There are many models on the market that come and go, but there are also some models that look like they’re here to stay. The vehicles we’re about to discuss today have been ranked the world’s longest-living cars based on how long they stayed fundamentally the same.
From the Honda Odyssey to the Toyota land cruiser and Toyota SUVs, these are just some of the longest-lasting cars, but certain vehicles are known to outlast others. Each brand offers consistent long-term reliability and it’s all about your car’s lifespan at the end of the day.
These are the top five vehicles that have the longest production runs in history, with some of them still being made today.
The Beetle
Do you like the Beetle? Did you know it’s one of the top five longest-living cars? The Volkswagen Beetle is a genuine icon and one of many long-lasting cars on the market. It was produced from 1938 to 2003, with over 21 million units sold worldwide.
It was designed to be the ‘people’s car’, its appeal spanned cultures and generations, going on to become one of the best-selling cars of all time, according to Lancaster Insurance. The Beetle was a masterpiece of innovation and economics—it was compact, but practical, and inexpensive to buy and maintain, says Volkswagen. To mark the end of production for the first-generation model at its factory in Puebla, Mexico, a limited run of 3,000 1600i Última Edición models was produced in 2003. Volkswagen will continue incorporating its rich heritage as we look to the future of mobility with today’s vehicles, such as the electric ID.4 SUV.
Peugeot 205
Produced by the French manufacturer Peugeot from 1983 to 1999, the Peugeot 205 is a supermini car that was declared the “car of the decade” by Car Magazine in 1990. It also won What Car? ‘s Car of the Year for 1984 and is also one of the world’s longest-lasting vehicles.
The Peugeot 205 has a huge fan base, far beyond its French homeland where drivers and enthusiasts speak with reverence about the “Deux-Cent-Cinq”. It is known for its performance and handling, especially the GTI hot hatch that arrived in 1984, says What Car.
Mercedes-Benz SL
With the greatest potential lifespan is the Mercedes-Benz SL, which is one of the longest-surviving car models in the world, according to Benz Insider. It was introduced in 1954 and is still being produced today, with several generations and variants over the years. The SL stands for “Sport Leicht” or “Sport Light” in German, and it is known for its luxury and performance.
One of the most iconic and long-lived versions of the SL is the R107 generation, which was produced from 1971 to 1989. It was the only SL to spawn a four-seat coupé with a fixed roof, called the SLC. It had an interior fit for a king, and it occupied the top spot in the Mercedes line-up for nearly two decades, according to AutoCar.
Ford Model T
The Ford Model T is one of the most influential and historic cars in the world. The Ford Motor Company produced it from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927, and is generally regarded as the first affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. The Model T was named the most influential car of the 20th century in the 1999 Car of the Century competition, ahead of the BMC Mini, Citroën DS, and Volkswagen Beetle.
The first production Model T was built on August 12, 1908, and left the factory on September 27, 1908, at the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit, Michigan. On May 26, 1927, Henry Ford watched the 15 millionth Model T Ford roll off the assembly line at his Highland Park, Michigan factory. The Model T had a long production run of almost 19 years, during which over 15 million cars were sold worldwide.
Suzuki Jimny
The Suzuki Jimny is a series of four-wheel drive off-road mini SUVs, it’s not a large SUV and has been manufactured and marketed by Japanese automaker Suzuki since 19701. It is one of the longest-surviving car models sold in the world, with over 2.85 million units sold in 194 countries by September 2018.
The Suzuki Jimny production started in 1970 as a kei car, a small car class unique to Japan that offered tax breaks for vehicles with low weight and engine displacement, according to History. It was the first of its class to offer 4WD2. The first Suzuki-branded four-wheel drive was the LJ10 (Light Jeep 10), which had a 359 cc, air-cooled, two-stroke, in-line two-cylinder engine1.
Conclusion
All in all, there are technically six long-lasting vehicles within this article, because according to The Drive, the longest-lasting vehicle on the road is the 1968 Volvo P1800. With over 4 million miles across its odometer, there are also many million-mile cars, including a Lexus, a Nissan Frontier, and a number of others.
However, according to I See Cars, the Toyota Sequoia SUV is more likely than any other vehicle on the road to eclipse 200,000 miles and have the longest lifespan. Toyota has proven itself in the car industry that’s for sure, as an empire that makes long-lasting cars. The average maintenance cost is $464 per year, but that money is not bad seeing as you are guaranteed a car that will last you more years than you can count, says Hot Cars.
It is a great SUV you can take camping, use for your commute, or even just drive around the block. It is as sharp as the engineers who made this and we expect it is one purchase you won’t ever regret.
If you’re a driver who wants to get every last mile out of your vehicle, then think about this, no one can guarantee the lifespan of a specific vehicle, iSeeCars researchers say the typical lifespan of a newer car at the top of these lists will almost certainly be longer than vehicles ranked lower.
