The car data processing company carVertical has conducted a survey in Croatia to determine the average mileage of certain car brands in the country so that drivers can compare the results with the mileage of their cars.

Cars with high mileage usually cost less, so many buyers are tempted to buy such vehicles and save money. But this decision is risky because many parts can be worn out and the car is more prone to breakdowns. Although a vehicle’s odometer indicates its condition and potential price, it can be easily manipulated. Fraudsters reduce the odometer reading to sell the car for a higher price than it is actually worth.

“If you own a car with a significantly higher mileage than the market average, the costs can be less predictable as car parts are more likely to break. However, a car with original mileage will always cost more than a car with restored mileage”, said Matas Buzelis, car expert and Head of Communications at carVertical.

Among the cars produced in 2008 that were checked on carVertical in Croatia, Audi (204,915 km), Mercedes-Benz (196,068 km) and Skoda (189,739 km) have the highest average mileage. For ten-year-old cars manufactured in 2013, Skoda has the highest mileage (162,165 km), followed by Mercedes-Benz (160,648 km) and BMW (155,851 km). Skoda is also in first place for five-year-old vehicles manufactured in 2018 (116,531 km), followed by Opel (108,612 km) and Peugeot (98,798 km).

Of the economy class vehicles manufactured in 2008, Peugeot has the lowest mileage (127,111 km), followed by Nissan (145,786 km) and Mazda (145,904 km). The situation changes for newer vehicles manufactured in 2013. Here, Nissan takes the lead with 109,398 km after the first ten years of use. Peugeot has an average of 123,448 km on the odometer and Toyota 127,566 km. Mazda has the lowest mileage among the cars that left the factory in 2018 – 37,200 km. It is followed by Toyota (48,561 km) and Nissan (77,030 km), N1 Zagreb reported.

If a vehicle’s mileage is significantly higher than the average for the brand, the owner should consider selling the vehicle. Mileage is related to reliability – worn parts require more maintenance, which leads to expensive repairs.

CarVertical’s research is based on real car data retrieved from users of the platform between January and October 2023.