Car warranties can provide both protection for your vehicle and peace of mind. However, when purchasing a new car, you’ll discover that most factory coverage expires after three years. If keeping your vehicle protected for as long as possible is a priority, this guide will help you find the longest car warranty.
Our research team has taken a look at both the best new car warranties and the best extended car warranty companies to see which ones offer the most extensive – and longest – coverage. When looking at your warranty options, it’s best to compare free quotes from multiple providers.
What Is A Car Warranty?
A car warranty is a vehicle service contract stating that a car manufacturer or third-party provider will pay for any repairs and part replacements that are required due to a car’s mechanical failure or history of poor workmanship. Warranty providers will not cover damages caused by auto accidents or environmental factors, as auto insurance takes care of that.
Factory Warranties
New vehicles come with a factory warranty, which is usually a combination of a few different warranties that the dealership packages into the price of a new car. Also called manufacturer warranties, these often include certain types of protection plans and perks:
- Bumper-to-bumper warranty: Covers all vehicle components minus a few exclusions
- Powertrain warranty: Covers the engine, transmission, and drivetrain
- Corrosion warranty: Covers corrosion and rust perforation
- Roadside assistance: Usually includes towing and rental car coverage
Some manufacturers, like Tesla, include warranties for specialized electronic components as well. Popular automakers like Ford, Chevrolet, Jeep, and Ram all offer 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper coverage and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage. Other manufacturers offer bumper-to-bumper warranties that last up to five years and powertrain warranties that can last up to 10.
Extended Warranties
While extended warranty plans can be purchased from the manufacturer, there are many third-party warranty companies on the market. Most aftermarket providers offer several different levels of coverage to choose from, including exclusionary bumper-to-bumper coverage, basic powertrain coverage, and mid-tier stated-component coverage.
Keep in mind that car warranties don’t usually cover wear-and-tear components like brake pads, or routine maintenance services like oil changes. Some automakers and aftermarket providers will offer maintenance packages that cover items like these at an additional cost.
Based on a survey our team conducted in 2021, most respondents decided to purchase an extended warranty with CarShield, while Endurance and Carchex rounded out the top three.
Longest Factory Car Warranties
Our research team reviewed the best new car warranties and found that Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, and Mitsubishi are your best bets for the longest coverage terms.
| New Car Warranty Manufacturer | Bumper-to-Bumper | Powertrain | Corrosion | Roadside Assistance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyundai | 5 years/60,000 miles | 10 years/100,000 miles | 7 years/unlimited miles | 5 years/unlimited miles |
| Genesis | 5 years/60,000 miles | 10 years/100,000 miles | 7 years/unlimited miles | 5 years/unlimited miles |
| Kia | 5 years/60,000 miles | 10 years/100,000 miles | 5 years/100,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| Mitsubishi | 5 years/60,000 miles | 10 years/100,000 miles | 7 years/100,000 miles | 5 years/unlimited miles |
Hyundai: Longest Car Warranty
Among the top automakers, offering bumper-to-bumper coverage for 5 years/60,000 miles and powertrain coverage for 10 years/100,000 miles has become the industry standard. The Hyundai warranty mirrors these standards.
Hyundai calls its factory coverage plan “America’s Best Warranty,” and the company sets itself apart with a corrosion warranty that has no mileage limit. This warranty lasts for seven years, making this factory warranty the longest warranty on the market. Additionally, Hyundai vehicles are the third-most reliable out of 32 major automaker brands, according to the J.D. Power 2022 Vehicle Dependability StudySM. With the five-year bumper-to-bumper coverage on a very reliable vehicle, Hyundai car owners can drive with peace of mind for years.
Read more: Hyundai warranty review
Genesis: Most Protection With Unlimited Miles
Because Genesis is Hyundai’s luxury brand, the coverage terms of its factory warranty are just as generous as its parent company. Its powertrain coverage is the same 10-year/100,000-mile warranty as Hyundai’s. Genesis also puts no mileage cap on its corrosion warranty or the bundled roadside assistance.
According to J.D. Power, Genesis is right under Hyundai in terms of reliability. So, when driving – even years from now – you’ll have less to worry about than the average driver.
Read more: Genesis warranty review
Kia: Most Reliable Car Brand
Kia’s factory warranty is fairly similar to the coverage both Hyundai and Genesis offer. Bumper-to-bumper coverage is 5 years/60,000 miles and the powertrain warranty lasts for 10 years/100,000 miles. But Kia offers shorter terms for its corrosion warranty and roadside assistance. Corrosion coverage lasts for 5 years/100,000 miles and roadside assistance lasts for 5 years/60,000 miles.
J.D. Power gives Kia the number one spot in vehicle dependability. The average repair costs for a Kia is $474 per year, according to RepairPal. Yet the long warranty is still a welcome benefit considering that AC compressor replacements can cost up to $1,921 out of pocket and fuel evaporative canister replacements can run up to $552 for certain Kia vehicles.
Read more: Kia warranty review
Mitsubishi: Best For Warranty Needs
Mitsubishi also offers lengthy terms for its limited warranty. Its bumper-to-bumper and powertrain warranties have the same coverage terms as the other three car makers mentioned. It’s worth noting that J.D. Power ranks Mitsubishi beneath 13 other car brands for dependability, just slightly above the industry’s average.
Additionally, RepairPal shows Mitsubishi vehicles having average annual repairs of up to $535, which is above average costs for ownership. Having a long warranty can help you maintain peace of mind if your Mitsubishi ever needs repairs.
Read more: Mitsubishi warranty review
Other Car Manufacturers With Lengthy Warranties
While they may not have coverage terms on par with our top four selections, some car makers do offer fairly lengthy new vehicle warranties.
- Volkswagen: Volkswagen’s corrosion warranty lasts for 7 years/100,000 miles. While its models from 2020 and up only get four-year warranties with bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage, its 2018 and 2019 models are covered for 6 years/72,000 miles.
- Infiniti: Infiniti’s powertrain warranty lasts for 6 years/70,000 miles and its corrosion warranty covers cars for 7 years/unlimited miles.
- Cadillac: Cadillac’s powertrain warranty covers new cars for 6 years/70,000 miles, and has one of the longest roadside assistance terms – lasting 6 years/70,000 miles.
- Lincoln: Lincoln’s powertrain warranty lasts for 6 years/70,000 miles, but offers unlimited roadside assistance.
- Acura: The luxury car maker’s powertrain warranty runs to 6 years/70,000 miles.
- Lexus: Lexus’s powertrain coverage lasts 6 years/70,000 miles.
Longest Aftermarket Extended Warranties
When researching the best extended warranty companies, our team found that CarShield and CARCHEX offer the longest car warranties.
CarShield: Best Value
CarShield is the most popular auto warranty company on the market. The warranty broker offers six tiers of coverage which include month-to-month payment plans that range from $89 to $129. Some of its warranty plans can also cover vehicles up to 300,000 miles.
When combined with the pay-as-you-go model, you can enjoy comprehensive coverage for quite some time. Customers enjoy CarShield’s accessibility, as reflected in the 33,000+ reviews on Trustpilot that earn CarShield an average rating of 4.0 out of 5.0 stars.
Read more: CarShield review
CARCHEX: Best For Used Cars
Over the past 20 years, CARCHEX has built a strong reputation in the auto warranty industry. It offers five tiers of coverage, each of which features several plans from partnered providers. With a total of 22 warranty contracts, you’ll find coverage that meets your needs.
The Titanium, Platinum, and Gold warranty plans can last up to 10 years. The Silver plan lasts up to seven years, and the Bronze plan runs to six years. Monthly payments for CARCHEX warranties generally range from $110 to $215 per month. CARCHEX also holds an accredited A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Read more: CARCHEX review
Longest Car Warranty: FAQ
How We Rate Our Providers
In an effort to provide accurate and unbiased information to consumers, our expert review team collects data from dozens of extended auto warranty companies to formulate rankings of the best providers. Companies receive a score in each of the following categories, as well as an overall weighted score out of 5.0 stars.
- Industry Standing: Warranty providers with a history of strong business practices and endorsements from experts receive the highest scores in this category.
- Coverage: This rating is based on types of extended warranty plans available, coverage terms, and added benefits like roadside assistance.
- Cost: Our research team reviews sample quotes for a variety of plans and vehicles. Companies with lower prices per year of coverage receive the best scores.
- Transparency: This score takes into account contract transparency and the availability of a money-back guarantee.
- Customer Service: We comb through customer reviews and perform our own shopper analysis to get a sense of the responsiveness and helpfulness of each warranty company.