10/10/2025
New in Reports: Learn the story behind a car’s mileage with our Driving Habits feature
Renata Liubertaitė
Two cars may share the same mileage, but their journeys can be worlds apart. How they were driven – not just the distance traveled – makes all the difference.
That’s why we’re introducing the new Driving Habits feature in our reports. It provides a deeper look at a vehicle’s mileage history, highlighting periods of light, normal, and intensive use.
Introducing Driving Habits
Driving Habits is a feature that shows a car’s usage patterns over its lifetime, based on mileage records and their dates. It expands our existing Mileage section with a fresh layer of insight, helping you get a clearer picture of how the car was actually driven, not just how far it traveled.
We calculate the average kilometers per month between the car’s mileage records and compare these intervals to each other. This shows when the car was driven more intensively or less (based solely on its own history, rather than any external benchmarks).
The observed patterns are then categorized into four segments:
- No driving
- Limited driving
- Normal driving
- Intense driving
Hovering over a specific segment of the mileage timeline shows the average monthly distance the car traveled during that period.
The feature also provides a summary of driving habits, showing what percentage of the car’s history each of them represents.
If you prefer to see only mileage readings, you can hide the Driving Habits by switching the toggle button off.
How to interpret the different Driving Habits segments
Each segment tells part of the car’s story – here’s how to read them.
No driving
The “No driving” segment identifies periods when the car was not used for an extended time. Vehicles with long idle periods may require extra checks, such as the battery, brakes, or tires.
Limited driving
The “Limited driving” segment shows times when the car was driven less than typical. While lighter use may seem beneficial, it can sometimes lead to aging or wear of parts that aren’t used regularly.
Normal driving
The “Normal driving” segment represents typical usage patterns. It often means steady use and balanced wear.
Intense driving
The “Intense driving” segment points to periods when the car was driven more than average. Higher usage can put additional strain on parts, which may result in more frequent maintenance and earlier replacement.
Why it matters
The Driving Habits feature offers clear advantages for both buyers and sellers, turning raw mileage into valuable insights:
If you’re buying, you can: | If you’re selling, you can: |
Uncover mileage history patterns that the traveled distance alone doesn’t reveal | Showcase responsible ownership |
Assess maintenance needs based on usage history | Increase buyer trust by providing transparent, trustworthy usage data |
Identify aggressive or intensive driving that could impact longevity | Set your car apart from similar listings |
Understand how past driving may affect the car’s future value | Justify the selling price |
Explore Driving Habits before your next car deal to get the full picture and decide with confidence.
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Article by
Renata Liubertaitė
Renata is a writer with over 8 years of experience in publishing, marketing, and SaaS companies. Writing in various fields and covering highly technical topics has taught her to turn complex things into something everyone can understand. When not writing for carVertical, she loves DIY projects and spontaneous bike rides.