Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Partner PostsWho Offers The Best Warranty On The Market?

Who Offers The Best Warranty On The Market?

When you’re looking for a car, especially a new one, you’re likely most concerned with the body style, price, and the type of features it has. However, you should also add a great warranty to your list of must-haves.

A warranty adds a layer of financial safety if your new car develops unexpected problems or is defunct in some way. Without a warranty, you’ll be stuck with a car that doesn’t perform as promised and footing the bill to make the necessary repairs.

While all car manufacturers offer warranties, they’re not the same. Below, you can learn all about car warranties, what to look for in a warranty, and which brands offer the best coverage.

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What is Vehicle Warranty?

By definition, a warranty is a contract that offers car buyers a guarantee that their vehicle will be replaced or repaired if it fails to meet performance expectations or does not function properly during the warranty period.

Different brands have different definitions and specifications of qualifies as a repairable issue. Basically, what one manufacturer considers a defect, another manufacturer might not. That’s why it’s important to understand a brand’s warranty before buying a new car.  

What Makes a Good Vehicle Warranty?

Warranties can vary and if having great coverage and benefits is important to you, you’ll want to know what makes a warranty great. Take a look at the factor that you need to consider when reading your next car’s warranty:

Length of Warranty

One factor to consider when choosing a quality warranty is the length of warranty coverage. In general, the longer you have coverage, the better. The industry standard is 3 years or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first) for comprehensive, or bumper-to-bumper, coverage. However, coverage for 5 years or 60,000 miles is much more desirable. Only a few brands offer above-average warranty lengths.

Warranty Inclusions

Aside from a lengthy warranty period, you’ll want your warranty to include as many covered vehicle parts in the contract as possible. Warranties usually do cover important (and expensive to replace) vehicle parts like the:

  • Engine
  • Suspension
  • Cooling system
  • Air conditioning
  • Fuel and ignition system
  • Entertainment system
  • ABS braking system

Warranty Exclusions

Warranties also specify exclusions or parts or events that your warranty does not cover. Usually, parts that wear out from normal use like windshield wipers, tires, and brake pads will not be covered. Damage from accidents or negligence is typically also not covered.

Moreover, if you use your vehicle in any way that is outside of the terms of the warranty, such as in racing or as a taxi, any damage incurred will not be covered.

The list of exclusions in a warranty is often much shorter than the list of inclusions. However, it’s still important to be aware of what your manufacturer will and will not cover in case your car is damaged or underperforming during the warranty period.

Additional Benefits

Besides protecting you from major vehicle expenses, a great warranty will come with a host of other benefits. For example, many manufacturers often include roadside assistance for the length of your bumper-to-bumper coverage. This can be really helpful if you get a flat tire or run out of gas on the road.

Brands also offer things like rental car reimbursement points towards services, complimentary oil changes, towing, and more, depending on the manufacturer.  

Types of Vehicle Warranties

Now that you know what to look for in a warranty, you can go over the types of warranties that automotive companies offer and what each type covers.

Comprehensive Warranty

Comprehensive warranties, or bumper-to-bumper warranties, cover a wide variety of vehicle parts including:

  • Entertainment center
  • Air conditioning
  • Electronics

Basically, any part that isn’t responsible for making your move is part of this warranty.

The industry standard for this type of warranty is 3 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Powertrain Warranty

A powertrain warranty covers the parts that comprise the engine and transmission—essentially, all the mechanical parts that make your car move.

The industry standard for this type of warranty is 5 years or 60,000 miles.

Corrosion Warranty

Many new vehicles are also given a corrosion or anti-rust warranty. This protects you against completely rusted body panels during the warranty period. This type of coverage is usually good for five years and an unlimited number of miles.

Hybrid and EV Warranty

If you get a new hybrid or electric vehicle, it will likely come with this kind of warranty. It covers repairs to the battery or electric motor. Often, this warranty offers two kinds of coverage: one for the hybrid components and one for the battery.

A hybrid component coverage is usually good for 8 years or 100,000 miles while battery coverage is about 10 years or 150,000 miles.

Brands with the Best New Car Warranty

After learning about what a car warranty is, what can be included, and what to expect from one, you can now expertly evaluate which one will be best for you.

Below we’ve compiled a list of some of the car brands with the best warranties on the market. The coverage these manufacturers offer is above the industry standard and is sure to give you more confidence on the road.

Hyundai and Genesis

Hands down, Hyundai offers the best overall warranty on the market. Here’s a breakdown of what a new Hyundai car will come with:

  • 5 years/60,000 miles comprehensive coverage
  • 10 years/100,000 miles powertrain coverage
  • 7 years /unlimited miles corrosion coverage
  • 5 years/unlimited miles roadside assistance

As Genesis is a luxury brand owned by Hyundai, it makes sense that you would receive the same warranty benefits.

Kia

Kia also offers solid coverage with protection like this:

  • 5 years/60,000 miles comprehensive coverage            
  • 10 years/100,000 miles powertrain coverage
  • 5 years/100,000 miles corrosion coverage
  • 5 years/60,000 miles roadside assistance

Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi offers similar warranty coverage as Kia with one key difference. Rather than limiting your mileage for roadside assistance, you’ll have unlimited miles for five years of coverage.

Other manufacturers that go above the industry standard and offer great warranty packages include:

  • Volkswagen
  • Jaguar
  • Infiniti
  • Lincoln
  • Tesla
  • Cadillac

Vehicle warranties help to protect you as a consumer from buying cars that don’t meet advertised expectations. All car manufacturers offer this coverage but not all give you a great package. So, when looking for your next new car, make sure to reference this guide to make sure you’re getting the best protection in the market.

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