1,247
OWNER-SUBSCRIBED TRUCKS
Enrolled across all 50 states, weighted to owner-operator and small-fleet use cases.
DATA DESK · RESEARCH DOSSIER · Q1 2025 RELEASE
Long-Term Truck Index
1,247 owner-subscribed trucks. 47.4 million cumulative miles. The independent telemetry dataset for buyers who want numbers beyond the window sticker.
- 1,247VEHICLES LOGGING
- 47.4MCUMULATIVE MILES
- 19FULL-TIME EDITORS
- 2024NAAJA BEST TRUCKING PUB
METHODOLOGY · INDEPENDENT TELEMETRY
What the Index is — and what it isn't.
The Long-Term Truck Index is built from owner-reported telemetry, not OEM-supplied numbers. Every truck in the dataset is tied to a verified owner who logs fuel, miles, fault codes, and service events through our partner app and a quarterly structured survey fielded by our in-house research desk.
The dataset excludes press-fleet loaners, manufacturer demonstrators, and any vehicle where ownership changes more than twice in the reporting window. As of January 2025, 1,247 owner-subscribed trucks are enrolled, averaging 38,000 miles logged per vehicle and 47.4 million cumulative miles since the Index began tracking in 2014.
Each truck is instrumented for verified mileage through quarterly odometer photo capture, fuel-economy entries via the partner app, and a structured service-event log reviewed by our staff of 9 ASE-certified technicians. We do not accept manufacturer-supplied reliability claims, and we do not extrapolate single-truck stories into fleet-wide conclusions.
What you see in the Index is what 1,247 owners actually experienced — across tow loads, weather, fuel blends, and dealer service quality. When a system shows a problem rate, it reflects the median owner, not the cherry-picked launch press unit.
SCALE OF THE DATASET
Four numbers every fleet manager scans first.
47.4M
CUMULATIVE MILES LOGGED
Verified odometer telemetry since the Index began tracking in 2014.
11.6
PROBLEMS PER 100 TRUCKS / YR
Median across the active 2024 cohort — down from 14.2 in 2020.
4.2 yrs
AVERAGE TENURE IN INDEX
How long an enrolled owner stays in the cohort before selling out of the dataset.
Source: AutoMototrke Long-Term Truck Index, vintages 2014–2025. Pulled January 2025. View methodology →
PROBLEM FREQUENCY · 2024 COHORT, n = 1,247
Reliability by system, ranked.
Reported owner-logged service events per 100 trucks across the active 2024 cohort. Lower is better. Powertrain remains the strongest showing in the dataset; emissions hardware is where the cohort is bleeding the most warranty hours.
| SYSTEM | PROBLEMS / 100 TRUCKS | MEDIAN MILEAGE AT EVENT | 12-MO TREND | VERDICT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain (engine block & internals) | 3.4 | 82,400 mi | ▼ 0.6 vs 2023 | STRONG |
| Transmission & driveline | 4.7 | 76,900 mi | ▼ 0.2 vs 2023 | STRONG |
| Electrical & infotainment | 8.1 | 41,200 mi | — flat YoY | WATCH |
| Suspension, brakes & chassis | 9.0 | 58,700 mi | ▲ 1.1 vs 2023 | WATCH |
| Emissions & aftertreatment (DEF/SCR/DPF/EGR) | 14.6 | 49,300 mi | ▲ 2.4 vs 2023 | PROBLEMATIC |
Bars normalized to the worst-performing system in the cohort (emissions = 100%). Median mileage is the odometer reading at first owner-reported service event for that system.
Loveland test facility · chassis dynamometer readout · 14,000 lb-ft capacity
THE MPG GAP
Why owner logs trail EPA window-sticker numbers.
Across 312 instrumented tests and 1,247 owner logs, real-world combined fuel economy consistently comes in 8% to 19% below EPA combined ratings — with the worst shortfalls clustered on the heaviest three-quarter-ton crew cabs running 20-inch tires and roof racks.
The gap isn't driver error. It's the difference between a lab cycle run at 72°F with no payload and what an owner actually does with a truck: bed weight, cold starts, altitude, headwinds, and 75-mph highway cruise. The Index captures the second set of conditions.
REAL MPG vs EPA · 412 CURRENT U.S.-MARKET TRIMS
The scatter: every trim, plotted.
EPA combined rating on the X-axis, owner-logged real-world combined MPG on the Y-axis. The dashed line is parity — points below it are trucks that under-deliver against the sticker. Shaded band shows the 95% regression confidence interval.
−19.4%
WORST UNDER-DELIVER
Three-quarter-ton crew cab diesel, max tow package, 20-inch tires.
+3.8%
BEST OVER EPA
Mid-size gas V6, base trim, no roof rack, conservative drivers.
−11.2%
COHORT MEDIAN GAP
Typical owner runs ~11% below sticker across the full 412-trim set.
Get the full 412-trim scatter, the regression band, and weekly Index updates in The Garage newsletter.
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