10 Vehicles Most Likely To Reach 250,000 Miles According To iSeeCars, And The Maintenance Habits That Help Them Get There

Ask a mechanic which cars make it to a quarter million miles, and the answers come fast and sound a lot alike. A new study backs up the hunch with numbers, and the leaders may not all be the ones you would guess.

A closeup of a black analog speedometer and odometer in a car.

According to a TFLcar report published September 15, 2026 on an iSeeCars study of more than 395 million vehicles, the average vehicle has just a 5.3% chance of reaching 250,000 miles. The 10 models below beat that figure by a wide margin.

Chances are historical, based on past data, so they describe how these models have fared, not a promise for the one in your driveway.

1. Toyota Sequoia Leads At 42.3%

The full-size Toyota Sequoia has a 42.3% chance of reaching 250,000 miles, tops in the study. That is roughly eight times the average vehicle’s 5.3%.

2. Lexus LS Follows At 38.8%

The Lexus LS sits second at 38.8%, about seven times the average. It is the only sedan in the top three.

3. Toyota 4Runner Hits 33.1%

The 4Runner comes in third at 33.1%, or more than six times the average. It is a body-on-frame SUV with a following among off-road drivers.

4. Lexus RX Hybrid Reaches 28.9%

The Lexus RX Hybrid ranks fourth at 28.9%, which is a little more than five times the average. A hybrid at this spot is a useful reminder that electrified powertrains are not automatically short-lived.

5. Toyota Tacoma At 28.2%

The Toyota Tacoma lands fifth with a 28.2% chance of getting there. It is the first pickup on the list.

6. Toyota Tundra At 25.0%

The full-size Tundra pickup is sixth at 25.0%, about one in four. That is nearly five times the average vehicle’s odds.

7. Lexus GX At 23.3%

The Lexus GX ranks seventh at 23.3%. Along with the LS and RX Hybrid, it gives Lexus three of the top 10 spots.

8. Toyota Avalon At 23.2%

The Toyota Avalon, a large sedan, follows closely behind at 23.2%. Just a tenth of a point separates it from the Lexus GX above it.

9. Toyota Highlander Hybrid At 20.7%

The Highlander Hybrid is ninth at 20.7%, a chance of about one in five. It is the second hybrid in the top 10, after the Lexus RX Hybrid.

10. Honda Accord Hybrid At 18.5%

The Honda Accord Hybrid closes the list at 18.5%, the only Honda in the top 10. Even the last place on this list is around 3.5 times the average vehicle’s odds.

Count the badges and the pattern jumps out. Six of the 10 are Toyotas, three are Lexus models, and one is a Honda. Trucks and SUVs fill most of the spots, with the LS and Avalon as the sedans and the Accord Hybrid as the only mid-size family car.

The bigger picture is lopsided. TFLcar says Japanese automakers hold 23 of the top 25 spots, and the only non-Japanese models in that group are the Chevrolet Suburban at 11.6% and the Mercedes-Benz G-Class at 17.3%. The article attributes the G-Class result to owners keeping their cars for a long time.

The study comes with a caution. TFLcar notes the estimates are based on historical data, which may not reflect recent redesigns, and suggests newer Toyota and Lexus powertrains and software could change future reliability.

That article also argues that a vehicle’s early reliability affects whether owners will invest in maintaining it to 250,000 miles. In other words, a good car deserves good care.

There is a lesson for shoppers in the 5.3% average, too. Roughly one vehicle in 19 gets to 250,000 miles, so a high-mileage used car from a model with a strong record is a better bet than one from a model with no track record. Ask for service records, because a thick folder of receipts can tell you more than the odometer.

So what habits help? Start with the owner’s manual schedule. A December 2025 Jalopnik guide to maintenance after 100,000 miles recommends keeping up with oil changes at the interval in your manual and replacing the air filter, along with the fuel and cabin filters.

It also says to replace the timing belt if your engine has one, since a broken belt can cause “a bent valve or piston,” and to get a full brake fluid flush because moisture and debris cause a soft pedal feel. For the transmission, it says to drain and refill the fluid instead of flushing it, so contaminants are not dislodged into the system.

Coolant matters, too. The guide says it wears out eventually and becomes less able to prevent overheating, and depending on the type it is sometimes recommended every 30,000 miles, so check what your manual calls for. It also says the serpentine belt should generally be replaced every 60,000 miles or so, and that cracked or brittle hoses deserve replacing before they fail.

The same guide says to inspect shocks, struts, tires and brakes, and to wash and wax regularly to keep dirt and road salt from causing rust. None of it is glamorous, but it is the work that gets a vehicle from 100,000 to 250,000.

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