When you buy a new car, it’s covered by a factory warranty. Certified pre-owned (CPO) cars are also covered by a manufacturer-backed CPO warranty. After those expire, you may purchase optional coverage from the best extended car warranty companies to continue your warranty protection.
But the best car warranty plans depend on the type of coverage and when it covers your car. Hyundai, Genesis and Mitsubishi provide the best new car warranties, and Kia, Lexus and Genesis offer the best CPO warranty programs. Endurance, Autopom and Carchex are our top picks for extended warranty coverage.
Get started with a quote from our No. 1 rated provider, Endurance, below:
What companies have the best new car warranties?
All manufacturers offer car warranties on new vehicles, but companies offer differing lengths of coverage. Manufacturer warranties are provided at no cost to the owner.
Bumper-to-bumper warranties, which cover almost any mechanical breakdown or defect, last between 3 years/36,000 miles and 5 years/60,000 miles.
Powertrain warranties cover the engine, transmission and drive axle, which are less likely to break down early in the car’s life. Powertrain warranties have longer coverage that lasts between 4 years/50,000 miles and 10 years/100,000 miles.
Brands that give you the best coverage for these systems include Hyundai, Genesis and Mitsubishi.
Hyundai
Hyundai’s new car warranty is among the best in the business. It’s called America’s Best Warranty for a reason. You get 5 years/60,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage plus 10 years/100,000 miles of powertrain coverage. These are the longest terms for the warranty types in the industry.
Hyundai also offers three years or 36,000 of free routine maintenance on new models. This includes oil changes, tire rotations and inspections. Beyond that, Hyundai’s factory warranty also includes the following:
- 7-year/unlimited-mile anti-perforation coverage
- 5-year/unlimited-mile 24/7 roadside assistance
- 10-year/100,000-mile hybrid and EV battery warranty
- 12-month/12,000-mile replacement accessories warranty
- 8-year/80,000-mile federal emissions warranty
Genesis
Genesis, the luxury arm of Hyundai, also offers a great factory warranty. It shares the bumper-to-bumper and powertrain terms of 5 years/60,000 miles and 10 years/100,000 miles, respectively. Genesis owners also get 3 years/36,000 miles of free maintenance.
As a luxury brand, Genesis steps things up with Service Valet, which lasts for 3 years/36,000 miles. With this perk, your Genesis dealer will send a valet to pick up, service and deliver your vehicle to your home or office.
Here are the other warranty perks you get with a new Genesis:
- 7-year/unlimited-mile anti-perforation coverage
- 5-year/unlimited-mile 24/7 roadside assistance
- 10-year/100,000-mile hybrid and EV battery warranty
- 12-month/12,000-mile replacement accessories warranty
- 8-year/80,000-mile federal emissions warranty
Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi owners can take advantage of a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty that matches what Hyundai and Genesis offer. New Mitsubishi vehicles also come with a 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. Plus, Mitsubishi Motors Confidence provides 2 years or 30,000 miles of free maintenance. Mitsubishi’s free maintenance period isn’t quite as long as that of Hyundai or Genesis, but it’s still nice to have.
Here are a few more aspects of Mitsubishi’s factory warranty:
- 7-year/100,000-mile anti-perforation coverage
- 5-year/unlimited-mile 24/7 roadside assistance
- 10-year/100,000-mile electric vehicle system warranty
- 12-month/12,000-mile adjustment warranty
- 8-year/80,000-mile federal emissions warranty
Be aware that these 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranties only apply to the first owner of the vehicle. This is true for Hyundai, Genesis, Mitsubishi and Kia, which also offers a 10-year warranty.
If you buy a used vehicle from one of these brands either at a dealer or privately, the powertrain warranty is shortened to 5 years/60,000 miles. That said, these brands bump their powertrain warranties back up to 10 years/100,000 miles for certified pre-owned warranties.
What companies have the best certified pre-owned warranties?
Shopping for certified pre-owned vehicles is a great way to save money and still get a quality car compared with buying brand new. CPO vehicles go through a factory inspection and service to make sure everything is functioning properly. This provides extra peace of mind, but CPO vehicles do command a higher sticker price than standard used cars.
Manufacturers offer CPO warranties that bump up factory coverage, which is a nice perk. Typically, you’ll find an extra year of bumper-to-bumper coverage and one to three years of extra powertrain coverage. These warranties begin when the factory warranty ends or when you purchase the vehicle, whichever is later. The best car warranties for CPO vehicles include Kia, Lexus and Hyundai.
Kia
Normally, Kia shortens its 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty to 5 years/60,000 miles for secondary owners. But if you get a CPO Kia, you’ll get the original powertrain warranty of 10 years/100,000 miles.
Kia also provides a bumper-to-bumper warranty for CPO vehicles called Platinum Coverage that lasts for 12 months/12,000 miles. This time begins when you purchase the CPO car. The downside is the CPO coverage doesn’t wait until the factory bumper-to-bumper warranty expires. You’ll get the most out of this coverage if you purchase a CPO Kia that is close to the expiration of the 5-year/60,000-mile factory warranty.
Other than that, Kia CPO owners get 10 years/unlimited miles of roadside assistance.
Lexus
Lexus offers a fairly standard bumper-to-bumper warranty of 4 years/50,000 miles. However, the company increases coverage to 6 years/unlimited miles for CPO vehicles with its L/Certified warranty. The extra two years begin after the factory warranty, so you can drive as much as you want and still get coverage within the time period.
The L/Certified warranty includes powertrain coverage. Lexus’ original powertrain warranty lasts for 6 years/70,000 miles, so you essentially get an unlimited-mileage powertrain warranty for that time with a CPO vehicle.
Other perks include roadside assistance, a loaner car and trip interruption coverage — $200 per day for three days — for the duration of the CPO warranty. Lexus also covers the next four maintenance visits in your CPO vehicle as long as you go within two years and 20,000 miles. This includes a visit once every six months or 5,000 miles.
Genesis
Like Kia, Genesis gives CPO owners a full powertrain warranty of 10 years/100,000 miles. The Genesis CPO warranty also includes 10 years/unlimited miles of roadside assistance, rental car reimbursement — $50 per day for 10 days — and trip interruption — $100 per day for five days. These perks take away some of the stress of having a breakdown.
Genesis also provides a longer bumper-to-bumper warranty of 6 years/75,000 miles. This coverage begins on the original in-service date.
Mitsubishi and Hyundai both offer their full 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranties to CPO buyers, but they don’t provide any extra bumper-to-bumper coverage.
What are the best extended car warranty companies?
Extended auto warranties come in bumper-to-bumper and powertrain varieties plus many options in between. Also called vehicle service contracts, these add-on products cover repairs after the factory warranty expires. Our top recommendations for extended warranty providers are Endurance, Autopom and Carchex.
How do manufacturer and third-party extended warranties compare?
You can get extended warranties from car manufacturers and third-party warranty companies such as Carchex. Here’s a summary of the few main differences:
- Administrator: Many manufacturer extended warranties are backed by the manufacturer, while third-party plans are backed by other warranty administrators.
- Repair shop eligibility: Manufacturer plans usually cover car repairs at the dealership only, while third-party plans cover claims at any licensed repair facility.
- Mileage limit: Manufacturer plans usually max out at 100,000–150,000 miles, while third-party plans can cover up to 200,000 or even 300,000 miles.
- Coverage: Both manufacturer and third-party plans can offer powertrain and bumper-to-bumper options, but third-party companies usually provide more plan choices overall.
Which car has the longest extended warranty?
Ford and its luxury brand Lincoln offer some of the longest manufacturer extended coverage in the industry. Ford and Lincoln Extended Service Plans can cover up to 10 years or 175,000 miles from the in-service date. Many other extended warranty plans from manufacturers max out at eight years or 100,000–150,000 miles.
Ford and Lincoln also offer quotes online, which makes it easy to see what you’d pay for an extended plan with different deductibles. Not all manufacturers sell plans online.
Is an extended car warranty worth it?
An extended warranty can be worth it for the peace of mind that comes with knowing expensive repairs are covered if you understand the fine print of the contract. But if you’re looking at it from a strictly financial perspective, there are other things to consider.
Do some research on your car’s model with resources such as Edmunds and RepairPal to see what you can expect to pay for average annual repair costs. Some automakers and models are known for lower repair costs, and it may be better to simply use a savings account for future repairs on these models.
Multiply the expected annual repair cost by the number of years the warranty covers and compare it to the warranty price. If your car model has higher repair costs, an extended warranty can be worth it.
Final take: Compare car warranty options from at least three providers
Whether you have a factory or CPO warranty, it’s a good idea to plan how to cover repairs after the warranty expires. If you want to get extended warranty coverage from your manufacturer, you’ll need to look into plans before your factory warranty expires.
However, if you’re considering a vehicle warranty from a third-party provider, you can start shopping at any time, even if your factory coverage has expired. We recommend comparing multiple quotes and plans from extended warranty companies to see which makes the most sense in your situation.
Our rating methodology for auto warranty companies
At Homefront, we analyze, rate and rank top vehicle service contract providers to help you discover the right one for your needs. The best automotive service contract companies offer transparency, affordability and expansive coverage options, among other qualities.
We rate companies using our objective scoring methodology. We assess brands on factors that are important to consumers like you — including cost, coverage, market standing, trustworthiness and customer experience. After scoring companies on a 100-point scale, we simplify final scores into the 5-star ratings you see in our content.
BBB and Trustpilot reviews are accurate as of March 2024.
Editorial note: The name “Homefront” refers to the alliance between USA TODAY and Home Solutions that publishes review, comparison, and informational articles designed to help USA TODAY readers make smarter purchasing and investment decisions about their home. Under the alliance, Homefront provides and publishes research and articles about home service and home improvement topics.
Homefront has an affiliate disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Homefront editorial staff alone (see About Homefront). Homefront adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is believed to be accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
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