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Toyota tops list of cars kept beyond 15 years, Prius owners most satisfied

Hans · Jan 21, 2021 11:24 AM

Toyota tops list of cars kept beyond 15 years, Prius owners most satisfied 01

Seven out of the top 10 car models kept by US car owners for 15 years or longer are made by Toyota, according to data compiled by car-focused search engine iseecars.com, which has tracked over 660,000 cars sold in the US between 1981 and 2005 for this study.

Top 10 Brands Owners Keep for 15 Years or More
Toyota 9.8%
Honda 8.1%
Subaru 8.0%
Acura 7.9%
Mazda 6.3%
Mitsubishi 5.5%
Hyundai 5.5%
Chrysler 5.5%
Nissan 5.3%
Lexus 5.2%

The company’s data showed that 9.8 percent of Toyota owners have kept their cars for at least 15 years, ahead of Honda (8.1 percent) and Subaru (8.0 percent). Honda’s upscale division Acura (7.9 percent) and Mazda (6.3 percent) rounded up the Top-5.

Toyota tops list of cars kept beyond 15 years, Prius owners most satisfied 02

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The car that Americans are most satisfied and thus most likely to keep the longest is the Toyota Prius, which is a surprise because you would naturally expect a simpler, more conventional car like regular combustion engine Toyota Camry – which is not only Toyota Motor USA’s best-seller, but it’s also the best-selling passenger car in the US - to top the list.

Toyota tops list of cars kept beyond 15 years, Prius owners most satisfied 01

13.7 percent of Toyota Prius models in iseecars’ data set are still owned by the same owner for at least 15 years, ahead of second-placed Toyota Highlander (12.4 percent) and third-placed Toyota Tacoma (11.6 percent).

Top 10 Models Owners Keep for 15 Years or Longer
Toyota Prius 13.7%
Toyota Highlander 12.4%
Toyota Tacoma 11.6%
Toyota Sienna 11.5%
Toyota Tundra 11.3%
Honda CR-V 10.7%
Honda Pilot 10.4%
Subaru Forester 9.8%
Toyota 4Runner 9.4%
Toyota Sequioa 9.1%

Explaining the results, iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer said, “Prius owners who have kept their vehicles on the road for at least 15 years are early adopters of hybrid vehicle technology, and these eco-minded consumers likely want to keep their vehicles for as long as possible.”

Toyota tops list of cars kept beyond 15 years, Prius owners most satisfied 02

First generation Prius was introduced in 1997

Remember that this study is about old cars, done with cars made in 2005 or earlier. So the Prius model referred to here are the first and the second generation Prius, both of which was never launched in Malaysia.

However UMW Toyota did sold 2 units of the second generation model – registration number BJM 5939 and BJM 5929 - disposed after internal evaluation by the company, in preparation for the third generation model’s launch.

Toyota tops list of cars kept beyond 15 years, Prius owners most satisfied 03

One of only 2 officially imported second generation Prius in Malaysia

“Priuses also attract practical drivers thanks to their fuel economy and their low ownership costs, and prolonged ownership of the vehicle helps drivers maximize their fuel savings,” said Brauer.

Curious about reliability of used hybrids? Here's our buying guide for used hybrids.

Toyota tops list of cars kept beyond 15 years, Prius owners most satisfied 04

There are several more privately imported 1st and 2nd generation Prius in Malaysia

The next closest non-Toyota on the list is the Honda CR-V, with 10.7 percent of owners keeping their CR-V for at least 15 years.

Toyota tops list of cars kept beyond 15 years, Prius owners most satisfied 05

it's hard to find a first generation Honda CR-V on the road today

Curiously, the Mazda MX-5 tops the list of sports cars that owners kept for 15 years or more (7.6 percent), ahead of BMW Z4 (6.7 percent).

Toyota tops list of cars kept beyond 15 years, Prius owners most satisfied 06

Mazda MX-5 owners also tend to hold on to their cars for very long.

Hans

Head of Content

Over 15 years of experience in automotive, from product planning, to market research, to print and digital media. Garages a 6-cylinder manual RWD but buses to work.

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