10) Buick
Comprehensive: 3 years/36,000 mi | Powertrain: 5 years/60,000 mi | Free Maintenance: 1 year/10,000 mi
Buick’s warranty varies depending on model year. For new 2020 models, Buick provides a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. New 2019 models get better car warranties – four-year/50,000-mile limited and six-year/70,000-mile powertrain. The extended warranty available differs too: Five years or 60,000 miles for 2020 vehicles, and six years or 70,000 miles for 2019s.
Corrosion coverage terms match the limited warranty for each model year, and roadside assistance terms pair with the warranty on the powertrain. With either warranty, you get one free maintenance visit during your first year of ownership, with a mileage cap of 10,000.
9) BMW
Comprehensive: 4 years/50,000 mi | Powertrain: 4 years/50,000 mi | Free Maintenance: 3 years/36,000 mi
In addition to having one of the longer comprehensive warranties on this list, BMW reduces your out-of-pocket expenses by paying for all maintenance on your new car for the first three years or 36,000 miles. The brand also provides roadside assistance for the first four years, regardless of how many miles you drive. Like many automakers, BMW covers the batteries in their plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles for eight years or 100,000 miles. BMW’s powertrain coverage is a bit short, though you can get an extended warranty to cover up to seven years or 100,000 miles.
8) Lexus
Comprehensive: 4 years/50,000 mi | Powertrain: 6 years/70,000 mi | Free Maintenance: 1 year/10,000 mi
Like many luxury carmakers, Lexus provides a four-year/50,000-mile factory warranty and a six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty. Hybrid components are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles in some vehicles.
Every new Lexus gets two free maintenance visits during the first year of ownership. All their new vehicles also get four years of roadside assistance with unlimited mileage.
7) Infiniti
Comprehensive: 4 years/60,000 mi | Powertrain: 6 years/70,000 mi | Free Maintenance: None
New Infiniti vehicles have comprehensive coverage of four years or 60,000 miles, and powertrain coverage lasting for six years or 70,000 miles. The terms are a bit unusual, though. For example, Jaguar has the same bumper-to-bumper warranty that Infiniti provides, but Jaguar’s lasts for five years instead of four. Some Infiniti dealerships sell an extended warranty, which can raise coverage on new cars and SUVs to a maximum of seven years and 100,000 miles.
Unlike some of the other manufacturers on this list, Infiniti does not offer free maintenance. New models do get seven years (or unlimited miles) of rust coverage, as well as four years of roadside assistance – again with unlimited mileage.
6) Jaguar
Comprehensive: 5 years/60,000 mi | Powertrain: 5 years/60,000 mi | Free Maintenance: 5 years/60,000 mi
Jaguar stands out from other warranty providers by offering more free maintenance than any other manufacturer on this list. That five-year/60,000-mile term applies to all new Jaguars, including the F-Type. Roadside assistance, the new vehicle warranty, and the powertrain warranty all last for the same term. In applicable vehicles, hybrid and electric components are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles.
5) Kia
Comprehensive: 5 years/60,000 mi | Powertrain: 10 years/100,000 mi | Free Maintenance: None
Kia has a five-year/60,000-mile factory warranty and a lengthy powertrain coverage of ten years or 100,000 miles. This includes components of the engine, transmission, driveshaft, axle, and other internal parts. Note that Kia’s powertrain warranty is restricted to original owners only. However, the limited warranty is transferable to a new owner.
The rest of Kia’s coverage comes up a bit short compared to Hyundai, the manufacturer’s corporate cousin. Kia caps roadside assistance at 60,000 miles and hybrid component coverage at 10 years or 100,000 miles. Hyundai has no mileage cap on its roadside assistance, and, if you’re the original owner, the hybrid battery is covered by a lifetime warranty. Other hybrid parts though, such as the transmission, have the same 10-year/100,000 miles.
4) Mitsubishi
Comprehensive: 5 years/60,000 mi | Powertrain: 10 years/100,000 mi | Free Maintenance: None
Compared to some of the manufacturers on this list, Mitsubishi doesn’t produce as big a variety of vehicles. Even finding a Mitsubishi dealership can be challenging in some places. However, the company has some of the best warranty terms in the business. Keep in mind that only the original car owner gets the benefit of the lengthy powertrain warranty.
Subsequent owners can get covered through the base warranty, and they generally have the same coverage options in warranty plans. For instance, both primary and secondary owners get five years of roadside assistance with no mileage cap.
Mitsubishi’s limited powertrain warranty applies to its hybrid vehicle too. The Outlander Plug-In Hybrid gets an additional 10-year/100-mile warranty on some hybrid parts, including engine, battery, and transmission components.
3) Hyundai
Comprehensive: 5 years/60,000 mi | Powertrain: 10 years/100,000 mi | Free Maintenance: None
Hyundai popularized the idea of a five-year/60,000-mile warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty. The manufacturer lives up to that image. Its high-mileage powertrain warranty isn’t transferable to other owners, but they do get a shorter term coverage. The comprehensive car warranty does transfer.
New Hyundai vehicles also get five years of roadside assistance with no mileage limit. Hybrid and plug-ins have a lifetime battery warranty for the first owner. Other hybrid and electrical components can be covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles.
2) Genesis
Comprehensive: 5 years/60,000 mi | Powertrain: 10 years/100,000 mi | Free Maintenance: 3 years/36,000 mi
Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury brand, has one of the best warranties around. The main reason it places ahead of its non-luxury parent company is Genesis’ maintenance offer: The first three years or 36,000 miles are covered for repairs. Buying a new Genesis vehicle will also get you three years of roadside assistance with no mileage limits.
Once again, while the powertrain warranty cannot be transferred to a secondary owner, the comprehensive vehicle warranty does carry over when you sell the car.
1) Volkswagen
Comprehensive: 6 years/72,000 mi | Powertrain: 6 years/72,000 mi | Free Maintenance: None
Among other warranty providers, Volkswagen stands out as our top pick. Its comprehensive six-year/72,000-mile coverage excels compared to other carmakers. The same terms apply to its corrosion and powertrain warranties. Volkswagen also has one of the longest extended warranties available, going up to 10 years or 150,000 miles.
New car owners can sell their Volkswagen and have the warranty transfer to the next owner without issue. However, unlike many of the other carmakers, VW does not provide free maintenance or roadside assistance.
More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
If you’re interested in reading more about an extended warranty, click here. Alternatively, you might be interested in a used car and wanting to learn more about the best certified pre-owned warranties. You can also look at our car insurance content to help reduce expensive repairs when things start going wrong with your vehicle.
If one of these great warranties piques your interest, head on over to our best lease deals and financing deals pages. There, we’ve compiled a list of all the best incentives manufacturers are currently offering.
Once you’re ready for your new car, be sure to use the U.S. News Best Price Program, where shoppers save an average of more than $3,000 off their new car at certified dealerships.
Which Automaker Has the Best Warranty?
- 10) Buick
- 9) BMW
- 8) Lexus
- 7) Infiniti
- 6) Jaguar
- 5) Kia
- 4) Mitsubishi
- 3) Hyundai
- 2) Genesis
- 1) Volkswagen
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Which Company Covers You the Longest?
Purchasing a new car can be significantly more expensive than buying a gently used car. However, one of the biggest incentives to buying new is getting a new car warranty. If you’re looking to spend that much to get a new warranty, then it’s worth finding the best.
In most cases, a new car warranty lasts three years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Some go for four years or 50,000 miles. These car warranties also tend to come with an additional powertrain warranty to cover expensive engine, transmission, and axle systems. Many brands offer extended warranties to provide your vehicle with lengthier coverage, but as these come at extra cost to you, they did not factor into our rankings.
Some new cars come with free maintenance, which mitigates your out-of-pocket repair costs. There are more than a few manufacturers who include free scheduled service with their new vehicles to incentivize leased models to be returned to the dealership in prime condition. We give these programs extra credit in our rankings.
To find the best factory warranty, we scoured industry websites and downloaded car warranty programs for every automotive brand sold in the United States. We ranked them according to the length of the bumper-to-bumper warranty, but we also factored in powertrain warranties. Powertrain problems tend to be among the most expensive to repair.
Additionally, we checked the fine print. Some of the longest warranties in the automotive world come with limitations that restrict the value of your car when you go to resell it. Our rankings penalize them.
After all that research, we feel confident in naming these top 10 new car warranties.
This article covers new car warranties. If you want to learn more about the best certified pre-owned warranties, click here.