The Difference Between Highway Miles and City Miles

The popular opinion on used cars is that high mileage means a shorter lifespan. But it also matters whether those miles were mostly on the highway or in the city, since each one puts different stress on a vehicle.

Highway miles are the kind of miles a car has accumulated over the years while mostly being driven on the highway. City miles refer to a vehicle having been driven more often within cities and/or small towns. As a prospective buyer, it’s important to understand how this affects the car so you can make an informed decision on your purchase.

Highway Miles VS City Miles: Which One Is Better?

When it comes to used cars, highway miles are always better. This is because driving at a steady speed over a long distance is less demanding on the engine, suspension, and brakes compared to moving within cities, where most driving is done with frequent interruptions over short distances.

Moreover, other factors also come into play, such as the following:

How to Tell Whether a Used Car Has More Highway Miles or City Miles?

There are a few ways you can tell whether a car has more highway or city miles, such as through the mileage itself, maintenance, and a thorough inspection.

However, it’s important to note that looking at these indicators will only give you a general idea of the kind of miles a car has, since there is no foolproof way to tell.

Number of Miles

One of the most common ways to determine whether a car has highway miles is by its unusually high mileage, considering it is relatively new.

For example, a 3-year-old car with 80,000–100,000 miles likely racked up those miles on long commutes or interstate trips, since that’s difficult to accumulate in city use alone (unless a taxi driver drove the car or it was a police car).

Maintenance Records

Modern cars, especially used ones, come with a detailed maintenance record. This makes it easier to gauge whether a vehicle has been used more on highway or city roads.

City-driven cars often require brake pad replacements more frequently due to stop-and-go traffic.

Highway-driven cars tend to show regular but less frequent wear.

Wear & Tear

You can always tell a car’s history through its body, specifically by looking at the exterior and interior of the vehicle carefully, as follows:

• Exterior: Dents, door dings, and curb scrapes usually indicate city driving. On the other hand, rock chips and bug splatter on the front end often suggest highway driving.
• Interior: Less seat and steering wheel wear indicates highway miles, while frequent in-and-out use points to city driving.

See the pros and cons of buying a car with accident history

Car Inspection

The ultimate way to determine the kind of miles the car in question has accrued, you have a professional mechanic take a look at it. They know what to look for and can examine the following:

• Suspension and brakes
• Engine and transmission wear
• Tire condition
• Overall undercarriage health

Why Resale Value Favors Highway Miles?

Resale value favors highway miles because they put less stress on the car, meaning fewer repairs, less wear, and fewer touch-ups needed over time. For example, a vehicle with 100,000 highway miles often shows less overall wear than one with 50,000 city miles, making it more desirable to potential buyers.

Highway driving also reduces long-term operating costs. According to a study by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, city driving increases vehicle operating costs by 3.9 cents per mile for passenger cars (and 9.5 cents per mile for trucks) compared to highway driving.

While this study looks at daily operating costs, the same idea applies to used cars: vehicles that see more highway driving endure less mechanical stress, keeping them in better shape and more desirable on the resale market.

Final Verdict: Which Option Should You Go For?

As mentioned earlier, the best option when buying a used car is to look for one with more highway miles than city miles.

Still, the reality is that no vehicle will have exclusively one or the other. Most cars will show a mix of both, which can make it harder to pinpoint exactly how the miles were accumulated.

The bottom line is that if the car you’re considering has been well-maintained and passes a professional inspection, it’s worth serious consideration regardless of the mileage or how those miles were driven. This is especially true for brands known to stay highly reliable well past 200,000 miles, such as Toyota and Honda.