Which Cars Do Owners Drive the Most?
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The Cars People Drive the Most
SUVs dominate the list of vehicles with the highest average annual mileage over 10 years
The cars that drivers log the most miles on annually are SUVs, according to a new study by car search engine iSeeCars.com. While the average 10-year-old-vehicle is driven 11,518 miles per year, these vehicles surpass the average annual mileage by 13.9 to 25.1 percent, with SUVs accounting for nine out of the top 10 models.
| iSeeCars Top 10 Most-Driven Vehicles | |||
| Rank | Car | Avg. Miles Per Year | % Above Average |
| 1 | Chevrolet Suburban | 14,299 | 25.1% |
| 2 | GMC Yukon XL | 14,109 | 23.5% |
| 3 | Chevrolet Tahoe | 13,645 | 19.4% |
| 4 | Toyota Sequoia | 13,525 | 18.3% |
| 5 | GMC Yukon | 13,396 | 17.2% |
| 6 | Honda Odyssey | 13,282 | 16.2% |
| 7 | Honda Pilot | 13,273 | 16.1% |
| 8 | Cadillac Escalade ESV | 13,257 | 16.0% |
| 9 | Ford Expedition | 13,112 | 14.7% |
| 10 | Toyota 4Runner | 13,019 | 13.9% |
| Average for All Vehicles | 11,518 | ||
iSeeCars.com analyzed more than 1.7 million car sales of 10-year-old cars, identifying the top 10 vehicles with the highest annual mileage.
Of the nine SUVs in the overall top ten list, seven are full-size including the family-oriented Chevrolet Suburban in the top spot. Known for its expansive cargo room while comfortably seating up to nine passengers, the Suburban is popular for large families as well as for fleet and livery use.
“SUVs as a vehicle segment are driven an average of 12,037 miles per year and are second to only minivans,” said Phong Ly, CEO of iSeeCars.com.
Additional full-size SUVs comparable to the top-ranked Suburban comprise the rest of the top five spots on the list. In second place is the GMC Yukon XL, which has the same underpinnings as the top-ranked Suburban and shares the same manufacturer. In third is the Chevrolet Tahoe, which has the same seating capacity as the Suburban, but with better towing capacity and less leg and cargo room. Ranked fourth is the Toyota Sequoia, the largest SUV in the Toyota lineup, built to accommodate eight passengers while providing off-road and towing capacity. Rounding out the top five is the GMC Yukon, which is a shorter version of the second-ranked XL, but is still suited to comfortably haul up to eight passengers and their cargo.
Domestic automakers account for the majority of the list with six out of 10 models. Of the six domestic models, five are manufactured by General Motors with the ninth-ranked Ford Expedition full-size SUV as the exception.
The lone non-SUV in the top ten list is the Honda Odyssey minivan, which represents the vehicle segment most commonly associated with family hauling. “Minivans generally offer more cargo space and better gas mileage than full-size SUVs, but lack the towing capacity and all-weather performance,” said Ly. “Minivans are ideal for people who want extra cargo room and seating capacity for running errands around town, but don’t require a vehicle that performs like a truck.”
A second Honda model, the Pilot, is the first of two midsize SUVs to appear on the list and is joined by the tenth-ranked Toyota 4Runner. “Though not as spacious as full-size SUVs, the midsize Honda Pilot and Toyota 4Runner are options for drivers who want a rugged family hauler but don’t require a behemoth full-size SUV,” said Ly.
The single luxury vehicle on the list, the Cadillac Escalade ESV earns the eighth spot. “Luxury vehicles typically aren’t driven for as many miles because they are often leased, causing owners to keep their mileage down,” said Ly. “However, the Escalade ESV is the extended stretch version of the standard Escalade and is a common livery vehicle, which explains its appearance on the list.”
Of the overall top ten list, eight vehicles also appear on iSeeCars Top 10 list of Longest-Lasting Cars to reach 200,000 miles. The two most-driven vehicles absent from the top 10 longest-lasting list are the Cadillac Escalade ESV and the Honda Pilot. Though not one of the top 10 longest-lasting vehicles, both models rank high on the list: the Honda Pilot ranks eighth in the SUV category and the Cadillac Escalade ESV ranks tenth.
“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.”
Passenger Cars Owners Drive the Most
iSeeCars also examined vehicles excluding trucks, SUVs, and minivans to determine the passenger cars people drive the most.
| iSeeCars Top 10 Most-Driven Passenger Cars | |||
| Rank | Car | Avg. Miles Per Year | % Above Average |
| 1 | Nissan Altima | 12,495 | 9.3% |
| 2 | Toyota Prius | 12,279 | 7.4% |
| 3 | Chevrolet Impala | 12,198 | 6.7% |
| 4 | Honda Accord Sedan | 12,190 | 6.7% |
| 5 | Honda Accord Coupe | 11,994 | 4.9% |
| 6 | Honda Civic Coupe | 11,931 | 4.4% |
| 7 | Mazda6 | 11,902 | 4.1% |
| 8 | Honda Civic Sedan | 11,894 | 4.1% |
| 9 | Nissan Maxima | 11,862 | 3.8% |
| 10 | Chevrolet Malibu | 11,834 | 3.6% |
| Average for All Vehicles | 11,518 | ||
Earning the top spot is the midsize Nissan Altima, which on average is driven 9.3 percent more than the average vehicle.
“Midsize sedans are attractive options for people who want a comfortable car for commuting or family hauling, but don’t require a large vehicle,” said Ly. “They also provide added savings by not costing as much to purchase and by having better gas mileage.”
While the vast majority of the top ten passenger cars are midsize, the compact Honda Civic Coupe and Honda Civic Sedan stand out as exceptions.
“The Honda Civic boasts more cargo room than most compact cars, and it is often used as a family car despite being in the compact category,” said Ly. “It is a practical option for families who don’t need extra seating capacity as well as for people with long commutes.”
Joining the Civic with two body styles on the list are the fourth-ranked Honda Accord Sedan and the fifth-ranked Honda Accord Coupe. Known for its dependability, Honda is the manufacturer with the most passenger vehicles in the top ten list with four models.
The Prius stands out as both the only hybrid and hatchback on the list. “The Toyota Prius’ high rank is not surprising given that hybrid vehicles are a popular choice for high mileage drivers who want to save on fuel costs,” said Ly.
Minivans Owners Drive the Most
Despite having only one vehicle in the overall top 10, minivans on average are driven the most of any vehicle segment logging 12,501 miles per year.
“Minivans are popular family haulers, like SUVs, ideal for parents chauffeuring families around for daily errands as well as being comfortable options for long road trips,” said Ly. “They also provide helpful features like automatic sliding doors and have more spacious interiors, which make them better suited than SUVs for hauling younger children who need assistance entering and exiting the vehicle.”
| iSeeCars Most-Driven Minivans | |||
| Rank | Car | Avg. Miles Per Year | % Above Minivan Average |
| 1 | Honda Odyssey | 13,282 | 6.2% |
| 2 | Toyota Sienna | 12,582 | 0.6% |
| 3 | Dodge Grand Caravan | 12,423 | -0.6% |
| 4 | Nissan Quest | 11,907 | -4.8% |
| 5 | Kia Sedona | 11,428 | -8.6% |
| Average for All Minivans | 12,501 | ||
| Average for All Vehicles | 11,518 | ||
Only two minivan models have higher annual mileage than the average minivan: the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna.
“The Toyota Sienna is the only minivan to offer all-wheel drive, which gives it an edge on the competition,” said Ly. “However, because it is not the most-driven minivan it shows that those who want an all-weather family hauler are more likely to opt for an SUV.”
The Kia Sedona is the only minivan with average annual mileage less than the average vehicle. “The Kia Sedona is on the lower end of fuel efficiency among minivans, which could account for it being driven less than other minivans,” speculated Ly.
Pickup Trucks People Drive the Most
Third behind minivans and SUVs for average annual mileage, the average pickup truck driver logs an average 11,926 miles per year. “Pickups are often used as work vehicles to transport their drivers between job sites and accrue high mileage as a result,” said Ly.
| iSeeCars Most-Driven Pickup Trucks | |||
| Rank | Car | Avg. Miles Per Year | % Above Pickup Average |
| 1 | Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 12,514 | 4.9% |
| 2 | GMC Sierra 1500 | 12,360 | 3.6% |
| 3 | Toyota Tundra | 12,237 | 2.6% |
| 4 | Toyota Tacoma | 12,166 | 2.0% |
| 5 | Ford F-150 | 12,164 | 2.0% |
| 6 | Nissan Titan | 11,852 | -0.6% |
| 7 | Nissan Frontier | 11,596 | -2.8% |
| 8 | Ram Ram 1500 Pickup | 11,563 | -3.0% |
| 9 | Chevrolet Colorado | 11,343 | -4.9% |
| 10 | GMC Canyon | 11,202 | -6.1% |
| Average for All Pickups | 11,926 | ||
| Average for All Vehicles | 11,518 | ||
The most-driven pickup is the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, which logs 4.9% more annual miles than the average truck. Four additional models are driven more than the average pickup including the second-ranked GMC Sierra 1500, the Toyota Tundra, the Toyota Tacoma, and the Ford F-150.
Both Nissan pickup models, the Titan and Frontier, and the Ram 1500 log less miles than the average pickup truck. The pickup trucks with the lowest annual mileage, the Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon, also log less miles than the average vehicle across all segments.
“Interestingly the top two pickups, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the GMC Sierra 1500; and the bottom two pickups, the Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon, are cousin models from the same manufacturer with only slight mileage variances between them,” said Ly.
Cars People Drive the Least
iSeeCars also compiled the top ten cars that are driven the least, with the vehicles on the list having between 21.3 percent and 61.8 percent fewer miles than average.
| iSeeCars Top 10 Least-Driven Cars | |||
| Rank | Car | Avg. Miles Per Year | % Above Average |
| 1 | Chevrolet Corvette Convertible | 4,365 | -61.8% |
| 2 | Porsche 911 Convertible | 4,523 | -60.4% |
| 3 | Porsche 911 Coupe | 4,637 | -59.4% |
| 4 | Chevrolet Corvette Coupe | 4,939 | -56.8% |
| 5 | Mercedes-Benz SL-Class Convertible | 6,217 | -45.6% |
| 6 | Mazda MX-5 Miata Convertible | 6,927 | -39.4% |
| 7 | BMW 6 Series Convertible | 7,692 | -32.7% |
| 8 | Ford Mustang Convertible | 8,457 | -26.0% |
| 9 | BMW 6 Series Coupe | 8,895 | -22.2% |
| 10 | Ford Mustang Coupe | 8,990 | -21.3% |
| Average for All Vehicles | 11,518 | ||
Not surprisingly, the list of vehicles with the lowest annual mileage is comprised of sports and muscle cars since they aren’t typically used as primary vehicles. Earning the top spot is the consummate American sports car, the Chevrolet Corvette convertible, which is driven 61.8 percent less than the average vehicle. The Corvette coupe model earns the fourth spot on the list with 56.8 percent less mileage than the average vehicle. “Coupes and convertibles are the least driven vehicle segments, with coupes being driven 23 percent less than the average vehicle and convertibles 54 percent less,” noted Ly.
Comparison of Mileage by Body Type
| Average Mileage by Body Type | ||
| Rank | Body Type | Avg MPY |
| 1 | Minivan | 12,501 |
| 2 | SUV | 12,037 |
| 3 | Pickup Truck | 11,926 |
| Average vehicle: 11,518 | ||
| 4 | Wagon | 11,427 |
| 5 | Sedan | 11,238 |
| 6 | Hatchback | 10,676 |
| 7 | Coupe | 9,346 |
| 8 | Convertible | 7,433 |
“There is a wide selection of vehicles to suit all lifestyles that are equipped to endure years of high mileage,” said Ly. “However, it’s important to note that proper car maintenance and care are critical in order for a car to achieve high mileage and vehicle longevity.”
Methodology
iSeeCars.com analyzed over 1.7 million used ten-year-old cars sold from 2014 to 2017. The average annual mileage of each model and body style was used to rank each vehicle. Models with fewer than 500 listings, full-size vans and heavy duty trucks, models with fewer than four model years represented in the dataset, and models not available as of the 2017 or 2018 model year were excluded from the analysis. The data were also aggregated at the body style level.
About iSeeCars.com
iSeeCars.com is an online car search engine helping consumers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, like the iSeeCars VIN check report. iSeeCars.com has saved users over $161 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 cars and thousands of dealers. Based in the Boston area, iSeeCars.com was founded by former TripAdvisor and SAP executives determined to improve the car shopping experience for consumers.
