Most driven cars with the highest average mileage per year are dominated by SUVs

The cars that drivers log the highest number of miles on annually are SUVs , according to a new study by car search engine iSeeCars.com. While the average miles driven per year for a 10-year-old-vehicle in the United States is 11,987 miles, these vehicles surpass the average annual mileage by 12.1 to 24.0 percent, with SUVs accounting for 10 out of the top 13 models. Meanwhile, the low-mileage cars are dominated by sports cars.

iSeeCars.com analyzed more than 2.3 million sales of 10-year-old cars to identify the top 13 vehicles with the highest annual mileage, which were all at least 12 percent above average.

Top 13 Cars with the Highest Average CarMileage Per Year

The vehicle with the most average miles driven per year is the Chevrolet Suburban full-size SUV , which is driven 14,862 miles per year.

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The top 13 most-driven vehicles are predominantly SUVs, with the hybrid Prius hatchback and the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna minivans as the exceptions. Full-size SUVs dominate to account for nine of the 10 SUVs represented. “Full-size SUVs are built on truck platforms so they have the durability of a truck and the cargo space for up to eight passengers, which makes them popular family vehicles,” said iSeeCars.com CEO Phong Ly. “SUVs as a vehicle segment log an average of 12,531 miles per year on the odometer and are second to only minivans.”

Earning the top spot is the family-oriented Chevrolet Suburban, which is has 24.0 percent more vehicle miles annually when compared to the average vehicle. “The Suburban is known for its expansive cargo room while comfortably seating up to nine passengers, which makes it popular for large families as well as for fleet and livery use,” said iSeeCars CEO Phong Ly.

Five additional domestic full-size SUVs join the Suburban on the list including the second-ranked GMC Yukon XL, the fifth-ranked Chevrolet Tahoe, the seventh-ranked GMC Yukon, the ninth-ranked Ford Expedition, and the tenth-ranked Cadillac Escalade ESV. “The GMC Yukon XL and the Cadillac Escalade ESV have the same underpinnings and manufacturer as the top-ranked Suburban and are both popular livery vehicles,” said Ly. “Meanwhile, the GMC Yukon and the Chevrolet Tahoe are also mechanically identical with the Yukon being more luxurious thanks to its fancier look and nameplate.” Rounding out the list of American full-size SUVs is the Ford Expedition, which is the least expensive vehicle in its class and boasts above-average reliability ratings and passenger space.

Three Japanese vehicles round out the full-size SUVs on the list: the third-ranked Toyota Sequoia, the eighth-ranked Nissan Armada, and the thirteenth-ranked Toyota Land Cruiser. “The Toyota Sequoia and the Toyota Land Cruiser are both three-row full-size SUVs, and the larger Sequoia is more family-oriented while the Land Cruiser is more luxurious and has off-road capabilities to appeal to those who want a sophisticated rugged family hauler,” said Ly, continuing, “The Nissan Armada is at the bottom of its class in terms of passenger space and fuel economy, but it earns praise for its quality interior and its towing capacity.”

The fourth-ranked Honda Odyssey and twelfth-ranked Toyota Sienna minivans represent the vehicle segment most commonly associated with family hauling. “Minivans offer more cargo space and better fuel efficiency than full-size SUVs, but lack towing capacity and all-weather performance,” said Ly. “Minivans are ideal for motorists who want extra cargo room and seating capacity, but don’t require a vehicle that performs like a truck.”

The sixth-ranked Honda Pilot represents the only midsize SUV on the list. “Although the Honda Pilot is a midsize SUV, it offers three rows of spacious seats and leads its class for cargo capacity,” said Ly. “For those who require a lot of space, but don’t want a behemoth full-size SUV, the Pilot is an attractive option.”

Standing out as the only passenger car and hybrid vehicle on the list is the eleventh-ranked Toyota Prius. “The Toyota Prius’ appearance on the list is not surprising given that hybrid vehicles are a popular and practical choice for high mileage drivers who want to save on fuel costs and not worry about gas prices,” said Ly. “Despite initial longevity concerns, the Prius’ battery has been proven to last 12 to 15 years on average, which shows that it’s long-lasting to further add to its practicality.”

Of the list of most-driven vehicles, eight vehicles also appear on iSeeCars’ list of Longest-Lasting Cars to reach 200,000 miles, while the remaining vehicles achieve high rankings in their respective vehicle segments.

“The vehicles with the highest annual mileage tend to also be the vehicles that last the longest,” said Ly. “People who drive their cars the most are likely to prolong the lives of their vehicles with regular service and maintenance because these vehicles may be a large part of their livelihood, and in the case of large SUVs, they are expensive to replace.”

Highest Mileage Cars: Passenger Cars

iSeeCars also examined vehicles excluding trucks, SUVs , and minivans to determine the passenger cars people drive the most. The most-driven passenger car is the Toyota Prius, which is driven 13,594 miles per year, and is 12.9 percent above the national average for all vehicles.

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Earning the second spot behind the Toyota Prius, is the midsize Nissan Altima, which on average is driven 10.0 percent more than the average car.

“Midsize sedans appeal to drivers seeking a comfortable car for commuting or family hauling, but don’t require a large vehicle,” said Ly. “They provide added savings due to their often lower upfront costs and fuel efficiency, and they are commonly passed down from parents to children when they get their driver’s license.”

While seven of the top ten passenger cars are midsize, the full-size Chevrolet Impala and the compact Honda Civic and Volkswagen Jetta stand out as exceptions. “The Honda Civic and the Volkswagen Jetta provide more cargo room than most compact cars, and both are practical options for families who don’t need extra seating capacity or commute long distances,” said Ly. “The Chevrolet Impala has a comfortable and spacious interior, which makes it a popular fleet vehicle as well as a good option for families.”

Highest Mileage PickupTrucks

iSeeCars examined the pickup truck segment to determine the pickups that are driven more miles than the average vehicle. The pickup truck with the highest average miles driven per year is the Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Pickups are often used as work vehicles to transport their drivers between job sites and accrue high mileage as a result,” said Ly.

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Ranked first is the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, which logs 6.8 percent more annual miles than the average vehicle followed by the GMC Sierra 1500 in second. Made by the same manufacturer, the two trucks are built on the same platform and share many of the same features. “The Chevrolet Silverado is considered to be more of a working truck, while the GMC Sierra markets itself as being more luxurious,” said Ly. “As a result, the Silverado may log more miles since it’s more likely to be used for work purposes.”

Four additional models are driven more than the average car including the third-ranked Toyota Tundra, the fourth-ranked Nissan Titan, the fifth-ranked Ford F-150, and the sixth-ranked Toyota Tacoma.

“With the exception of the sixth-ranked midsize Toyota Tacoma, the light-duty pickup trucks that accrue more miles than average are full-size pickups,” said Ly.

Cars People Drive the Least

iSeeCars also compiled the top ten cars that are driven the least by licensed drivers , with the vehicles on the list having between 29.8 percent and 64.4 percent fewer miles than average. The car that has the lowest average mileage is the Chevrolet Corvette convertible, which is driven just 4,272 miles per year.

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Not surprisingly, the list of vehicles with the lowest average number of miles is dominated by sports cars, which account for eight of the ten cars on the list. Of those eight sports cars, convertibles outnumber coupes by a margin of six to two.

Earning the top spot is the consummate American sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette convertible, which is driven 64.4 percent less than the average vehicle. The Corvette coupe model earns the fourth spot on the list with 60.9 percent less mileage than the average vehicle.

“Coupes and convertibles are the least driven vehicle segments, with coupes being driven 19.9 percent less than the average vehicle and convertibles 37.1 percent less,” noted Ly. “Sports cars typically aren’t daily drivers, which explains why they don’t accrue high mileage. While sports cars are typically expensive to insure, drivers can take advantage of low-mileage discounts to help offset high car insurance rates.”

Standing out as the only non-sports cars on the list are the fifth-ranked Maserati Quattroporte sedan and the tenth-ranked Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV. “Although it’s a sedan, the Maserati Quattroporte drives and feels like a sports car,” said Ly. “The Mercedes Benz G-Class is a gas guzzling off-road vehicle that doesn’t ride comfortably, so drivers might not use it for daily driving.”

Comparison of Mileage by Body Type

iSeeCars examined the driving trends by vehicle type to compare the average annual mileage across vehicle segments. On average, Americans drive minivans the most and convertibles the least amount of miles per year.

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Minivans are the vehicle segment that is driven the most, with an average American annual mileage of 13,235, which is 10.4 percent higher than the average vehicle. “The main reason why parents pick minivans is to comfortably accommodate families, which makes these vehicles popular for road trips and daily family hauling,” said Ly.

“The driving habits of minivan owners tend to be chauffeuring families around for daily errands as well as enduring long road trips,” said Ly. “They provide helpful features like automatic sliding doors and have more spacious interiors, which make them better suited than SUVs for hauling younger age groups who need assistance entering and exiting the vehicle.”

Most-Driven Vehicles by Metro Area

iSeeCars further examined the data to determine the most-driven vehicle in the top 20 most populous metro areas.

An expanded list to include the top 50 metro areas can be found here .

Echoing national trends, the vehicle that logs the most miles annually in the most metro areas is the Chevrolet Suburban. Full-size SUVs accounted for the most-driven vehicle across the top 20 largest metro areas with the exception of the midsize Dodge Durango in Los Angeles.

“Whether you’re at the dealership looking for a rugged family vehicle or a comfortable and efficient car for a long commute, there is a vehicle that has proven to endure years of high mileage to suit your needs,” said Ly. “However, it’s important to note that the best way to achieve high mileage for your vehicle is to make sure you undergo the proper care and maintenance.”

Methodology

iSeeCars.com analyzed over 2.3 million used ten-year-old cars sold from 2015 to 2018. The average annual mileage based on odometer readings of each car and body style was mathematically modeled from the data. Full-size vans and heavy-duty trucks, models with fewer than four model years represented in the dataset, and models not available for the 2019 or 2020 model years were excluded from the analysis.

About iSeeCars.com

iSeeCars.com is a data-driven car search and research company that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, including the iSeeCars VIN Check report and Best Cars Rankings. iSeeCars has saved users over $406 million so far by applying big data analytics powered by over 25 billion (and growing) data points and using proprietary algorithms to objectively analyze, score and rank millions of new cars and used cars.