The Longest-Lasting Affordable Cars
By Samanda Dorger
Cars can take you places, but they can also hold you back by straining your finances.
So prudent car shoppers look for a car that will suit their needs and save them money over the long term. But that doesn’t always mean the lowest-price car.
A good reliable car at the right price can stretch your dollar and last for several years.
An analysis by car search site iSeeCars compared average list price of 3.8 million new cars to the odometer readings of over 368 million used cars from its Longest Lasting Cars Study. The average list price of each model was compared to expected lifespan to calculate the list price per year.
The Honda Civic tops the list. Though not the cheapest car, averaging about $27,564, this car can last over 13 years, making the price per year about $2,006.
Here are their 10 best new cars for the cost:
1. Honda Civic
- Average list price: $27,564
- Expected lifespan: 13.7 years
- Price per year: $2,006
2. Toyota Corolla
- Average list price: $25,218
- Expected lifespan: 11.6 years
- Price per year: $2,166
3. Mazda Mazda3 (hatchback)
- Average list price: $31,849
- Expected lifespan: 14.1 years
- Price per year: $2,260
4. Honda Accord
- Average list price: $30,659
- Expected lifespan: 13.1 years
- Price per year: $2,339
5. Subaru Impreza (wagon)
- Average list price: $26,900
- Expected lifespan: 11.2 years
- Price per year: $2,399
6. Mitsubishi Outlander Sport
- Average list price: $28,250
- Expected lifespan: 11.8 years
- Price per year: $2,400
7. Honda CR-V
- Average list price: $36,009
- Expected lifespan: 15 years
- Price per year: $2,401
8. Toyota RAV4
- Average list price: $35,258
- Expected lifespan: 14.6 years
- Price per year: $2,411
9. Kia Soul
- Average list price: $23,863
- Expected lifespan: 9.9 years
- Price per year: $2,417
10. Mazda Mazda3 (sedan)
- Average list price: $27,735
- Expected lifespan: 10.6 years
- Price per year: $2,608