10 Reasons SUVs Last Longer Than Sedans (Explained)

According to top automotive industry experts, the average life of a vehicle is 12 years or 200,000 miles. Some studies have shown that SUV vehicles outlasted Sedan vehicles.

Japanese models by manufacturers such as Toyota are the likeliest to outlast regular cars. Still, models like the Ford Expedition are also strong survivors.

The following are some of 10 reasons SUVs last longer than sedans.

This is also why SUVs sell better than sedans.

1. More Frequent Maintenance Schedules

SUVs might stay ahead of sedans and last longer because of their maintenance schedules and the owners’ dedication to keeping them up to date on their tasks.

SUV owners are more likely to keep up with frequent oil changes, tuneups, tire rotations, and other such maintenance tasks because of the excessive amount of traveling they do in their SUVs.

Furthermore, some manufacturers might have more stringent directives for maintenance than others do. Vehicle owners who dedicate themselves to getting proper maintenance on their cars are much more likely to have them for more extended periods.

2. More Expensive Materials

The reason sport utility vehicles last so long might have to do with the amount of money their builders put into them.

SUV manufacturers invest more money into building them to be classy, convenient, and highly technologically advanced.

Thus, they put a more significant portion of their wallets into the materials that pour into the insides and outsides of those vehicles.

More expensive interior and exterior materials hold up longer.

rav4 inside

Therefore, an SUV has the more tremendous potential to maintain something like a paint job, interior upholstery, and body structure.

SUVs might stay strong and gorgeous looking for those reasons. Also, SUVs are roomier than sedans.

3. Drivers Use Them for Mostly Highway Driving

The way a vehicle owner drives his or her vehicle has a lot to do with how the overall car holds up.

That’s very true in terms of an SUV’s lifespan. Most SUV owners use their vehicles for a majority of highway driving.

Consistent highway driving is much easier on a car than the stop-and-go traffic of a busy city or a whole lot of short-distance driving.

The fact that SUV owners use their vehicles primarily for highway expeditions is a good reason why they tend to outlast sedans used as daily drivers for short-distance trips.

Feel free to also explore why SUVs last longer than cars.

4. Bigger Body, Stronger Motor

The key component in all vehicles is their motors. A car that has a phenomenal engine can last many years longer than another vehicle.

The engine parts will stay bound together, and the seals will be less likely to become destroyed over time. The power will remain for much longer.

All motors deteriorate over time, but a well-built one has the potential to last for 200,000 miles or more.

In fact, some SUVs have lasted much longer than 300,000 miles.

This is due to the fact that they are built stronger. Many bigger SUVs are built on top of Pickup truck bases.

The Toyota Highlander, Acura MDX, Honda Pilot, and Lexus RX 300 are prime examples of SUV vehicles that have lasted more than 300,000 miles.

5. Greater Advantage in Automobile Accidents

Drivers are just as likely to have accidents and fender benders in SUV vehicles as they are in sedans or regular cars.

Actually, it’s proven with statistics that SUVs are safer than cars.

However, the difference is that SUVs are much heavier than standard cars.

The average sedan weighs about 3,500 pounds, while SUVs typically weigh 4,600 pounds or more.

Therefore, an SUV usually sustains much less damage than an average sedan.

That’s another legitimate reason SUVs might outlast their sedan counterparts. They have more weight on them and are less likely to become totaled and unrepairable if an incident occurs in one.

6. Their Builds Are Similar To Trucks

Larger SUV builds are similar to those of trucks. Thus, they have the solid durability of trucks, causing them to hold up much better than most sedans. This characteristic is true of older SUV models because they were built on truck platforms.

The newest SUV models don’t always have the same platform, especially the compact ones.

Compact models are more likely to be built on regular car platforms.

Thus, those models are more likely to wear at the same speed that sedans wear.

7. Awesome Manufacturers build them

The lifespan of any vehicle is always related to the vehicle’s manufacturer. Some of the most excellent manufacturers craft SUVs.

These experts take their time to build the SUVs with excellence because they are higher-end.

Customers spend much more money on SUVs than they do sedans, and thus, they expect higher quality vehicles.

The manufacturers’ drive to please the customers then causes them to put much more effort into their products. The end result is a fleet of SUV vehicles that last for great lengths of time.

You can see here how few problems Toyota SUVs have. It’s quite impressive.

8. Better Electronic Systems and Technology

Automotive electronics systems are improving greatly as each day passes. Another reason SUVs might last longer than sedans is that they have superior electronics systems installed.

The sophisticated systems let the drivers know when issues need to be addressed.

The driver reacts to those warnings swiftly.

Therefore, minor problems usually get resolved immediately so that more extensive damage doesn’t happen.

The low amount of issues leaves these vehicles in great shape for the many years their owners have had them.

9. Responsible Drivers

Some SUV owners are older individuals who care for their vehicles quite well. The action they take can sometimes stretch the life of their vehicles out much further than anyone could have imagined.

These are some of the things responsible drivers do that make their SUV vehicles last longer:

Get Their Maintenance done

Vehicle owners whose cars last the longest are usually the ones who are adamant about getting the proper amount of maintenance done on their vehicles.

That usually means they get every oil change, filter swap, tire rotation, checkup, and tuneup at the proper intervals.

Some of them even have work done on their cars before those intervals come up.

These people take pride in their vehicles, and it shows when they still have them years down the line.

Treat the Vehicle Gently

Some vehicle owners take special care of their cars, and their kind nature toward their vehicles keeps them in excellent shape for many years.

They don’t press too hard on the gas or brake super hard.

These individuals don’t ignore their maintenance schedules or wait too long to tend to vehicular issues when they arise. Furthermore, they think of driving routes and practices that are gentlest on their motors.

Park the Car in a Garage or Cover It

Some vehicle owners keep their SUV models inside parking lots away from the elements.

These vehicles tend to last longer because they don’t experience issues such as:

  • frozen batteries,
  • excessive overheating,
  • or engine fatigue.

Even their exteriors stay in excellent condition because of their practices.

People like this leave their vehicles in situations that other people are overjoyed to get them in. Excellent care is very much appreciated.

10. They Are Easily Serviceable

Ease of service is a huge reason an SUV might last longer than a regular car or sedan.

However, this reason is more likely to be true with a much older SUV car than a newer one.

One advantage that an SUV owner has over a car owner is that it’s much easier to get under an SUV for work because of the suspension type and the number of inches the large tires lift the SUVs from the ground.

The engine bays are typically larger and roomier than those of smaller cars as well.

With easier access to DIY options for older SUVs, many owners perform their repairs alone and, thus, keep their vehicles in excellent condition for much longer.

Those are a few valid reasons SUV models last longer than sedans.

Use the information above to help you decide which direction to go in when you purchase your next vehicle. An SUV might be the better choice if you’re looking for something that will last you for the duration.

Sources

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