Which Vehicles Have the Best Warranty Coverage?

New cars are expensive. They cost thousands of dollars and require monthly payments. But how do you protect yourself from costly repairs after buying a new vehicle?

In this article, we cover the best warranties from today's manufacturer so that you can have peace of mind for years to come. Most new cars are protected bumper to bumper coverage.

If you are buying a CPO or pre-owned vehicle, car manufacturers offer extended warranty plans as standard equipment on most new vehicles. These plans cover everything from engine problems to body damage. However, these plans aren't cheap, costing hundreds of dollars per year. We will cover aftermarket warranties in the future.

I'll explain why new car warranties matter and how you can save thousands of dollars over the course of your car ownership and bumper coverage.

What Is A Car Warranty?

Factory warranties cover everything except wear and tear items like tires and brakes, while extended warranties often come with free roadside assistance. Used car warranties generally cover major mechanical issues.

Types of New Car Warranties

Most new vehicles come with a standard warranty that covers everything except for normal wear and tear. This includes parts like brakes, tires, and engines. If you want to go beyond what the manufacturer offers, there are extended warranties that cover specific components. These usually cost extra money, but some companies give you free repairs and replacements for certain problems. Here are some examples of how extended warranties work.

What is a Powertrain Warranty?

A powertrain warranty covers everything inside the engine compartment, including the transmission, drive train, and driveline components. A powertrain warranty is different from a mechanical or body repair warranty, which only covers parts outside the engine compartment. Most manufacturers offer either a standard or extended powertrain warranty.

Standard warranties cover the entire life of the vehicle, while extended warranties may include additional coverage beyond the original manufacturer's warranty period. 

What is a Bumper To Bumper Warranty?

A bumper to bumper warranty covers everything on a vehicle, from the engine to the tires. Most manufacturers offer this type of warranty, but it may only cover certain parts of the vehicle. 

A typical bumper to bumper warranty includes repairs for any major component on the vehicle, such as the engine, transmission, drive train, suspension system, steering mechanism, brakes, air conditioning, electrical components, etc. 

Some warranties include additional coverage for items like windshields, windows, and sunroofs. These warranties are great for consumers who want complete peace of mind when buying a new vehicle.

Extended Service Plans

Extended warranties are generally offered by dealerships, and they can vary widely in price and scope. Some extend the original manufacturer's warranty, while others add extra protection such as roadside assistance and rental reimbursement. 

Dealerships that sell extended warranties tend to charge a premium for these plans, but they can save consumers money in the long run.

These plans typically charge less per repair and replace parts over a longer period of time. This is good if you are not a car person and do not plan to do the work yourself. However, you will need to research the track record of your car to see if there are any major repairs after a certain mileage.

Roadside Assistance

Some automakers offer roadside assistance as part of their extended warranties. Roadside assistance is especially useful if you run into trouble while driving away from home. Your mechanic will likely be able to help you out if you call ahead of time.

Best New Car Warranty Overall: Hyundai

Hyundai offers one of the best warranties among automakers. Its 10year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty is almost twice as long as the next closest competitor. In addition, Hyundai provides a 7-year/unlimited miles corrosion warranty and roadside assistance. These are included in the price of every vehicle sold. The Korean car maker has done a great job in creating a reputation of reliable, long lasting vehicles. 

The 10-year/100,000 miles bumper to bumper warranty covers everything except normal wear and tear. This includes windshield wiper blades, door locks, tires, brakes, shocks and struts, heater core, hoses, belts, air filters, spark plugs, water pump, alternator, starter motor, air conditioning compressor, battery terminals, exhaust system, fuel injectors, transmission fluid, steering box, radiator fan, brake pads, rotors, muffler, tailpipe, catalytic converter, coolant, oil filter, hood latch, rear axle housing, differential cover, and floor mats.

In addition, Hyundai offers a 5-year/60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. This covers most parts including headlights, taillights, turn signals, fog lights, side mirrors, window glass, windshield wipers, body trim, bumpers, grille, parking lamps, instrument cluster, interior components such as seats, carpets, carpet pad, headliner, trunk liner, glove compartment, radio, speakers, sunroof, cargo area, doors, windows, and roof.

Finally, Hyundai offers a 7-year/ Unlimited Miles Corrosion warranty. This covers rust damage caused by road salt, sand, gravel, dirt, mud, chemicals, bird droppings, tree sap, and other debris.

Best Long-Term Car Warranty: Volkswagen

Volkswagen offers an impressive bumper-to-bumper warranty that was recently reduced to four years from six years. Volkswagen's coverage provides a 4 year/50,000 mile warranty, which covers mechanical failures due to manufacturing defects. This warranty now aligns with many manufacturers, but it's one of the better ones available today.

The bumper-to-bumper warranty starts out with three years of coverage, and you'll pay $0 upfront for the first 36 months. After that, you're responsible for paying the remaining 12 months of coverage.

This warranty doesn't include everything though. You won't get roadside assistance or rental reimbursement. However, there is an option for extended roadside assistance.

Best Luxury Car Warranty: Jaguar EliteCare

Jaguar EliteCare is one of the few premium car manufacturers that offer a five-year bumper-to-bumper coverage  warranty.

When you purchase a Jaguar vehicle, you can feel confident knowing that it is covered by our 5-year 60,000 mile warranty. This comprehensive warranty includes a new vehicle limited warranty, which covers everything except bodywork.

In addition, you will receive complimentary scheduled maintenance for the first five years or 60,000 miles. With this peace-of-mind, Jaguar is dedicated to providing its customers with the best possible service and coverage.

Best EV Car Warranty: Nissan

The Nissan Leaf has one of the longest warranties of any electric car. The battery and powertrain are covered for five years or 60,000 miles. This is a great benefit for those who are looking for an electric car. The Leaf also has a longer range than most other electric cars, making it a good choice for those who want to be able to travel long distances.

In comparison, Tesla offers a standard limited warranty on the Model S and X for four years or 50,000 miles. Other cars offer shorter warranties. For example, the Honda Civic Hybrid has a standard warranty of 24 months or 25,000 miles. The Chevrolet Volt has a standard warranty of 36 months or 40,000 miles. And the Toyota Prius Prime has a standard warranty of 48 months or 50,000 miles, according to Edmunds.com.

What Makes Offer the Best Warranties

If you're looking for the best warranty coverage for your new car, it might be worth checking out some of the different policies offered by manufacturers. While there are many things to consider when buying a new car, one thing you'll want to pay attention to is what type of warranty coverage you choose. You don't want to buy something that doesn't offer enough protection for you or your family.

Here are some of the best warranties to consider today.

Powertrain Warranty

A powertrain warranty usually lasts anywhere from 3 to 7 years. This covers items such as the engine, transmission, drive shaft, axles, and all other moving pieces inside the car. If anything goes wrong with these parts during the term of the warranty, the manufacturer will repair or replace them free of charge.

Body/Frame Warranty

This warranty typically lasts around 5 years. It covers the exterior of the car including the body, chassis, fenders, hood, doors, trunk lid, roof, windshield, glass, bumpers, lights, etc. If anything happens to the exterior of the car, the manufacturer will fix or replace it for no additional cost. As you have seen, there are brands that offer unlimited miles warranty for new cars.

Here is the the short list of the best car warranties available today:

Hyundai

Hyundai's 10-Year / 100,000-Mile Powertrain Limited Warranty is hard to beat. It's one of the best in class and demonstrates the quality and trust that company has with its transmissions.  The powertrain warranty covers the engine, transmission, and drivetrain for 10 years or 100,000 miles. This is double the coverage of most other automakers. Hyundai's powertrain warranty is one of the reasons why the brand is so popular.

Its bumper-to-bumper warranty covers virtually every component on a new Hyundai vehicle, including the paint and finish, for five years or 60,000 miles. This comprehensive coverage is rare among automakers, and it underscores Hyundai's confidence in the quality of its vehicles.

Mitsubishi Motors

Another noteworthy Asian automaker is Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi Motors is one of the few companies to offer a bumper-to-bumper warranty that covers 5 years or 60,000 miles. This coverage is much more than what is typically offered by other automakers. The Mitsubishi warranty includes 10 years/100,000 miles of powertrain coverage and 5 years/unlimited miles of roadside assistance.

This comprehensive warranty makes Mitsubishi a great choice for those looking for a reliable and affordable vehicle.

Kia

Sister company with Hyundai, Kia offers similar warranty coverage. Kia Motors offers one of the most generous bumper-to-bumper warranties in the automotive industry. The Korean automaker’s comprehensive warranty covers virtually all major vehicle components, including the engine, transmission, and drivetrain, for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles. In contrast, most other automakers only cover major components for 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The bumper to bumper for everything else covers repairs to your vehicle for up to 5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. This includes parts and labor, so you won't have to pay for anything. In addition, Kia includes roadside assistance during the bumper to bumper coverage.

Acura

Acura is one of the most trusted automakers in the world and its vehicles are known for their reliability. However, like any other vehicle manufacturer, Acura does have to deal with warranty claims and repairs from time to time. However, Acura's warranty coverage offers peace of mind. 

Acura is one of the most reliable brands on the market, and their powertrain warranty is one of the best in the industry. The warranty covers the engine, transmission, and drivetrain for 6 years or 70,000 miles, whichever comes first. Acura also offers a bumper to bumper coverage for 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The only thing it doesn't cover is routine maintenance, like oil changes and tire rotations. But if something goes wrong with your Acura, you'll be covered.

Cadillac

Cadillac is known for its luxurious cars and its quality craftsmanship. The company offers a bumper-to-bumper warranty on all of its vehicles, which is one of the longest and most comprehensive warranties in the industry. Cadillac's warranty covers nearly everything on the vehicle, from the engine and transmission to the electronics and audio system. Cadillac's bumper-to-bumper warranty for 4 years or 50,000 miles is just one of the many ways the company shows its commitment to customer satisfaction. 

The powertrain warranty covers 6 years or 70,000 miles. This will cover potential reported issues like high-pitched noise when decelerating, slippage of the torque converter, transmission fluid leak, and flashing 'D' on the PRNDL display. These problems were reported by Cadillac owners and were covered under the powertrain warranty. 

A Final Word

We've covered the top brands that come with the industry's best warranties. When you buy a new car here's nothing worse than having to encounter issues. But with anything, things break and things can be fixed.  The great thing is that you are covered and you won't have to worry about paying for repairs because the manufacturer will cover it for free!

There are many other great brands and warranties. We only cover the best of the best. For more information about your new car purchase, talk to your local dealership to learn more. We will cover extended warranties and when it would be worth getting one.