10 One Million Mile Cars That Are NOT Toyotas

Aug 22, 2023

From low-slung coupes to humble sedans, these high-mileage champions are now part of the prestigious one-million-mile club

Reliable and durable has long been a label associated with Japan's biggest automaker, Toyota Motor Corporation. For years on end, this brand has set itself apart from the rest of the park by creating cars that most people swear by. Toyota and its luxury brand subsidiary, Lexus, have a knack for crafting vehicles and engines that are beyond reliable.

Some may argue that most of these cars are bulletproof and will take anything you throw at them. Remember the Top Gear episode where they tried to kill a Toyota Hilux? It was indestructible. This nature may be the reason most Toyotas last past a million miles. A good example is Mike Neal's 2008 Toyota Tacoma which clocked 1.5 million miles in 2021. But who says only Toyotas can run forever? This list proves some cars are just as good or even better.

This list of cars with a million miles borrows data from CarSurvey and other verified internet channels.

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The most durable car out of Japan is not always a Toyota; it could be a Honda. And though this does not come as a surprise to many, the fact that Honda makes cars that are equally competitive as Toyotas is commendable. One of its most high-mileage models is the Honda Accord. There are numerous accounts of Honda Accords going over a million miles, but the most recent documented one happened around March 2023.

Engine

3.0-liter V-6

Engine Output

240 horsepower and 212 pound-feet of torque

Fuel

Gasoline

Drivetrain

FWD

Transmission

Six-speed manual

Mileage

1,000,000 miles

Justin Kilmer's 2003 Honda Accord EX clocked went past a million miles with the original V-6 engine still intact, as he had anticipated. Reports indicate that over 800,000 miles have been racked up from 2015, when Justin started delivering medical supplies. The car runs on a 3.0-liter V-6 engine and has a six-speed manual transmission. The original transmission was replaced at 320,000 miles, but the other components are original.

Civics are great, too, and will last just as long as an Accord. There are many accounts of Civics running over a million miles, with the most unique example being a 2006 Honda Civic sedan. The owner of this Civic racked up the miles with the cars still running on the original powertrain. This fete is an attribute of following a regular maintenance schedule. The only major thing that failed was the engine's head gasket which was replaced at 500,000 miles.

Engine

1.8-liter inline-four

Engine Output

140 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque

Fuel

Gasoline

Drivetrain

FWD

Transmission

Five-speed automatic

Mileage

1,000,000 miles

The most popular Civic sedan is powered by a 1.8-liter inline-four engine paired with a five-speed automatic transmission and a front-wheel drive system. And before you say, "They don't make them like they used to before," there's a recent account of a 2022 Honda Civic that had clocked over 248,000 miles before it the owner put it up for sale.

Volvo makes some of the safest cars on the market. In 2022, the brand had over 13 of its models ranked as Top Safety picks by IIHS. Volvos are also considered one of the most durable cars, and if you own one, chances are it will last a lifetime. As a matter of fact, the car that holds the Guinness World Record for highest mileage is a Volvo, with over three million miles on the odometer. And if you'd like to own a Volvo that can do something similar, the 1982-1992 Volvo 700 Series is a good bet.

Engine

2.3-liter turbo inline-four

Engine Output

162 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque

Fuel

Gasoline

Drivetrain

RWD

Transmission

Five-speed manual

Mileage

1,000,001 miles

There are many stories of these classic Volvos clocking one million miles. One recent example is Jim O'Shea's 1991 Volvo 740 GLE. The 700 series sedan runs on a 2.3-liter turbocharged inline-four engine, has a rear-wheel drive setup, and a five-speed manual transmission. Jim replaced his original engine at over 585,000 miles, but the fact that his car joined the million-mile club shows how well these cars were made.

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Saab Automobile AB started out as an airplane manufacturer for the Swedish Air Force before venturing into the automotive industry. It has a long history of innovation and can be hailed for making some of the most durable cars. One such example is the 1989 Saab 900 SPG. This beautifully crafted hatchback was Saab's attempt at building a performance vehicle.

Engine

2.0-liter turbo inline-four

Engine Output

165 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque

Fuel

Gasoline

Drivetrain

FWD

Transmission

Five-speed manual

Mileage

1,001,385 miles

The most popular million-mile Saab 900 SPG belonged to a Wisconsin sales agent, Peter Gilbert. The car racked up over 1,001,385 miles with the original engine and turbo. The only major part replaced was the transmission at 200,000 miles. The 1989 Saab 900 SPG runs on a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine and comes with five-speed manual transmission and front-wheel-drive as standard.

The Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is the most popular version of the Crown Vic besides the taxi cab variant. Whichever the make, however, this car has been proven to stand the test of time. And with proper maintenance, you can expect to get a million miles on the odometer. One such Crown Vic, a 2004 model, hit this milestone - over 1,023,500 miles.

Engine

4.6-liter V-8

Engine Output

224 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque

Fuel

Gasoline

Drivetrain

RWD

Transmission

Four-speed automatic

Mileage

1,023,500 miles

The Ford has a 224-horsepower 4.6-liter modular V-8 engine that sends power to the wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission and a rear-wheel-drive. The car clocked a million miles with most parts as original, including the engine, transmission, drivetrain, and even the exhaust system. The owner maintained the Ford regularly and changed the oil every 7,000 to 11,000 miles.

The Town car was in production from 1981 and had its final production in 2011 after three generations. Chet Belisle, an owner of a 1983 Lincoln Town Car, struck gold with this sedan. After 25 years of driving, his example had racked up more than 1,300,000 miles on the odometer.

Engine

5.0-liter V-8

Engine Output

145 horsepower and 245 pound-feet of torque

Fuel

Gasoline

Drivetrain

RWD

Transmission

Four-speed automatic

Mileage

1,300,000 miles

In an interview, Chet said he especially liked his Lincoln for being spacious and the fact he still got good gas mileage from the sedan, 20 MPG on highways and 15-16 MPG in city driving. The 1983 Lincoln Town Car runs on a robust 5.0-liter V-8 engine that's paired with a four-speed automatic transmission and a rear-wheel-drive system. Chet's Lincoln joined the million-mile club due to regular service, and thanks to the lifetime warranty, he has rebuilt the engine and transmission.

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The most famous BMW to run past a million miles is Mobil Oil's 1990 325i Coupe. In a fete to analyze the efficacy of their synthetic engine oil, Mobil put the BMW on a rolling road. They made it run for four years straight, day and night, at 85 MPH. However, there were brief stops to change the engine oil and perform other routine maintenance services. By the end of four years, the engine had accumulated over a million miles.

Engine

2.5-liter inline-six

Engine Output

166 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque

Fuel

Gasoline

Drivetrain

RWD

Transmission

Five-speed manual

Mileage

1,41,187 miles

The engine was later disassembled, and there was almost no sign of wear and tear. It's a 2.5-liter inline-six that cranks about 166 horsepower and is paired with a five-speed manual transmission and a rear-wheel-drive system. Since Mobil's million-mile test, the BMW has racked over 41,187 miles more on regular roads.

Another Volvo on this list because, yes, they are that good. The 200 Series is one of the best Volvos ever made, and it does have several million mileage stats in its name. The most famous 200 Series to clock a million miles is the 1979 Volvo 245 GL estate owned by S.E. Makinen. The car's last known mileage was over 1,630,000 miles which is nothing short of impressive.

Engine

2.1-liter inline-four

Engine Output

107 horsepower and 125 pound-feet torque

Fuel

Gasoline

Drivetrain

RWD

Transmission

Four-speed manual

Mileage

1,630,000 miles

This Volvo is powered by a 2.1-liter inline-four engine that generates about 107 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque. Fuel is delivered to the engine via a carburetor, and the power is sent to the wheels via a four-speed manual transmission and a rear-wheel-drive setup. Just to show how good a 200 Series is, another owner of an 80s Volvo 245 GL is only 170,000 miles away from joining the million-mile club.

The automakers from Stuttgart, Germany, are just as good too at making durable cars. The second known car with the most miles on it is actually a Mercedes-Benz. The classic 1976 Mercedes 240D that belonged to a taxi driver had about 2,850,000 miles on the odometer in 2004. You can find 240Ds in the used car market, but why not go for a newer car? A Mercedes-Benz W124 will last just as long.

Engine

2.0-liter straight-four

Engine Output

74 horsepower and 93 pound-feet of torque

Fuel

Diesel

Drivetrain

RWD

Transmission

Four-speed automatic

Mileage

2,112,600 miles

A 1991 Mercedes-Benz E-Class W124 belonging to Magnus Sæle is one such example. The car has over 2,112,600 miles on the odometer and shows no signs of retiring. It runs on diesel, has an automatic transmission, and a rear-wheel-drive system. This means the engine could either be a 2.0-liter straight-four (200D) or a straight five (250D).

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The P1800 makes one million miles sound basic. Irv Gordon's 1966 Volvo P1800S currently holds the Guinness World Record for having the highest certified miles on a non-commercial vehicle driven by the original owner. Irvin set the record in 1998, having driven for about 1,690,000 miles, and still holds the record at 3,250,257 miles.

Engine

1.8-liter inline-four

Engine Output

103 horsepower and 108 pound-feet torque

Fuel

Gasoline

Drivetrain

RWD

Transmission

Four-speed manual

Mileage

3,250,257 miles

The P1800S is powered by a 1.8-liter inline-four engine paired with a four-speed manual transmission and a rear-wheel-drive setup. Irv drove his Volvo from 1966 to 2018, and during this time, the car has had two engine rebuilds, and all original components are still intact. Irv says he always followed the maintenance schedule and changed the oil every 3,500 miles and the transmission fluid every 25,000 miles to keep the car in good shape.

Kennedy is not just another writer. Since the early 2000s, before televisions were a thing in every household, he enjoyed his dad's stories of the Safari Rally cars. He finally got a chance to attend the event in 2002 and this was the start of the love for speed, adventure, and automobiles. All in all, besides being a car enthusiast, he is a writer by profession and somewhat a hodophile.