Hundreds of high mileage vehicles exceeding 750,000 on the clock

Data from the DVSA shows a high number of vehicles on UK roads with more than 750,000 miles on the clock.

While many of these vehicles are vans, often seen as workhorses that will regularly clock up high mileage, the figures, released to ClickMechanic under a Freedom of Information request, show a number of family favourites amongst the UK’s high mileage vehicles.

These include 29 Vauxhall Astra models, and 21 Rover 75s, which ended production in 2005 but still appear popular with their owners. Volkswagen’s Golf and Ford’s Fiesta and Focus models also feature in the list of high mileage vehicles.

However, the vehicle with the highest number of miles travelled in the country is a Citroen Xsara, with 999,994 miles on the clock.

Into space and beyond for high mileage vehicles

A 750,000 mile journey would take a traveller to the moon and back twice. It can be assumed, however, that the miles clocked by the vehicles on the DVSA list have all been Earth-based.

Top of the list for the most common vehicles with more than 750,000 miles on the clock is the LDV Maxus, a light commercial van that was produced between 2004-2009.

According to DVSA records, based on the most recent MOT data from testing stations across the UK, there are 243 Maxus vans with 750,000-plus miles still registered for road use.

Next up was the Vauxhall Astra (29), Ford Transit van (26), Rover 75 (21) and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van (20).

The top 10 was made up by the VW Golf (17), Vauxhall Zafira (16), Land Rover Defender (16), Audi TT (14) and BMW 3-Series (14).

Just outside the top 10 were Vauxhall Corsa (12), Ford Fiesta (12), Ford Focus (11) and the MG ZT (9).

“We often hear about unreliable cars that spend more time in the garage than on the tarmac,” commented Andrew Jervis, co-founder of ClickMechanic. “But these figures show that there are some vehicles which have the capability to keep going and going, mile after mile.

“Obviously the popularity of certain models means they are more likely to appear on a list of super high odometer readings. So it is not a major surprise to see Vauxhall Astras and Corsas, VW Golfs, plus Ford Fiesta and Focus models on the list of those clocking up mega mileage.

“But Audi TTs and MG ZTs – which have not rolled off the production line since 2005 – are more unusual inclusions.”

Many vehicles reaching a quarter of a million miles

ClickMechanic also obtained the most common vehicles with more than 250,000 on the clock via its request to the DVSA.

Four of the top five are vans, as may be expected, with13,617 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter models leading the way, followed by the popular, but maybe less reliable Ford Transit (5,990), VW Transporter (4,894) and less popular Mercedes-Benz Vito (3,860).

The only passenger car to place in the top five was the Toyota Prius, the world’s first mass-produced hybrid car, which has 5,776 250,000-plus mile models still on UK roads.

Well-renowned London black cabs also feature. The TX4 model, produced by London Taxis International up to 2010, was sixth on the list with 2,570 still in use.

“These stats show that people are willing, and somehow able, to keep their motors running well past what would be expected,” added Jervis.

“That’s not to say they have not had major work carried out on them. But the fact they are still registered for use despite these super high mileages is testament to owners, mechanics and even the designers and engineers who created them in the first place.

“With the zero-emissions deadline on the horizon in 2030, it could well be that more and more people look to hold on to their cars for longer, very much ‘running them into the ground’.

“The rising cost and low availability of second-hand cars are further factors bound to influence vehicle ownership trends, but that will not be music to the ears of manufacturers and environmentalists.”

Top 10 highest mileage vehicles on UK roads