A reputation for reaching very high mileage is not evenly distributed across the car market; a handful of sedans have earned it through decades of consistent engineering. These are the models that owners trust to keep running long after most cars have been retired. Here are eight sedans with a genuine record of topping 250,000 miles.
1. Toyota Camry: The Longevity Standard
Few nameplates are as closely tied to high-mileage reliability as the Toyota Camry, a midsize sedan that has anchored durability rankings for years. Figures from the longest-lasting cars study repeatedly place Toyota sedans among the models most likely to reach 200,000 miles and beyond, and the Camry is a fixture on those lists.
Its four-cylinder and V6 powertrains were engineered for durability rather than outright performance, and owners who follow the maintenance schedule routinely report odometers climbing past 250,000 miles. That reputation helps the Camry hold resale value and makes a used example a common recommendation for buyers who prize dependability over flash.
2. Honda Accord: Engineered to Endure
The Honda Accord has spent decades as a benchmark for how far a well-built midsize sedan can travel. It consistently earns a place among the best used cars for reliability, a reflection of the tight tolerances and proven engines that define the model.
Accord four-cylinders and V6s have a long track record of reaching very high mileage when oil changes and timing service are kept current. Many examples cross 250,000 miles still running strong, which is why the Accord remains a default choice for drivers who want an efficient family car that will not wear out quickly.
3. Toyota Avalon: The Comfortable Marathoner
Positioned above the Camry, the Toyota Avalon served as the brand’s full-size flagship and inherited the same reputation for going the distance. The Toyota Avalon shared much of its mechanical DNA with Toyota’s proven midsize lineup, including smooth and durable V6 power.
Built for comfort on long highway trips, the Avalon accumulates miles gently, and well-kept examples frequently pass 250,000 miles with only routine repairs. Toyota ended production after the 2022 model year, but the sedan’s blend of quiet ride and mechanical longevity keeps demand for clean used cars steady.
4. Lexus LS: The Decades-Long Flagship
As the Lexus flagship, the LS was engineered to a standard of over-build that still shows in high-mileage survivors. It has appeared among the industry’s most reliable cars, a nod to the obsessive assembly quality that launched the brand in 1989.
The LS’s smooth V8 engines and unhurried demeanor mean components rarely work hard, and many cars reach 250,000 miles or more with the drivetrain intact. Depreciation makes an older LS an inexpensive route into luxury, though the trade-off is the cost of maintaining a complex, feature-rich sedan as it ages.
5. Honda Civic: Small Car, Big Miles
Compact dimensions have never limited the Honda Civic’s staying power, and the model has earned a following for surpassing mileage figures usually reserved for larger cars. The Honda Civic has been produced across many generations, each refining Honda’s efficient, long-lived engine designs.
Owners routinely coax past 250,000 miles from Civic four-cylinders, helped by simple mechanicals and cheap, widely available parts. That durability, combined with strong fuel economy, has made the Civic a first car for many drivers and a dependable commuter that resists the wear that sidelines less robust compacts.
6. Toyota Corolla: Simplicity That Lasts
One of the best-selling nameplates in automotive history, the Toyota Corolla built its reputation on uncomplicated engineering that shrugs off high mileage. The Toyota Corolla favors proven components over complexity, and that restraint is a large part of why so many survive well past the quarter-million-mile mark.
With modest power outputs, its engines and transmissions operate under little stress, and basic maintenance is usually enough to keep one running for decades. The Corolla’s combination of low running costs and stubborn reliability makes it a frequent recommendation for buyers who want transportation that simply refuses to quit.
7. Lexus ES: Reliability in a Plush Wrapper
The Lexus ES pairs the mechanical honesty of Toyota’s midsize sedans with a quieter, more luxurious cabin. The Lexus ES has long shared its platform and powertrains with the Camry and Avalon, inheriting the same reputation for accumulating enormous mileage.
Because the ES uses well-tested engines rather than exotic hardware, high-mile examples remain common on the used market, and many push beyond 250,000 miles with routine care. The result is a used luxury sedan that offers a soft, isolated ride and premium features without the fragile complexity that shortens the life of some rivals.
8. Nissan Maxima: The VQ V6 Workhorse
Nissan’s flagship sedan owes much of its longevity reputation to a single component: the VQ-series V6. The Nissan Maxima has used versions of that engine for decades, and the VQ has a well-earned name for lasting a long time when maintained.
Praised for its blend of power and durability, the V6 helps well-kept Maximas reach high odometer readings that rival more conservative sedans. Regular fluid changes and attention to the transmission are the main keys to reaching 250,000 miles, but a healthy Maxima can deliver both performance and staying power.
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