The typical American drives an average of 14,000 miles (22,530 km) annually, but Farrah Haines is far from average.



Since most digital odometers max out at 999,999 miles (1,609,342), Hyundai decided to create a special “1 Million Mile emblem” and add it in front of her odometer which reset to 0 miles. While the emblem was created for Haines, it has now become an OEM part that is available to all Hyundai customers who have driven over one million miles (1,609,344 km).

Haines’ Elantra still uses its original powertrain and Hyundai Motor America Chief Marketing Officer Dean Evens said the achievement is a testament to company’s quality. As he noted, “Reaching one million miles with the original powertrain in just five years is an extremely rare and incredible achievement.”

The feat was so impressive, even Hyundai was a bit skeptical. They were so surprised that they ran multiple tests to validate her odometer reading and then had engineers inspect her car’s engine casting numbers, wiring harness and motor mounts. The company didn’t stop there as they also pulled her service records and a Carfax report.

Everything checked out, so Hyundai decided to reward Haines for her loyalty. As a result, they surprised her with a new 2019 Elantra while she was making a delivery.

According to Haines, “My Hyundai has been a great car” and the key to reaching the million mile mark is to “prioritize regular maintenance and to have a quality vehicle” to begin with.