Cars Owners Keep The Longest

The team from iSeeCars.com analyzed the listings of nearly 400,000 vehicles in the first half of 2015 in an effort to find out which models owners tend to hold on to the longest. To keep the data tight, only one-owner vehicles were considered, and Carfax information was used for verification.

The results are interesting, to say the least. There are just two brands represented on this list of vehicles that owners tend to keep for a full decade, and both are from Japan. No bonus points for guessing which two...

The average percentage of owners, regardless of make or model, that keep their vehicles for 10 years is just 13.5 percent, according to iSeeCars.com. The top-performing nameplates, though, yield percentages more than twice that high.

Click through the slideshow to find out which vehicles owners tend to hold on to the longest.

The Element is no longer being produced by Honda, and that's a bit of a shame. The boxy vehicle offered unique looks to go along with a utilitarian interior and lots of storage capacity that's not really matched by anything else currently available.

What's more, according to iSeeCars.com, they seem pretty durable. Over 23 percent of Honda Element owners keep their cars for an entire decade, which is 1.7-times higher than average.

The Honda Pilot is a sturdy crossover with three rows of seating, making it appropriate for families who like to travel off the beaten path. Its optional all-wheel-drive system means it can go places minivans can't.

iSeeCars.com's research indicates that 23.3 percent of Pilot owners keep their cars for 10 years.

Small families and active couples are drawn to small crossovers like the Toyota RAV4 that offer more cargo-carrying capability than compact cars. As an added bonus, crossovers like the RAV4 offer all-wheel drive, which means they may be more appropriate for off-road adventures like camping or skiing.

According to iSeeCars.com, 28.2 percent of Toyota RAV4 owners keep their vehicles for a full decade, which is more than two-times greater than average.

When hybrid vehicles first hit the market, many were concerned that their complex engines, motors and batteries would prove to be maintenance nightmares. Those fears have proven mostly unfounded. It's not surprising that owners of the Toyota Prius might be more inclined than typical to hold on to their rides, especially considering the excellent fuel mileage they probably enjoy.

According to iSeeCars.com, a whopping 28.5 percent of Toyota Prius owners keep their cars for 10 full years.