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