoia (SUV): 9.9 years
- Toyota Avalon (sedan): 9.7 years
The average for all cars was 8.4 years.
In compiling its list, iSeeCars.com looked at more than 5 million vehicles sold by their original owners. All cars were at least 5 years old at the time of sale, which helped exclude the impact of short-term leases on the data.
Finding cars that hold their value
While the Toyota Land Cruiser makes sense for car owners hoping to swoon over a new set of wheels, not everybody gives up their heart so easily.
If you don’t plan to hold on to your vehicle for too long — whether because you have “commitment issues” or another reason — you might want to look instead for a car model that maintains its resale value.
Earlier this year, Kelley Blue Book ranked the best of models that hold their value. You can find that list — which includes one of the cars listed above — in our story “The 10 Cars That Hold Their Resale Value Best.”
Which car have you loved most and driven the longest during your lifetime? Share your pick in comments below or on our Facebook page.
Add a Comment