Best New Car Warranty

Key Takeaways:

• Best Powertrain Factory Warranty: Hyundai
• Best Roadside Assistance: Lincoln
• Best Supplementary Warranty Coverage: Genesis

Nearly every new vehicle comes with a factory warranty to ensure that it runs effectively. Not all coverage is created equal, though, so we ranked the best new car warranty options by their length of coverage and the number of items they protect.

Even the best new car warranty runs out at a certain point, so we’ll also mention some of the best extended car warranty companies to protect your vehicle for the long haul. Between a solid new vehicle warranty and a top pick for extended coverage, your car should be in great shape for years to come

New vehicle warranties tend to cover similar vehicle components but vary in the number of years or miles they protect your vehicle. The industry norm is to offer a 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. The table below highlights the best new car warranty and supplemental coverage lengths.

What New Car Has The Best Warranty?

The best new car warranty plans offer far more favorable terms. Listed below are nine warranty options that offer premium protection for an impressive length of time.

1. Hyundai New Car Warranty

Hyundai has one of the best new car warranty plans, offering long-lasting protection. The company claims to offer “America’s Best Warranty,” and it’s a claim that’s hard to argue with. 

All new Hyunda vehicles have a five-year bumper-to-bumper warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Hyundai’s bumper-to-buper coverage protects almost all factory-installed parts against defective materials or poor workmanship. Hyundai’s powertrain coverage protects the vehicles engine, transmission, and transaxle.

In addition to Hyundai’s new car warranties, the company also includes several additional warranties for it’s new cars, including:

• Free service adjustments for 1 year or 12,000 miles
• Anti-perforation coverage for 7 years
• Oil changes for up to 3 years/36,000 miles
• Paint coverage for up to 3 years/36,000 miles
• Battery coverage for up to 3 years/36,000 miles
• Parts and accessories coverage for 1 year or 12,000 miles

Hyundai’s five year unlimited mile roadside assistance includes towing, trip interruption benefits, lockout service, flat tire service, battery jump starts, and emergency fluid deliver.

2. Genesis New Car Warranty

Genesis (a division of Hyundai) is the first luxury brand to jump onto the list, thanks to its far-reaching coverage. While you might expect deluxe vehicles to have the best new car warranty plans, Genesis’ length of protection makes it a bit of an outlier.

Genesis vehicles are protected against defects in materials and quality of workmanship. All new Genesis vehicles come with a 10 year or 100,000 mile powertrain warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. 

Not only does it Genesis have the longest new car warranty coverage of any automaker, it also includes additional perks like complimentary maintenance and the Genesis Service Valet make it stand out from its competitors.

• Anti Perforation coverage for up to 5 years/unlimited miles
• Replacement accessories for up to 3 years/36,000 miles
• Replacement parts for 1 year or 12,000 miles
• Roadside assistance for 5 years/unlimited miles

Complimentary maintenance for 3 years/36,000 miles and including complimentary oil changes for every normally scheduled maintenance visit.

3. Mitsubishi New Car Warranty

Mitsubishi says, “Our warranties beat their warranties,” and compares its coverage plans with other manufacturers’ warranties. The results tend to come out in Mitsubishi’s favor due to its favorable coverage lengths. All new Mitsubishi vehicles come with a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

In addition to the company’s above average coverage lengths, Mitsubishi vehicles also come with generous additional coverage and perks.

• Anti-corriostion limited warranty for 7 years/100,000 miles
• Federal emissions warranty for up to 8 years/80,000 miles
• Restrain system for 5 years/60,000 miles
• Adjustments for 1 year or 12,000 miles

4. Kia New Car Warranty

The Kia warranty claims to have “industry-leading” coverage, and it backs that up with a plan that exceeds the vast majority of automakers’ offerings. But unlike the providers above, Kia doesn’t provide roadside assistance for 5 years/unlimited miles. Kia’s roadside assistance is capped at 60,000 miles and it’s corrosion protection ends at 100,000 miles. 

5. Lincoln New Car Warranty

Lincoln holds pretty solid warranty coverage, with bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverages that reach beyond the industry norm. The lifetime availability of roadside assistance is what really sets Lincoln apart, though. Lincoln’s roadside assistance lasts for the lifetime of the vehicle for all original Lincoln owners. The company’s bumper-to-bumper warranty only lasts for 4 years/50,000 miles and its powertrain warranty is below the industry average as well. Powertrain coverage only lasts for 6 years/70,000 miles.

6. Infiniti New Car Warranty

Infiniti is Nissan’s luxury brand and you can expect above-average vehicle protection from Infiniti with its above average supplementary warranty plans. However, Infiniti’s roadside assistance services last for slightly less time than from other luxury car options.

7. Cadillac New Car Warranty

Cadillac offers relatively generous warranty offerings, with both bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage that exceed the industry average. The real highlight is Cadillac’s lengthy roadside assistance plan which lasts from up to 6 years/70,000 miles.

8. Lexus New Car Warranty

While Lexus coverage is closer to the industry standard than many of the options above, it’s still a robust plan that will keep your car protected for years. Lexus’s Bumper-to-bumper coverage only lasts for 4 years/50,000 miles and it’s powertrain warranty is average compared to the industry standard. Lexus’s powertrain warranty provides coverage for 6 years/70,000 miles.

9. Acura New Car Warranty

Coverage from Acura nearly matches Lexus’ coverage, with similar warranty and roadside assistance specifications that are slightly above the industry average. Acura’s Bumper-to-bumper coverage lasts for 4 years/50,000 miles and powertrain coverage lasts for 6 years/70,000 miles. Compared to the above new car warranties, Acura’s roadside assistance program is shorter. It only provides coverage for 4 years/50,000 miles.

10. Tesla New Car Warranty

Tesla is the only eclectic car (EV) manufacturer to crack the top ten of our best new car warranty list. While the company’s vehicles do not have a traditional powertrain, it does cover like parts for its EVs. New Teslas come with a powertrain warranty that lasts 6 years/70,000 miles, and a bumper-to-bumper warranty for 4 years/50,000 miles which is well below the industry average. However, the company covers hybrid components and batteries up to 10 years/150,000 miles and includes roadside assistance for up to four years without a mileage limit.

Warranties are generally included with new and certified pre-owned vehicles for no fee and usually without a deductible. A new car warranty acts as a guarantee against workmanship defects and installation errors for certain vehicle components.

Most manufacturers use warranties as promises that their vehicles will run properly for a certain period of time. Every vehicle will experience an issue at some point, but the best new car warranty choices should provide some peace of mind that your model’s most important components are covered.

The industry standard for new car warranties tends to be a 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. The best new car warranty options all go beyond this coverage amount, with the top picks greatly exceeding these limits.

You’ll still receive quality protection even if you own a car from Volkswagen, Ford, Toyota, Audi, BMW, or another automaker that didn’t make the list. Just expect that your coverage will run out sooner than with the nine best new car warranty companies found above.

Most new car warranties are broken up into several types of coverage, each protecting different vehicle parts. Typically, there are separate bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranties, along with a few lesser-known coverage types.

Bumper-To-Bumper Warranty

The best new car warranty includes bumper-to-bumper coverage that protects nearly every vehicle component. The few exclusions to this rule typically include the following car parts:

• Trim
• Upholstery
• Glass
• Lights
• Wear-and-tear items such as brake pads and wiper blades
• Safety restraint systems
• Emissions components such as the catalytic converter

Powertrain Warranty

A powertrain warranty covers nearly all of the components that make a vehicle move. Coverage generally includes these components:

• Engine
• Transmission
• Drivetrain
• Transfer case

Additional Warranty Types

In addition to bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranties, the best new car warranties include the following protections:

• Corrosion/perforation warranty: This coverage takes care of your vehicle’s body in the case of rust damage that creates a hole in body panels.
• Emissions warranty: This coverage is meant for emissions components such as the carburetor and emissions control system.
• Electric vehicle battery warranty: Electric vehicles often include long-lasting coverage to replace the electric battery if its capacity drops to a certain level.
• Service benefits: Extra coverages typically include roadside assistance, towing, rental car reimbursement, and trip interruption benefits.

Even the best new car warranty expires at some point, meaning you’ll need to extend coverage through the car’s manufacturer or one of the most reputable extended car warranty companies.

If you’ve got a new car from Nissan, Jaguar, Jeep, Buick, Land Rover, Subaru, or Volvo, you’ll need to start looking for an extended car warranty after just a short period of ownership. That’s because many bumper-to-bumper warranties expire after three years or four years.

Extended Factory Warranty

Manufacturer extended warranties usually offer genuine parts and experienced technicians for covered repairs, but they also include several drawbacks:

• Your car can only be serviced at the dealership.
• You must purchase an extended warranty when you buy your vehicle or before the new car warranty expires.
• Coverage is typically far more expensive than options from third-party providers.
• Manufacturers offer fewer coverage levels and less customization than third-party alternatives.
• Manufacturers offer shorter terms than third-party alternatives.

Aftermarket Warranty

If you’re interested in extending your car’s warranty, it’s worth checking out both automaker and third-party options. You’ll want to choose a third-party provider if you’re looking for a lower price, your car’s new vehicle warranty has already expired, or you need to find an extended warranty for cars over 100,000 miles.

Best Extended Warranty For New Cars

After we reviewed the industry’s top third-party warranty companies, the providers that stood out the most were Endurance and CARCHEX. 

Endurance: Best Coverage

There are six levels of Endurance extended warranty coverage available, which range from basic powertrain coverage to exclusionary bumper-to-bumper contracts.

Each Endurance contract comes with one free year of Endurance Elite Benefits. This program provides customers with perks including key fob replacement, total loss protection, and tire repair and replacement services.

CARCHEX: Best For Used Cars

CARCHEX has been selling extended car warranty contracts for over 20 years and has endorsements from Kelley Blue Book, Edmunds.com, and CARFAX. The company also holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

We found that CARCHEX has some of the best-priced contracts among top providers. CARCHEX plans also come standard with perks from roadside assistance, towing, trip-interruption services, and rental car reimbursement.

The best new car warranties have at least a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and a 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. Hyundai’s new car warranty sets the industry standard for 2023—eventually, even the best factory warranties end. For drivers looking to extend their factory warranty coverage, they can purchase an extended warranty from the automaker or a third-party provider. We recommend getting quotes from at least three providers before deciding.

Below are frequently asked questions about the best new car warranties: