14 Cars Most Likely to be Owned for 15 Years or More

While there’s a range of factors at play, here, cars that are most likely to be owned for 15 years or more seem to have a flatter depreciation curve over time.

The average age of a vehicle in Australia is between 250,000 - 300,000km, which begs the question of which makes and models are likely to be owned for 15 years or more?

Standing the test of time means a vehicle must be reliable - and relatively affordable to keep up with long-term maintenance - as well as meet the practical needs of its owners.

Let’s take a look at fourteen cars, including hatchbacks, SUVs, utes and 4x4 wagons that are most likely to be owned for 15 years or more.

While compiling our list, we’ve used an amalgamation of industry research, resale values as well as reliability data to give our list some teeth.

The fourteen cars most likely to be owned for fifteen years or more include the:

Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series

Toyota is synonymous with both reliability and toughness, with the LandCruiser 70 Series one of the best showcases of the company’s long-term dependability.

Since its introduction in 1984, the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series has set the benchmark for rugged capabilities backed by a relatively simple mechanical package that makes it easy to maintain and extremely reliable, which is why they fetch a pretty penny even after 15 years or more.

Mazda 3

The Mazda 3 is a great little hatchback and sedan package that holds its value particularly well, even after blowing out the candles on its fifteenth birthday cake.

With superb handling for the urban jungle, decent interior space and a reliable powertrain, few owners are immune from the user-friendliness and charm of the Mazda 3, even after fifteen years.

Ford Ranger

The Ford Ranger’s tough-as-bricks platform makes it a hero for working Aussies, businesses and fleet buyers alike.

Built to get its hands dirty on the worksite or an off-roading adventure, the Ford Ranger is a hit with adventurous buys looking for a rugged ute platform which, amongst other things, has contributed to solid resale values and strong owner sentiment after fifteen years.

Toyota Corolla

The Toyota Corolla is perhaps the leading option for a user-friendly city car that, in recent years, has become one of the most fuel-efficient small vehicles on the market.

Combine that with Toyota’s track record for reliability and there’s no shortage of happy owners of the Toyota Corolla after a decade or more, reflected by solid resale values even at the two-decade mark.

Honda CR-V

The Honda CR-V is a major player in the midsize SUV segment and has been since its 1997 introduction.

It’s one of the original SUVs that proved a favourite with family buyers, all while over-delivering on the mechanical side of things thanks to Honda’s dependable engine lineup that can clock up half a million kilometres without much of an issue.

Toyota RAV4

Earlier this year, Toyota celebrated the 30th birthday of the RAV4 here in Australia, a sales career that has seen the RAV4 clock up 500,000 sales Down Under.

With its practical cabin and relatively simple mechanical layout, the RAV4 is a strong performer when it comes to reliability over time which means there’s no shortage of them that have been owned by a single owner for 15 or more years.

Lexus ES

It should come as no surprise that many vehicles from Toyota’s premium sub-brand, Lexus, are consistently keeping their owners happy for a decade or two.

The ES is a more premium take on the large sedan which has been well-received with buyers that have reported overwhelmingly positive feedback on the company’s reliable engines and relative simplicity to work on, compared to its European rivals.

Nissan X-Trail

The Nissan X-Trail has found more than few fans here in Australia since its 2000 introduction.

With a tough platform that isn’t afraid to get its toes dirty on the weekend and a mechanically-solid engine lineup, many Aussies have had an X-Trail in their garage for fifteen years or more.

Subaru Outback

The Subaru Outback is one of the best options in the world of practical, versatile wagons that comes backed with a confidence-inspiring all-wheel drive system.

While some engines have been a bit of a sore spot for the Outback range, with regular maintenance Subaru’s mechanicals are capable of driving hundreds of thousands of kilometres over a decade or two.

Honda Civic

The Honda Civic is one of the most iconic small cars on the market, proving a hit with a wide-range of buyers that are consistently impressed with the company’s reliability.

A well-serviced Honda Civic could probably do a loop around the solar system without a hitch, which is why they hold their value extremely well even after fifteen or more years.

Hyundai i30

Hyundai has successfully completed a massive brand turn-around in the past two decades that has seen the company release multiple vehicles that have stood the test of time impressively well.

The i30 is one of the best examples of this in practice, receiving positive owner feedback that welcome its overall reliability and simplicity to work on, making it a great option for long-term ownership.

Mitsubishi Triton

The Mitsubishi Triton has always been a great value pick within the Australian ute segment.

Riding on a tough platform, the Triton offers serious capability off-road and on the worksite, while affordable ownership costs and solid reliability marks mean there’s no shortage of Tritons pushing 15 years or more on the market.

Mazda 2

The Mazda 2 is a great example of the phrase ‘good things come in small packages.

While Australian car-buying appetites have moved toward larger vehicles, the Mazda 2 still has a solid fanbase that loves the honesty, great fuel-efficiency and charm of the company’s smallest hatch and sedan package.

Toyota LandCruiser Prado

The Toyota LandCruiser Prado is one of the most likely vehicles to be owned for fifteen years or more which is best reflected with extremely strong resale figures well after the two-decade mark.

Aussies absolutely love a Prado and it’s not hard to see why.

It’s a benchmark for reliability in a segment that demands the upmost in dependability, especially if you’re headed into remote parts of the Outback, while Toyota’s engine blocks are known to go for half a million or more kilometres without breaking a sweat.

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