How do used cars fare by mileage in Sri Lanka? Carmudi analysed thousands of its car listings from various Sri Lankan cities to find out. The research team gathered and compared averages of mileage based on brand, fuel type, as well as age, with cars ranging from two to five years old.

The average mileage for cars in Sri Lanka was 38,500 km, which is 9% lower than the average of across Carmudi markets (42,000 km). The youngest cars averaged 23,000 km, while five-year-old cars reached an average mileage of 57,000 km.

A factor leading to Sri Lanka’s lower average mileage may be a lack of roadways conducive to long-distance travel on the island. With over 70% of traffic in the country being carried out on national roads, it is vital that they be well maintained. Uncontrolled roadside development and substandard maintenance hinder traffic. A good quality of interstate roadways is essential, as over 65% of the country’s populace lives in the villages, making them dependent on interconnected roads.

After investigating the effect of brand on mileage, the team found that Japanese brands traveled the most distance before being offered on Carmudi LK. Makes like Honda, Toyota and Nissan range between 31,000 km and 34,000 km. The highest mileage belongs to Suzuki, with an average 47,000 km traveled.

Lastly, Carmudi looked at the effect of fuel type on mileage. The cars with the highest mileage run on diesel fuel, averaging 49,000km. They are followed by hybrids (29,100km) and petrol-fueled cars (22,000 km). The reason for diesel cars being driven the farthest, could be that diesel engines can be up to 15% more fuel-efficient, encouraging longer commutes.

‘We see that the low cost per kilometer associated with diesel vehicles is a key factor in the higher usage seen in these types of vehicles. However, we expect to see hybrid vehicles overtake the usage levels of diesel vehicles in the future due to customers being able to gain similar mileage along with more environmentally friendly combustion. Average resale values for hybrid vehicles also tend to be higher than their diesel counterparts. We’re glad to see this trend of getting more bang for the buck while also being more environmentally conscious,’ says Firaz Markar, MD of Carmudi LK.