Mostly the same as a front loader, maybe a bit more since they have two bearings instead of a single one. Washing performance is equivalent to an automatic front-loader, with similarly low fabric wear. Furthermore, it can also spin-dry clothes like a front-loader and that removes the majority of the moisture from clothes.

The longevity of European-style washers varies a lot. I had a cheap top loading model break after three years -- the mounts of the plastic enclosure around the drum broke, and there was no way to fix it. Those parts are made of steel in better washing machines, so those last a lot longer.

15 years is doable with some of the older brands. Just don't leave the side access on the drum open :)