Best Certified Pre-Owned Programs of 2020

The Best Mix of Protection and Perks for Used Car Buyers

As more advanced safety and infotainment technology become ubiquitous in new vehicles, prices for new cars continue to climb. The average price of a new car is now over $37,500, which is about $200 more than it was one year ago. In addition to the latest and greatest in tech features, new cars come with warranty protection, and they’re likely to need fewer costly repairs than used cars. For this reason, many consumers are willing to pay up to buy new.

Those who aren’t should consider a unique group of used cars: Certified Pre-Owned vehicles. CPO cars come with inspections and warranty coverage from the automaker, and many CPO programs include additional benefits like 24-hour roadside assistance, complimentary loaner cars when yours is in the shop, no deductibles for service, and free maintenance. These perks are comparable to what you get with new car warranties.

CPO cars are cheaper than new cars, and since they’re usually only three to five years old, they often have similar tech and safety technology as new vehicles, so there’s minimal sacrifice in choosing CPO. You’ll spend more than you would on a non-CPO used car, but the added protection and perks are probably worth it. Plus, car companies often provide financing deals on their CPO models, typically with significantly lower interest rates than used car loans, so taking advantage of a generous deal can help make up for the CPO model’s higher price tag.

While every brand’s CPO benefits are worth considering, some CPO programs are better than others. In fact, warranty coverage and perks can vary widely. To help you find the right CPO program, we’ve combed through data on the warranties and extras each company offers and created this list of the best CPO programs.

Once you’ve seen which car companies offer the best CPO programs, make sure to check out our best CPO deals and CPO car listings.

Read on to see the best CPO programs on the market today.

• Read the 2018 Lexus NX Full Review
• See 2018 Lexus NX Photos
• See Luxury Compact SUVs Rankings

Best CPO Program: L Certified by Lexus

For the third consecutive year, L Certified by Lexus is the Best CPO Program. No other CPO program offers the kind of protection and perks that Lexus’ CPO program provides.

What’s Included: Lexus offers excellent warranty coverage for up to six years from when the car was new, with no mileage limits. Perks include 24-hour roadside assistance, a free loaner car, and trip interruption coverage, which will cover meals and lodging for you for up to three days if your car breaks down while you’re away from home. Once you purchase a CPO Lexus, you also get free maintenance for two years or 20,000 miles from the CPO purchase date. The only demerit to the Lexus CPO program is that it doesn’t offer a transferable warranty, meaning the coverage and benefits won’t carry over to a new owner if you sell the car. 

Reliability: As a brand, Lexus has one of the highest dependability ratings in the industry, earning a perfect score of five out of five from J.D. Power. This means your CPO Lexus is unlikely to have serious repair issues, so you may not even need to take advantage of the brand’s slew of perks and protections.

Eligibility: Pre-owned Lexus models that are six years old or younger and have 70,000 miles or fewer are eligible for the Lexus CPO program.

CPO Deals: Some Lexus CPO deals include attractive lease rates or cash back purchase deals.

• Find 2016 Lexus RC For Sale
• Read the 2016 Lexus RC Full Review
• See 2016 Lexus RC Photos
• See Luxury Small Cars Rankings

Recommended Pick, Luxury CPO: Land Rover

Land Rover vehicles have a reputation for their prodigious off-roading ability, and the British brand goes above and beyond with CPO coverage as well. 

What’s Included: The Land Rover CPO program includes a comprehensive bumper-to-bumper warranty for seven years (from the original new-car sale date) or 100,000 miles. Land Rover also provides buyers with a free service loaner, 24-hour roadside assistance, and there’s no deductible for repairs. As an added bonus, if you sell your CPO Land Rover, all the CPO warranties transfer to the new owner – giving them the same security and benefits.

Reliability: Land Rover has a brand dependability rating of 2.5 out of five from J.D. Power, which is slightly below average.

Eligibility: Land Rover models that are five years old or younger and have fewer than 60,000 miles are eligible for the Land Rover CPO program.

CPO Deals: Land Rover offers some generous CPO deals, including financing as low as 0.9%.

• Find 2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport For Sale
• Read the 2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport Full Review
• See 2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport Photos
• See Luxury Compact SUVs Rankings

Recommended Pick, Luxury CPO: Jaguar

Peace of mind, practicality, and protection aren’t typically why people buy a muscular and sporty Jaguar, but its CPO program boasts those attributes in spades.

What’s Included: The Jaguar CPO program includes an excellent bumper to bumper warranty for seven years (from the original new-car sale date) or 100,000 miles. If you buy a CPO Jaguar, you can also count on 24-hour roadside assistance, a free service loaner when your ride is in the shop, and there’s also no deductible for repairs. Plus, if you sell your CPO Jaguar, all the CPO warranties transfer to the new owner – giving them the same perks you enjoyed.

Reliability: Jaguar has a brand dependability rating of 3.5 out of five from J.D. Power, which is slightly above average.

Eligibility: Jaguar models that are five years old or younger and have fewer than 60,000 miles are eligible for the Jaguar CPO program.

CPO Deals: Jaguar offers some appealing CPO deals, including financing as low as 0.9%.

• Read the 2018 Jaguar F-Type Full Review
• See 2018 Jaguar F-Type Photos
• See Luxury Sports Cars Rankings

Recommended Pick, Affordable CPO: Kia

You don’t have to buy a luxury car to get great CPO benefits. Among affordable brands, Kia’s CPO program is an excellent option. Kia vehicles tend to have plenty of standard tech features, so you may feel like you’re driving a new car.

What’s Included: Certified pre-owned Kia models come with six-year/72,000-mile comprehensive warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, dated from when the car was new. Both of which are among the best in the industry. You’ll also get 24-hour roadside assistance while your CPO Kia is under warranty. If you decide to sell the car, the warranties are transferable to a new owner.

Reliability: J.D. Power rates Kia’s brand dependability at 4.5 out of five, which is excellent.

Eligibility: All Kia CPO models must be less than five years old and have fewer than 60,000 miles.

CPO Deals: Kia doesn’t always offer CPO deals, but it’s worth checking with your local dealer to see if there’s low-interest financing available on a CPO Kia.

• Read the 2018 Kia Stinger Full Review
• See 2018 Kia Stinger Photos
• See Luxury Small Cars Rankings

Recommended Pick, Affordable CPO: Buick

Buick models often boast luxury-car aesthetics, but with mainstream pricing. In addition, its CPO program is among the best for an affordable brand. 

What’s Included: Certified Pre-Owned Buicks are covered by a bumper to bumper warranty for five years or 62,000 miles from the original sale date. A powertrain warranty protects your CPO Buick for six years or 100,000 miles from when it was new. The warranties are transferable if you decide to sell the car. If you need to take the vehicle in for service or repairs, there’s no deductible, which isn’t the norm among affordable brands. You’ll also get two complimentary service visits over two years or 24,000 miles. 

Reliability: Buick has a brand dependability rating of 4.5 out of five, which is among the best in the industry.

Eligibility: Buick models that are six years old or younger and have fewer than 75,000 miles are eligible for the CPO program.

CPO Deals: There aren’t any nationwide Buick CPO deals available currently, but be sure to check with your local dealer for any low-financing offers.

• Read the 2018 Buick Cascada Full Review
• See 2018 Buick Cascada Photos
• See Luxury Small Cars Rankings

Recommended Pick, Affordable CPO: Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi has recently added a few new SUVs to its lineup in hopes of gaining market share in the U.S.’s hottest segment – and a CPO Mitsubishi is a budget-friendly way to get a taste of the Japanese brand.

What’s Included: CPO Mitsubishi models offer limited warranty coverage for five years or 60,000 miles from when the vehicle was new, as well as a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. There’s 24-hour roadside assistance for the duration of the limited warranty, and there’s no deductible for service trips.

Reliability: Mitsubishi earns a 3.5 out of five rating from J.D. Power for brand dependability, which is slightly above average.

Eligibility: All certified pre-owned Mitsubishi models are younger than five years old and have fewer than 60,000 miles.

CPO Deals: There often aren’t nationwide CPO deals for Mitsubishi models, but it’s worth checking with your local dealer to be sure.

• Read the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Full Review
• See 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Photos
• See Compact SUVs Rankings

Award Methodology

To find the Best CPO Program, we looked at 20 different data points from 34 CPO programs. The winning program has the best combination of brand dependability, warranty coverage, and program benefits, such as roadside assistance, loaner cars, and free maintenance.

More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report

If you’re interested in a certified pre-owned car, check out our used car rankings to find the car that best meets your needs. You can search for the CPO vehicles near you in our used car listings and use our best used car deals to find CPO financing offers from carmakers.

Best Certified Pre-Owned Programs

• Best CPO Program: Lexus

• Recommended Pick, Luxury CPO: Land Rover

• Recommended Pick, Luxury CPO: Jaguar

• Recommended Pick, Affordable CPO: Kia

• Recommended Pick, Affordable CPO: Buick

• Recommended Pick, Affordable CPO: Mitsubishi