Consumer Reports: Which cars will last the longest?

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Cars are lasting longer than ever, and the average age of cars on U.S. roads is now over eleven years. Passing the 200,000 mile mark is also getting more common. Consumer Reports has more on which cars are likely to go the distance.

Brent Mather's 2006 Lexus IS 250 is still going strong, and it has more than 230-thousand miles.

"I do an oil change every 5,000 miles. I make sure the pressure, the air pressure of the tires is good and I keep looking out for it," says Mather.

A Consumer Reports reader survey, covering more than a million vehicles, identifies which models most often reach 200,000 miles. The top ten are either Toyotas or Hondas. They're the Toyota Prius, Camry 4-cylinder, Corolla, Sienna V6 and Highlander V6. From Honda, they are the Odyssey, Pilot, Accord 4-cylinder sedan, CR-V and the Civic, excluding the Hybrid, S-I and G-X.

Those owners spent an average of $550 on maintenance and repairs last year on things like brakes, shocks and timing belts. Still, Consumer Reports says by the time a car hits 200-thousand miles, you should think about replacing it.

"By 200,000 miles, most cars' hard life on the road has begun to take a toll on the structure and key components. And older cars just don't have the numerous safety advances that have appeared in recent years," says Jim Travers.

Various safety features include collision advance, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, side-curtain airbags and electronic stability control.

Consumer Reports says another advantage of replacing your old car - newer models have advanced steel and structural architecture that absorb the impact of a crash better.