8 midsize sedans famous for running past 250,000 miles

A quarter-million miles once sounded like a fantasy, yet a handful of ordinary family sedans reach it without drama. The recipe is rarely exotic: conservative engineering, forgiving engines, and owners who change the oil on schedule. These eight midsize sedans have built reputations for shrugging off the odometer and running long after flashier rivals landed in the scrapyard.

1. Toyota Camry: The Quarter-Million-Mile Benchmark

The Camry earned its reputation on a simple formula: understressed four-cylinder and V6 engines paired with a transmission tuned for smoothness rather than speed. Nothing runs hot, nothing spins fast, and few parts ever operate near their limits. That deliberately relaxed engineering, documented across decades of official model records, is why so many Camrys sail past 250,000 miles on little more than fluids, belts, and brakes.

The trade-off is character. A Camry rarely thrills, and high-mileage examples can feel numb compared with sportier sedans. But for buyers who value a car that simply starts every morning, that predictability is the entire point rather than a flaw to apologize for.

2. Honda Accord: The Engineer’s Long-Hauler

The Accord pairs longevity with a more engaging drive than most rivals, and its engines are the reason it lasts. Honda’s naturally aspirated fours are famous for tight tolerances and durable timing chains, while the automatic transmissions hold up when fluid changes are not neglected. Coverage from automotive reviewers repeatedly notes owners crossing 250,000 miles with only routine maintenance behind them.

One caveat sits in the fine print: certain older automatic transmissions were weaker than the engines they served, and neglected fluid changes shortened their lives. Owners who kept up with service, however, tended to wear out the interior long before the drivetrain ever gave out.

3. Toyota Avalon: The Full-Size Marathoner

The Avalon took the Camry’s bulletproof mechanicals and wrapped them in a larger, quieter body built for long highway miles. Its smooth V6 spends most of its life loafing well below redline, and highway driving is famously gentle on any engine. Writeups from longtime car critics describe the Avalon as a sedan engineered to run for decades rather than model years.

The downside is that the Avalon leaned hard toward comfort over excitement, which limited its appeal among younger buyers. That soft, isolated character is precisely what kept the drivetrain lightly stressed, and it explains why so many surviving examples still cover serious distance.

4. Lexus ES: A Camry In A Tuxedo

Beneath its leather and hush, the Lexus ES shares the Camry’s proven platform and engines, then adds Toyota’s most fastidious assembly standards on top. The result is a luxury sedan with economy-car durability, a combination that keeps well-kept examples running deep into six-figure mileage. Reviews from industry testers consistently cite its legendary reliability as the model’s defining trait.

The catch arrives with the badge. Luxury-grade parts, tires, and dealer service cost more than the Camry equivalents, so a cheap high-mileage ES can still carry expensive upkeep. The mechanicals endure; the ownership bills simply reflect the nicer trim wrapped around them.

5. Nissan Maxima: The VQ Workhorse

The Maxima’s reputation rests on Nissan’s VQ V6, an engine praised for years as one of the industry’s most robust and rewarding sixes. Strong internals and a stout block let it absorb hard miles that would tire lesser engines, earning it a place on numerous best-engine lists. Testing from veteran reviewers long celebrated the VQ as a genuine high-mileage workhorse.

The weak link is the transmission. Continuously variable units in later Maximas earned a spottier reputation than the engine bolted ahead of them, and neglected examples can fail early. Buyers chasing 250,000 miles lean toward well-maintained cars with documented transmission service.

6. Honda Civic: Compact With Endless Legs

Though smaller than the others here, the Civic runs alongside them thanks to lightweight, low-stress engines that barely notice big odometer numbers. Its modest power output means components rarely work hard, and Honda’s reputation for durable fours carries straight into the compact class. The model’s documented history spans generations of owners reporting well past a quarter-million miles.

The compromise is size rather than stamina. A Civic asks its owner to accept less space and a busier ride than a true midsize sedan offers. In exchange, it delivers some of the lowest running costs and longest engine lives in its entire segment.

7. Subaru Legacy: The All-Weather Survivor

The Legacy earns its place through standard all-wheel drive and a boxer engine designed to survive punishing winters year after year. Its low-slung flat layout aids balance and traction, letting the sedan grind through snow and salt that would sideline rivals. The model’s recorded lineage shows a durable all-weather sedan favored across the northern states.

Owners do pay attention to a few boxer quirks. Certain years were prone to head-gasket wear, and the flat engine’s layout can make some repairs pricier. Addressed on schedule, though, a Legacy routinely stacks up high mileage while shrugging off harsh climates.

8. Mazda6: The Overlooked Endurer

The Mazda6 blends a sharper, sportier character with the sturdy, naturally aspirated engines that keep midsize sedans alive. Its Skyactiv fours favor efficiency and mechanical simplicity over turbocharged complexity, which means fewer stressed components to fail with age. The model’s published overview frames it as a reliable midsize that rewards consistent upkeep with long service.

Its weak spot is not the engine but the body. Some Mazda6 years drew complaints about rust in harsh climates, so the longest-lived examples come from owners who guarded against corrosion. Keep the metal sound and the drivetrain will happily follow along for years.