On his podcast, Clark Howard answers real reader questions on money, credit, debt, retirement, travel, and more, along with co-host Christa DiBiase.

Clark's answer: No, you were not bamboozled at all. Tim, a couple of things happen with these lists of vehicles that last an ultra-long time: part of it comes down to the vehicle, but part of it is the buyer profile. When you look at which brand usually dominates the rankings for vehicles driven a zillion miles, it's Toyota. In the automotive industry, insiders often say with a groan that Toyotas are for people who hate cars, meaning they aren't about style — they're appliances designed to reliably get you from point A to point B. Because of that, Toyota buyers tend to be people who keep a car forever simply because it works. The buyer’s mindset plays a huge role in pushing those mileage numbers up.

So don't feel bad about buying a Subaru. Consumer Reports loves Subaru and consistently finds that many of their models are an incredibly great buy — both new and used — because they simply last, perform reliably, and keep their owners very happy.