An extended auto warranty is a protection plan you can buy from an automaker or dealership to cover mechanical breakdowns. Third-party providers offer similar coverage in the form of vehicle service contracts. We use these terms interchangeably in this article for simplicity.
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The best car warranty can offer you peace of mind and financial protection for years to come. Learn more.
Crash Course:
- In 2024, the best new car warranty and the best certified pre-owned (CPO) warranty are from Hyundai. Endurance is our top choice for the best aftermarket car warranty.
- Extended car warranties can help you maintain your factory coverage after your new car warranty has expired.
- Third-party extended car warranty providers offer more options and often lower prices than manufacturer warranties, along with more flexibility on how and when you can purchase them.
A car warranty can remove the panic that comes with hearing an odd noise or seeing smoke coming from your vehicle. By covering the cost of mechanical repairs, having a vehicle protection plan means your out-of-pocket expenses to fix that noise or smell are likely to be minimal at most.
In this guide, we go over the different types of coverage you’ll find in the auto industry and how they work. We’ll also outline the best car warranty providers in each category to help you with any purchasing decisions you may have.
Car Warranties: Overview
A car warranty is a type of service agreement in which a company will cover repairs to components detailed in the contract. These covered issues are generally a result of mechanical failure under normal conditions. New vehicles usually come with factory warranties and are available for used vehicles as an additional purchase.
Types of Car Warranties
Broadly speaking, there are three categories of car warranties. In the table below, we’ve provided a summary view of each of these types of warranties.
| Car Warranty Type | How It Works | Where To Get It |
|---|---|---|
| New car warranty | Covers the majority of your car’s mechanical parts for a stated period of time and mileage | Comes with a new vehicle |
| CPO warranty | Covers used cars that meet specific criteria after or close to when a new car warranty expires | Brand dealership |
| Third-party extended warranty | Provides new coverage for a used car after the factory warranty expires | Online, independent dealership |
Best New Car Warranty
A new car from the dealership will almost certainly come with a factory warranty – or more accurately, several factory warranties. Manufacturer warranties vary in length of coverage, both in terms of years and mileage.
Our team rated new car factory warranties from the world’s top automakers based on the coverage they offer. The table below shows a summary view of our top five manufacturer warranties. You’ll find a more detailed look at each one immediately after the table.
| Manufacturer | Powertrain Coverage | Bumper-to-Bumper Coverage | Roadside Assistance Coverage | Corrosion Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hyundai | 10 years/ 100,000 miles | 5 years/ 60,000 miles | 5 years/ unlimited miles | 7 years/ unlimited miles |
| 2. Genesis | 10 years/ 100,000 miles | 5 years/ 60,000 miles | 5 years/ unlimited miles | 7 years/ unlimited miles |
| 3. Kia | 10 years/ 100,000 miles | 5 years/ 60,000 miles | 5 years/ 60,000 miles | 5 years/ 100,000 miles |
| 4. Mitsubishi | 10 years/ 100,000 miles | 5 years/ 60,000 miles | 5 years/ unlimited miles | 7 years/ 100,000 miles |
| 5. Jaguar | 5 years/ 60,000 miles | 5 years/ 60,000 miles | 5 years/ 60,000 miles | 6 years/ unlimited miles |
#1 Hyundai
Powertrain warranty: 10 years/100,000 miles
Bumper-to-bumper warranty: 5 years/60,000 miles
To say the coverage Hyundai offers with its factory warranty is generous is an extreme understatement. The Korean automaker isn’t the only company that packages a full decade of powertrain coverage with its new vehicles. However, the unlimited mileage for five and seven years-worth of roadside assistance and corrosion coverage that come with it, respectively, propel the manufacturer to the top spot for 2024.
Continue reading: Hyundai Warranty
#2 Genesis
Powertrain warranty: 10 years/100,000 miles
Bumper-to-bumper warranty: 5 years/60,000 miles
Genesis is Hyundai’s luxury brand – which is why the factory warranty coverage that comes with its new vehicles mirrors that of its parent company. The Genesis manufacturer warranty also includes three years or 36,000 miles of maintenance coverage. That perk means you won’t have to pay out of pocket for the services your car needs to stay healthy and in compliance with the factory warranty agreement.
Continue reading: Genesis Warranty
#3 Kia
Powertrain warranty: 10 years/100,000 miles
Bumper-to-bumper warranty: 5 years/60,000 miles
Hyundai’s domestic rival, Kia, offers the same lengthy terms with its factory warranties for powertrain and bumper-to-bumper coverage. However, our team ranked it slightly below Hyundai and Genesis because its roadside assistance and corrosion protection coverage come with mileage limitations, while the others do not. Kia’s corrosion warranty also lasts for two fewer years than Hyundai and Genesis.
#4 Mitsubishi
Powertrain warranty: 10 years/100,000 miles
Bumper-to-bumper warranty: 5 years/60,000 miles
Mitsubishi is another automaker that packages a full 10 years’ worth of powertrain coverage and five of bumper-to-bumper coverage with its new cars. The company also includes a warranty for its vehicles’ restraint systems with coverage for five years or 60,000 miles.
Continue reading: Mitsubishi Warranty
#5 Jaguar
Powertrain warranty: 5 years/60,000 miles
Bumper-to-bumper warranty: 5 years/60,000 miles
Jaguar tops off our list of the best new car warranties. The luxury carmaker provides bumper-to-bumper coverage for 5 years or 60,000 miles, which is right there with our top four – although its powertrain warranty, which also covers 5 years or 60,000 miles, takes quite a dive from the rest.
All new Jaguar owners get complimentary scheduled maintenance for 5 years or 60,000 miles to help keep Jaguar owners’ warranties valid. This perk excludes wear-and-tear items such as windshield wipers and brake pads.
Continue reading: Jaguar Warranty
Best CPO Warranty
Many car manufacturers offer a CPO program, which sets specific used vehicles that meet certain criteria aside from the rest. When a brand labels a car as being CPO-worthy, it could still have part of its factory warranty left on it in addition to CPO warranty coverage.
| CPO Manufacturer | Powertrain Coverage | Bumper-to-Bumper Coverage | Roadside Assistance Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hyundai | Remainder of the original powertrain warranty (10 years/100,000 miles) | Remainder of the original limited warranty (5 years/60,000 miles) | 10 years with unlimited miles from the original in-service date |
| 2. Mitsubishi | Remainder of the original powertrain warranty (10 years/100,000 miles) | Remainder of the original limited warranty (5 years/60,000 miles) | Remainder of original roadside assistance term (5 years/unlimited miles) |
| 3. Kia | Remainder of the original powertrain warranty (10 years/100,000 miles) | 1 year or 12,000 miles of platinum coverage | 10 years or unlimited miles from the CPO purchase date |
| 4. Lexus | Remainder of the original powertrain warranty (6 years/70,000 miles) | 2 years with unlimited mileage from your CPO purchase date or after your original basic warranty expires | Extends two years from the expiration of the basic warranty or purchase date with unlimited mileage |
| 5. Honda | Up to 7 years or 100,000 miles of coverage from original in-service date | Up to 5 years or 86,000 miles from your the original in-service date | The remainder of the new vehicle limited warranty |
#1 Hyundai
Hyundai also earned our top spot for best CPO warranty in 2024. The company’s lengthy warranty coverage extends to its CPO vehicles. As a bonus, the automaker includes rental car and trip interruption coverage — valuable perks that push Hyundai to the top of our CPO warranty list.
#2 Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi landed in second place for its CPO warranty program, thanks to the extensive coverage it offers. With Mitsubishi, CPO vehicles get roadside assistance for unlimited mileage for the duration of the powertrain warranty as long as the issue that caused the breakdown is part of the covered powertrain system. Repairs covered under the Mitsubishi warranty also have no deductible.
#3 Kia
Kia is another manufacturer that made both our best new car warranty and best CPO warranty list for 2024. Owners of CPO Hyundai vehicles get one year or 12,000 miles of platinum level bumper-to-bumper coverage. They also receive 10 years of roadside assistance coverage with unlimited mileage.
#4 Lexus
Every CPO Lexus vehicle comes with two years of bumper-to-bumper coverage from the purchase date with no mileage limitation. The automaker also includes benefits with its L/Certified Limited Warranty like covering maintenance services for the first two years or 20,000 miles after purchase. Lexus CPO owners also get two additional years of roadside assistance beyond the original basic warranty with unlimited mileage.
#5 Honda
Honda rounds out our top five manufacturers for CPO warranties in 2024. The coverage terms aren’t quite as extensive as the others on this list, but the automaker earns points for the benefits it includes with CPO vehicles. Honda CPO owners get trip interruption coverage with their purchase, along with routine maintenance services covered for two years afterward.
Best Aftermarket Car Warranty
Another coverage option for used vehicle owners is a third-party, or aftermarket extended car warranty. These warranty plans, also known as vehicle protection plans, work similarly to other types of coverage, but often provide more options to choose from and other benefits.
We’ve listed our top aftermarket car warranty providers in the table below, along with the number of plans they offer and their highest mileage limit for quick reference. You can learn about our top five providers for 2024 in more detail in the section just after the table.
| Third-Party Warranty Provider | Overall Rating | Car Warranty Plans | Mileage Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Endurance | 4.6 | 6 | Unlimited |
| autopom! | 4.6 | 3 | 150,000 |
| CNA National Warranty Corporation | 4.3 | 4 | Lifetime |
| Toco | 4.3 | 4 | 250,000 |
| CarShield | 4.3 | 8 | 300,000 |
| CARCHEX | 4.3 | 5 | 250,000 |
| Omega Auto Care | 4.2 | 3 | 250,000 |
| EasyCare Warranty | 4.2 | 4 | Not listed |
| Everything Breaks | 4.2 | 5 | 250,000 |
| Assurant | 4.1 | 5 | 200,000 |
#1 Endurance: Best Overall
Endurance once again lands at the top of our list of the best aftermarket vehicle service contract providers in 2024. As a direct provider of vehicle protection plans, Endurance administers its own policies. This model helps ensure a smooth process and trustworthy relationship between Endurance and its customers.
That positive relationship is reflected in online review scores for Endurance. Customers on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website give the provider 3.67 out of 5.0 stars. Endurance also has a 3.6- out of 5.0-star rating on Trustpilot.
Continue reading: Endurance Warranty Review
#2 Autopom!: Best Claims Process
The whole purpose of paying for extended warranty coverage is to be able to use it when you need it – meaning, the way a company handles claims is a critical consideration. And when it comes to servicing claims, autopom! is one of the best in the business.
Autopom! only offers three coverage plans – the fewest of any provider in our top five for 2024. However, the coverage levels the company does offer are well-designed to satisfy most car owners’ needs, making the provider a strong option for many.
Continue reading: autopom! Warranty Review
#3 CNA National Warranty Corporation: Best EV Coverage
CNA National Warranty Corporation is a new entry in our top five for 2024. The provider climbed the ranks through its unique features like no mileage limit and included benefits such as towing and roadside assistance. CNA also allows coverage for some preexisting conditions.
EV owners especially will want to consider CNA as a warranty provider. Our researchers found the company to be a little ahead of much of the rest of the industry, offering more options for EVs than other providers. However, CNA comes with the notable drawback of only being available through select car dealerships.
#4 Toco: High Mileage Limits
Toco is another third-party warranty provider that administers the plans it sells. Like other direct providers, this model creates a more direct relationship between Toco and its customers than companies that use external administrators. Another perk for customers is that the company doesn’t require a downpayment to start coverage.
Owners of high-mileage vehicles may find a home at Toco. At 250,000 miles, the company has one of the higher mileage limits in the industry. That makes Toco an attractive choice if you plan to keep your car long past the 200,000-mile mark.
Continue reading: Toco Warranty Review
#5 CarShield: Affordable Monthly Payments
CarShield is a generally-affordable choice for car owners looking for an extended car warranty. The company offers consistently-low premiums compared to other providers and industry averages. These low costs have helped make CarShield one of the biggest providers of vehicle service plans in the country.
But CarShield is more than just low prices. It’s also home to a plethora of options. With eight warranty plans to choose from and coverage for cars with up to 300,000 miles, most car owners are likely to find something that fits their needs. That is, except drivers in California, where CarShield currently doesn’t sell warranty plans.
Editor’s Note: In July, 2024 the Federal Trade Commission charged CarShield with deceptive and misleading advertising practices for its vehicle service contracts and therefore paid $10 million to the FTC to settle. Because of this, we recommend spending a little extra time considering CarShield and comparing it to other top companies.
Continue reading: CarShield Review
Best Car Warranties: Conclusion
Car warranties come in a variety of forms to fit a variety of needs and purposes. When it comes to new car factory warranties and CPO warranties, the coverage a manufacturer offers can be a strong factor in your purchase decision. With aftermarket extended car warranties, it’s the coverage and provider that will be the main focus of your decision.
The right warranty can offer you years of peace of mind and help prevent financial disaster. With repair costs and vehicle prices still at elevated levels, a warranty plan from a reputable provider can help keep car ownership costs under control and your car on the road.
Best Car Warranty: FAQ
Below are some frequently asked questions about the best car warranty companies.
Which car warranty is the best?
For 2024, we awarded Hyundai the best new car warranty and the best CPO warranty. Endurance earned the title of best aftermarket car warranty in this year’s industry study.
What car has the longest and best warranty?
Hyundai and its luxury brand subsidiary Genesis have the longest and best warranties for new cars. Both manufacturers offer 10 years or 100,000 miles’ worth of powertrain warranty coverage and five years or 60,000 miles in bumper-to-bumper protection.
What car company has a 10 year 100,000-mile warranty?
Hyundai, Genesis, Kia, and Mitsubishi all package 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranties with their new vehicles.
Is the car warranty ever a good idea?
A car warranty can be a good idea for several reasons. For a regular monthly payment or upfront payment, warranties cover you from having to pay out of pocket for mechanical failures. These repairs can easily exceed the cost of the warranty plan.
They can also help “lock in” repair costs with longer terms, as you pay the same monthly fee for the duration of your contract even if repair costs go up significantly. Lastly, a car warranty can provide valuable peace of mind knowing that if you do suffer a covered breakdown, you won’t have to figure out how to pay for it.
Our Methodology
Our expert review team takes satisfaction in providing accurate and unbiased information. We identified the following rating categories based on consumer survey data and conducted extensive research to formulate rankings of the best extended auto warranty providers.
- Industry Standing: Our team considers Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings, availability, and years in business when giving this score.
- Coverage: Because each consumer has unique needs, it’s essential that a car warranty company offers an array of coverage options. We take into account the number of plans offered by each provider, term limits, exclusions, and additional benefits.
- Affordability: A variety of factors influence cost, so it can be difficult to compare quotes between providers. Our team performs ongoing secret shopper analyses for different vehicles, mileages, warranty plans, and locations to give this rating.
- Customer Service: Reputable extended car warranty companies operate with a certain degree of care for consumers. We take into account customer reviews, BBB complaints, and the responsiveness of the customer service team.
*Data accurate at time of publication.
