California man who's driven his 2017 Kia Sorento for an unbelievable 715,000 miles gives a simple answer for how it's been so durable

Most drivers would be pretty happy if their car made it to 200,000 miles without needing a major repair, but one California man has taken things to a whole new level with his 2017 Kia Sorento.

His car has reportedly covered an incredible 715,000 miles while still running its original V6 engine.

That’s enough mileage to make even the most loyal car owners do a double take, especially when you consider how many vehicles struggle to reach a fraction of that distance.

And when it comes to explaining how his SUV has survived so much driving, the answer is refreshingly straightforward.

This Kia Sorento has racked up more miles than most cars could dream of

Arthur Phillippe Consing Rutaquio posted his now superstar car, a humble Kia Sorento, on the ‘Mileage Impossible’ Facebook group.

The Kia Sorento is hardly the sort of car you’d expect to become an endurance legend, but that’s exactly what makes this story so impressive.

Rather than being some exotic hypercar or a specially prepared record-breaking machine, it’s a relatively ordinary family SUV that has spent years doing what cars are designed to do: getting people from one place to another, and especially as a Lyft driver, his car has seen more miles than most.

But the Sorento’s original V6 engine is the real headline here.

After 715,000 miles, the fact that it’s reportedly still running is an extraordinary achievement, particularly given the sheer amount of wear that can build up over years of driving.

To put that mileage into perspective, 715,000 miles is equivalent to travelling around the Earth more than 28 times.

It’s also the kind of distance that would leave plenty of drivers shopping for a replacement vehicle long before reaching the finish line.

But this Sorento has kept going, raising an obvious question: what’s the secret behind its remarkable longevity?

The owner’s explanation is refreshingly simple

While it’s tempting to imagine that the SUV has benefited from some secret mechanical trick, the reality is much less glamorous.

He told The Drive the vehicle’s long life is all down to ‘maintenance’.

Looking after a vehicle properly can make a significant difference to how long it lasts, particularly when it’s covering huge distances.

Regular servicing, keeping an eye on fluid levels and dealing with problems before they become major repairs can all help keep a high-mileage car on the road.

For a vehicle that’s driven as much as this Kia, consistency is especially important, but of course, no amount of maintenance can guarantee that a car will max out its odometer.

Driving conditions, how the vehicle is used, and a bit of luck can all play a part in determining its lifespan.

Still, the Sorento is a reminder that buying a car isn’t necessarily a countdown to the day it needs replacing, but with the right care, some vehicles can stay useful for far longer than their owners might expect.

Could your everyday car last this long?

The Kia’s extraordinary mileage is also a useful reminder that the number on the odometer doesn’t tell the whole story.

A car with 150,000 miles that’s been serviced regularly and driven sensibly may be in better condition than a vehicle with far fewer miles that’s been neglected.

Maintenance records, the condition of key components, and how the car has been treated are all worth considering when judging whether a vehicle has plenty of life left.

That doesn’t mean every Kia Sorento will reach the same milestone, or that 715,000 miles should be the new expectation for family SUVs.

Even vehicles from the same model year can have very different experiences on the road.

But this California driver’s achievement makes a compelling case for taking care of the car you already own.

After all, if a fairly ordinary 2017 SUV can reportedly cover 715,000 miles while retaining its original V6 engine, perhaps there’s more life left in some everyday cars than their owners realize.