Auto manufacturers do extensive research and testing to build vehicles that will remain popular for decades. Their efforts have produced serious longevity. While redesigning and updating give these vehicles a modern look and feel, you’ll still recognize them during your everyday drive.
Let’s explore the 15 vehicles with the longest production history. You’ll see many you remember, while a few have been around longer than you thought.
BMW 3 Series
BMW introduced the popular compact sports car in 1975. Forty-nine years later, many still consider the 3 Series the standard for a small sporty vehicle. They are fun to drive and brimming with new technology.
Honda Civic
Honda took only two years of development to make one of the longest-lasting commuter sedans in history. The Civic launched in 1972 and has remained popular as a fuel-efficient budget vehicle and a decent sports car thanks to its higher-end models. And the world seems to agree, given that the Civic was the 7th best-selling vehicle last year.
Nissan Z
The Z became available in 1969. However, from 1996 to 2003, Nissan stopped making the Z temporarily after sales declined and rising prices made the vehicle unpopular. The good news is they reintroduced the vehicle in 2022.
Toyota Corolla
The first Toyota Corolla rolled off the assembly line in 1966. Today, the Corolla is known as a practical economy car, though the GR Corolla adds plenty of performance. The Corolla has remained quite popular over the years and is the fourth best-selling vehicle worldwide as of 2023.
Ford Mustang
The Mustang was introduced to the American public in 1964 and became immediately popular. Ford thought they would only sell 150,000 models in the first year. Instead, the American public loved the inexpensive pony car so much that they bought over 400,000. Sixty years later, the Mustang is still going strong.
Porsche 911
To many, the Porsche 911 epitomizes exotic sports cars. Porsche began manufacturing the 911 in 1963, which also earned the 911 the honor of being Porsche’s longest-running nameplate. After eight generations, the 911 includes several editions that give the vehicle serious variety 61 years later.
Nissan Skyline
The Nissan Skyline has been a legend in Japan for 67 years. Nissan started Skyline production in 1957 and made the vehicle more popular in 1969 when they introduced the GT-R edition, which has taken over the Skyline name. While the original Skyline became available to the United States in 2002, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration only recently allowed the R35 GT-R edition to be imported.
Toyota Toyopet Crown
While Toyota has models that have been around for a long time, the Crown has the longest history among their sedans. Toyota made the Crown in 1955 and started selling it in the United States in 1958, making it the first Japanese car sold in America. Toyota stopped selling the Crown in the US for a time, but it returned to the States in 2022, wholly reimagined.
Mercedes Benz S-Class
With production beginning in 1954, the S-Class was initially named the Mercedes W180. Since Mercedes-Benz started making this luxury vehicle, it has been well known as a car technology pioneer, with many features ahead of their time, including anti-lock brakes in 1978.
Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet began production in 1953 and has endured 71 years and eight generations. For the first couple of years, Corvette didn’t make or sell many Corvettes. Many of the first 300 models produced remained on lots for over a year. The Corvette finally took off and became the famous sports car we know today when Chevrolet added a V8 in 1955.
Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota began to make the Land Cruiser in 1951. This also makes it the longest-running vehicle in Toyota’s history, though Toyota stopped making it in 2022 and 2023. That said, the famous off-road vehicle is back in action for 2024 with a refresh and a lower MSRP. They’ll start in the $ 50,000 range instead of around $75,000.
Volkswagen Transporter
The cute and practical Volkswagen van you’ve seen on the roads for decades has a long production streak starting in 1950. You might not know that it’s called the Volkswagen Transporter. This iconic van remains the most popular selling van in history, with over 12.4 million units sold during its 74-year history.
Ford F Series
Ford started producing the F-150 in 1948, giving it a 76-year run. You’ve also undoubtedly heard facts from their advertising touting that the F-150 has been the best-selling truck in America for 47 straight years. Ford also claims they sold a new F-series truck every 49 seconds last year. In case you are wondering, that amounts to 640,000 units per year.
Volkswagen Beetle
The iconic Beetle became available in 1938 and endured redesigns to its exterior and interior technology updates for over 81 years before production ended in 2019. In 1979, Volkswagen stopped selling the Beetle in the United States, then reintroduced a new model in 1998, so significant gaps existed in its stateside presence.
Chevrolet Suburban
The Chevrolet Suburban is the longest-continuously produced vehicle in the United States. Chevrolet started selling the Suburban in 1935, so they’ve been on dealer lots for nearly 90 years. Twelve generations later, one of America’s favorite people-hauling vehicles is still going strong, with more than 52,000 units sold just last year.
Share Your Favorites
With vehicles nearly 90 years old, there are successful models out there that have stood the test of time. Which of these vehicles have you owned? What are your favorite vehicles that have been around a long time?
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