How old is your car? DC’s longest-kept vehicles

WASHINGTON — The average length of time a new car buyer keeps their vehicle is now 7.4 years, but some models stay in their original owner’s garage longer than that, and five of the top 10 new cars that owners kept the longest are SUVs.

Automotive research and used car search site ISeeCars.com analyzed more than 6 million used vehicles sold by original owners to identify which models are kept the longest.

The longest-kept new vehicle in the Washington metro area is not an SUV, though — it is the Honda Accord, kept by its original owner an average of 8.5 years.

Nationwide, the Ford Expedition and Chevrolet Corvette tie for the longest-kept new vehicles, at an average of nine years.

“While the average car buyer gets rid of their car 7.4 years after purchasing it new, there is a wide variety of cars that owners are more likely to keep for longer,” said iSeeCars CEO Phong Ly.

“Many factors could contribute to a car’s longevity, such as its function, as shown by the dominance of family vehicles, or because of a fondness of a timeless classic, like the Chevrolet Corvette.”

The top three sedans nationwide on the list are the Toyota Avalon, Honda Accord and Ford Taurus, which are also the top three sedans on ISeeCars’ list of longest-lasting vehicles, likely to reach 200,000 miles on the odometer.

SUVs tend to stay with their original buyers longer because they’re mostly family haulers. The ‘Vette, the only sports car on the list, is likely on the list because sports cars tend not to be primary vehicles and aren’t subjected to as much wear and tear.

Here are the longest-kept new vehicles and their average life with original owners in the Washington metro area: