Daniel Robinson is a content writer specializing in auto insurance, car warranties and car shipping. He has written about these topics for MarketWatch and Jalopnik. Daniel studied American literature and technical writing at East Carolina University. He is based in eastern North Carolina and spends his spare time cooking, playing guitar and getting schooled in video games by his 12-year-old son.
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A new car warranty is essentially a guarantee that a vehicle is free of defective parts or workmanship errors. Sometimes called a vehicle service contract or factory warranty, this type of warranty guarantees that these types of defects will be repaired free of charge at a dealership.
Factory warranty terms vary by manufacturer. You’ll often get three or four years of coverage when you buy a new vehicle. Hyundai, Genesis, Mitsubishi, Kia and Jaguar stand out for going beyond these industry standards. We ranked the new car warranties in this article by length of warranty.
After your new car warranty expires, you can extend your coverage with a third-party provider. Get a quote from our #1 extended warranty provider here:
Endurance offers coverage for up to 8 years or 200,000 miles, but it only offers long-term plans.
According to our research, Hyundai, Genesis, Mitsubishi, Kia and Jaguar feature the longest factory warranty plans. You’ll get at least a 5-year/60,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty, or bumper-to-bumper warranty, with each of these brands.
It’s more common to find four years or up to 50,000 miles of limited warranty coverage with a new vehicle. Some automakers only offer three years of factory coverage. These five brands are the best because they offer coverage for longer than average at five years.
Similarly, powertrain warranties are commonly offered for up to five years or 60,000 miles, whereas the best brands offer powertrain coverage for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles.
Here are some more details on our picks for best new car warranty based on coverage length:
Hyundai’s self-proclaimed “America’s Best Warranty” has a basis. Along with generous bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage, Hyundai offers the following protections:
As Hyundai’s luxury brand, Genesis has the same robust factory warranty coverage. New Genesis vehicles come with a new vehicle limited warranty that lasts for five years and 60,000 miles. Along with this and a 10-year powertrain warranty, Genesis owners receive the following:
Mitsubishi joins Hyundai and Genesis in offering new car buyers five years and 60,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage. You also get the same robust 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty when you purchase a new Mitsubishi.
The automaker provides the following additional protections with its new vehicles:
New Kia vehicles also come with a 5-year/60,000-mile limited warranty and 10 years or 100,000 miles of powertrain coverage. Kia can’t match the above brands when it comes to roadside assistance, but you still get extra peace of mind in the event of a breakdown.
New Kias feature these other warranties:
Jaguar has some of the best factory warranty coverage in the luxury class. Jaguar’s new vehicle limited warranty is the same as the other brands on this list, but its powertrain is shorter at 5 years/60,000 miles.
The brand refers to its new vehicle warranty package as Jaguar EliteCare, and it includes the following coverages:
As mentioned before, the average new vehicle basic warranty from a manufacturer either lasts for three or four years with the highest mileage limit hitting 50,000 miles. Here’s a quick look at how factory warranties from other popular automakers compare to our top five:
New warranties from the car manufacturer feature both bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage. You also typically get some type of protection for the body panels (anti-perforation), paint, emissions and manufacturer-installed accessories.
Bumper-to-bumper coverage is the heart of a new car warranty, as it provides comprehensive coverage for all vehicle systems. As long as your car is under this manufacturer’s warranty coverage, you can rest assured that any workmanship flaws or defective parts will be repaired or replaced free of charge by the dealership.
A powertrain warranty protects your car’s engine, transmission and drive axles. This type of warranty essentially covers the components that make your vehicle move. You may see some slight differences in powertrain warranty coverage from one manufacturer to another.
A new car warranty is intended to protect buyers against production and workmanship flaws in a vehicle. Virtually any other type of damage to your vehicle won’t be covered by your new vehicle limited warranty.
Here are a few specific new car warranty exclusions:
There’s no need to purchase an extended auto warranty while your car is still under factory warranty coverage. However, many automakers offer new car warranties that only last three or four years. If you plan to keep your vehicle much longer than that, an extended warranty is definitely worth it.
Most dealerships require you to buy a manufacturer’s extended warranty either at the time of vehicle purchase or before your new vehicle warranty is up. Otherwise, you’ll need to purchase an extended warranty from a third-party provider, such as Endurance or Carchex.
A good plan from one of the best extended warranty companies will protect you against high car repair costs years down the road and is typically cheaper than a manufacturer’s extended warranty. Third-party warranty providers also give you the choice of using your own mechanic rather than going to the dealership.
The best new car warranties come from Hyundai, Genesis, Mitsubishi and Kia. These car brands provide longer bumper-to-bumper and powertrain protection than any other names in the automotive industry, at five years or 60,000 miles and 10 years or 100,000 miles. Jaguar is also one of the best brands with the same bumper-to-bumper coverage as the others but with a shorter powertrain warranty of five years or 60,000 miles.
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