Whether you’re shopping for a new car with a good warranty or considering adding an extended warranty on your daily driver, it’s important to know the limitations of the warranty. A new car warranty comes with a car when you buy it, and the same goes for a certified pre-owned (CPO) warranty.
When those expire, though, you may consider purchasing an extended warranty from your manufacturer or a third-party provider. We’ll go over the best car warranties for new cars and CPO vehicles along with the best extended car warranties.
Get started with a quote from our No. 1 rated provider, Endurance, below.
Quick facts
Endurance offers coverage for up to 8 years or 200,000 miles, but it only offers long-term plans.
- Our top pick for auto warranty
- Mileage covered:Up to 200,000 miles
- Longest term:Up to 8 years
- Money-back guarantee:30 days
- Coverage options: 6 plans
- Discounts:First-time applicant discount
Pros and cons
Pros
- Six coverage plans
- Mechanical breakdown and maintenance benefits
- First-time application discount
Cons
- No unlimited or month-to-month plans
- Elite benefits only free for the first year
- BBB pattern of complaints for delay of claims
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 reimbursem*nt — $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.
| Company | Our Rating | Monthly Cost | Coverage Plans | View Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
4.7 | $90–$115 | 6 | Check Price | |
Learn More | 4.6 | $82–$112 | 3 | Learn More |
Learn More | 4.5 | $130–$150 | 5 | Learn More |
Learn More | 4.4 | N/A | 5 | Learn More |
Learn More | 4.4 | $120–$140 | 6 | Learn More |
| Company | Our Rating | Monthly Cost | Coverage Plans | View Plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
4.7 | $90–$115 | 6 | Check Price | |
Learn More | 4.6 | $82–$112 | 3 | Learn More |
Learn More | 4.5 | $130–$150 | 5 | Learn More |
Learn More | 4.4 | N/A | 5 | Learn More |
Learn More | 4.4 | $120–$140 | 6 | Learn More |
Endurance
4.7
Our thoughts
With high mileage limits and plans for maintenance plus breakdown coverage, Endurance offers plenty of options.
What we like
Endurance offers six coverage plans: Supreme, Superior, Secure Plus, Secure Select Premier and Advantage. These offer a wide range of options from just covering the basics to covering the whole vehicle. The Advantage plan includes maintenance services such as oil changes and brake pad replacements, which makes it easy to keep your car maintained.
What we don’t like
Endurance is one of the strongest contenders in our list of best extended car warranty providers, so there aren’t many downsides to call out. One of our only complaints is that Endurance doesn’t offer plans that cover more than 200,000 miles, a limit that’s lower than some of the company’s competitors.
Coverage
Endurance is our main recommendation if you’re looking to find the widest range of coverage options. And depending on the plan, you can get coverage for up to 200,000 miles. Here are the plan details:
- Supreme: Comprehensive coverage that includes any breakdown except for a list of exclusions
- Superior: Covers most systems of the vehicle for high-level protection
- Secure Plus: Covers the engine, transmission and drive axle plus a few other systems
- Secure: Covers the engine, transmission and drive axle
- Select Premier: Covers the powertrain, electrical, air conditioning, heating, cooling and fuel systems
- Advantage: Covers almost any breakdown plus things such as oil changes, brake pad replacement and cooling system maintenance
Pricing
Our quote data shows pricing for Endurance plans range from $89 to $115 per month. The average cost for an Endurance plan is $97 per month, which is less than the industry average of $108. Endurance’s plans offer good value, as they come with roadside assistance, trip interruption and rental car coverage along with extra perks such as key fob replacement and a collision discount for one year.
Customer thoughts
Endurance has 3.6 out of 5 stars from customers on BBB, which indicates that the majority of customers had a positive experience. Most of the positive reviews center on customer service when purchasing a plan, but some customers say the claims experience was also smooth. However, some customers had issues getting claims resolved or didn’t expect certain situations to be excluded from coverage.
Autopom
4.6
Our thoughts
Autopom is one of the best car warranties if you’re looking for a company with solid customer service.
What we like
Autopom is known for providing reliable customer service. Some Trustpilot customers, including Michael, even say the company owner occasionally gets involved to sort out issues. While Autopom has fewer overall customer reviews than some companies, the reviews indicate that the customer service team operates at a high level.
What we don’t like
Autopom offers fewer plans than most competitors. You have three levels of coverage to pick from, which is still more than some manufacturers offer. Plans also max out at 150,000 miles.
Coverage
Autopom offers three plans: Exclusionary, Mid-Level and Powertrain Plus. Exclusionary is comparable with a factory warranty and covers almost any breakdown. Mid-Level covers most major systems, while Powertrain Plus covers the engine, transmission and drive axle along with the AC and some electrical parts.
Pricing
Autopom’s monthly average of $100 is just under the industry average. We also found its cost per year of coverage is $554, which is significantly cheaper than the industry average of $848. While the monthly payment might be around average, you get longer coverage terms for the money with Autopom.
Customer thoughts
Autopom has high customer ratings — 4.9 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot and 4.7 out of 5 stars on BBB. It also maintains an A+ rating on BBB and resolves complaints quickly. Many positive reviews discuss how Autopom covered claims as expected. In BBB reviewer Robert B’s words, “They covered everything as promised!”
Carchex
4.5
Our thoughts
Carchex’s long history and strong reputation make it a solid choice for an extended warranty.
What we like
Carchex has been in business since 1999, so it has a longer history than many of its competitors. It also maintains an A+ rating with accreditation from BBB. This indicates it resolves all complaints and is available to solve customer issues.
What we don’t like
Carchex warranty plans range from $130 to $150 per month, which are higher-than-average rates. That said, we found some discounts during secret shopping that brought the price down, so don’t be afraid to push for a discount.
Coverage
Carchex offers five plans that can cover up to 250,000 miles, which makes it a great option for used vehicles. Here are the plans you can compare:
- Titanium: Bumper-to-bumper car warranty that covers any mechanical breakdown except for exclusions
- Platinum: Breakdown coverage for all major vehicle systems
- Powertrain: Covers the crucial components of the engine, transmission and drive axle
- Powertrain Plus: Mechanical coverage for the powertrain and a few other important components
- Extra Care: Covers nonpowertrain components as an addition to an existing powertrain warranty
Pricing
With standard rates between $130 and $150 per month, Carchex isn’t necessarily the cheapest in the industry. But as we compared quotes from the company, we found that first-time shopper discounts brought rates to a range of $90–$120. We also found other discounts for military members and first responders, which can bring the price down for certain drivers.
Customer thoughts
Just over 160 customers have left reviews for Carchex on BBB, and the company has an average of 1.9 out of 5 stars overall. Positive reviews mention professional staff and claims being covered. On the other hand, some customers had issues with Carchex’s persistent marketing tactics or had claims denied. Carchex does respond to all customer complaints on the platform, which is one reason it has an A+ rating from BBB.
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
We analyze, rate and rank top vehicle service contract providers to help you discover the right one for your needs. The best auto 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.
