Car costs are rising; see which are more likely to last 250,000 miles

Car owners are holding on to their vehicles longer, with the average age of cars on U.S. roads reaching a record high.

Federal data through July show the average vehicle is 12.8 years old . S&P Global Mobility attributes this to improved vehicle durability , shifting consumer habits and broader economic conditions.

A new iSeeCars study lists the vehicles most likely to reach 250,000 miles , showing which models are built to stay on the road the longest, though a few are no longer in production.

The vehicle market

The average new-car transaction reached $48,841 in July and topped $50,000 for the first time in September, according to Kelley Blue Book’s monthly data . That's 28% higher than the December 2019 average of $38,948.

Analysts at Cox Automotive, KBB's parent company, sa