Longest lasting cars

[RobertArthur]

How long does your car actually last? Many people start to feel anxious when the odometer approaches 100,000 kilometres, thinking it's time for something new. That used to be different for some brands. I remember a story about an Opel Senator whose engine was completely dismantled and every part was carefully measured. From crankshaft bearings to cylinders, pistons and piston rings. After 450,000 km, everything was still within the original factory tolerances. Perhaps it was well maintained and driven carefully, but you never know.

It remains difficult to obtain and analyse this kind of data. Nevertheless, there are studies whose results tell a clear story. This also applies to a recent study in the US, which examined all kinds of car models that are not available on the European market. But the brand names tell their own story.

A trip across the North Atlantic Ocean.


And back to Europe, Germany. The data of the TÜV (CT in France). From a summary in the magazine "CHIP" (yes, computers), quote:

As vehicles age, their maintenance requirements also increase. Already at the first general inspection after three years, 6.2 percent of cars had significant defects, and after five years, the figure was 9.1 percent. The average mileage for three-year-old vehicles is around 44,000 kilometres, and for five-year-old cars, it is just under 66,000 kilometres.

The Honda Jazz, VW Golf Sportsvan and Audi Q2, among others, performed particularly well in the 2025 TÜV Report. Among electric vehicles, models such as the VW e-Golf, Hyundai Kona Electric, Mini Cooper SE and VW ID.3 impressed. The Tesla Model 3 came in last. Here, 14.2 percent of the vehicles tested failed their first general inspection after three years with significant defects.