One of the best reasons to buy a new car or truck instead of a used one is the peace of mind of having a manufacturer’s warranty that will cover the cost of needed repairs for the initial years of ownership. But warranty terms can vary significantly from one brand to another. 

To that end we're listing all the major automakers' warranties for the 2018 model year in the chart below, and have ranked them from best to worst according to their lengths of coverage, which is expressed as a set number of years or miles racked up from the original purchase date (for example, three years/36,000 miles), whichever comes first.

Generally, new-vehicle warranties are broken down into two major components, comprehensive and powertrain coverage. Comprehensive ("full") coverage applies to parts and labor costs for covered repairs; this usually excludes scheduled maintenance service, wear-and-tear items like filters, brake linings and windshield wiper blades, and failure deemed to be caused by abuse or improper maintenance. Powertrain coverage applies to major mechanical components like the engine, transmission and axles, and is subject to the same exclusions.

Be aware that in a few cases, however, one or more models within a given line may come with different warranties than their showroom siblings. That’s the case with the full-size Nissan Titan pickup truck, which gets five years or 50,000 miles’ worth of comprehensive coverage, instead of a 3/36,000 limit. Where installed, Ford’s heavy-duty Power Stroke diesel engine gets separate coverage onto itself at 5/100,000.

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Though today’s vehicles are far less likely to become rustbuckets than their predecessors, automakers’ warranties also include specific coverage against corrosion. And under federal rules, emissions-related equipment (including a vehicle’s catalytic converter) is covered for at least eight years or 100,000 miles. Plus, hybrid and electric vehicles carry separate warranties for their battery packs, which again is federally mandated to be at least eight years or 100,000 miles. In addition, many manufacturers include roadside assistance programs with value-added features that rival the benefits of auto-club memberships. Some manufacturers may offer free scheduled maintenance programs, either across the line or on select models for a set period or number of visits as a sales promotion.

Be a better car buyer:

And consider yourself warned that every new-vehicle warranty contains exceptions and exclusions galore, so be sure to check the fine print for any model you’re considering at the dealership or via the manufacturer’s website to get the full story. Some brands will transfer the full warranty, including comprehensive, powertrain, and roadside assistance coverage to a second owner, while others may impose limitations on this. For example, the 10-year powertrain warranty on Genesis, Hyundai, and Kia models applies only to the original buyer, with a subsequent owner receiving only five years of coverage from the date on which it was initially sold. Also, select components, most notably tires and dealer-installed accessories, can have separate warranties backed by the original-equipment manufacturers, and are themselves rife with exclusions.

Every Automaker Warranty Ranked From Best To Worst:

Brand

Basic 

Coverage

Powertrain 

Coverage

Corrosion

Coverage

Roadside Assistance 

Volkswagen

6/72,000

6/72,000

7/100,000

3/36,000

Hyundai

5/60,000

10/100,000

7/Unlimited

5/Unlimited

Genesis

5/60,000 

10/100,000 

7/Unlimited 

5/Unlimited

Mitsubishi

5/60,000

10/100,000 

7/100,000

5/Unlimited

Kia

5/60,000

10/100,000

5/100,000

5/60,000

Jaguar

5/60,000

5/60,000

6/Unlimited

5/60,000

Infiniti

4/60,000

6/70,000

7/Unlimited

4/Unlimited

Tesla

4/50,000

8/Unlimited

--

4/50,000

Lincoln

4/50,000

6/70,000

5/Unlimited

Unlimited

Cadillac

4/50,000

6/70,000

6/Unlimited

6/70,000

Buick

4/50,000

6/70,000

6/100,000

6/70,000

Lexus

4/50,000

6/70,000

6/Unlimited

4/Unlimited

Acura

4/50,000

6/70,000

5/Unlimited

4/50,000

Audi

4/50,000

4/50,000

12/Unlimited

4/Unlimited

BMW

4/50,000

4/50,000

12/Unlimited

4/Unlimited

Mini

4/50,000

4/50,000

12/Unlimited

4/Unlimited

Fiat

4/50,000

4/50,000

5/Unlimited

4/Unlimited

Volvo

4/50,000

4/50,000

12/Unlimited

4/Unlimited

Porsche

4/50,000

4/50,000

12/Unlimited 

4/50,000

Land Rover

4/50,000

4/50,000

6/Unlimited

4/50,000

Alfa Romeo

4/50,000

4/50,000

5/Unlimited

4/Unlimited

Mercedes

4/50,000

4/50,000

4/50,000

4/50,000

Smart

4/50,000

4/50,000

4/50,000

4/50,000

Chevrolet

3/36,000

5/60,000

6/100,000

5/60,000

GMC

3/36,000

5/60,000

6/100,000

5/60,000

Chrysler

3/36,000

5/60,000

5/100,000

5/100,000

Dodge

3/36,000

5/60,000

5/100,000

5/100,000

Ram

3/36,000

5/60,000

5/100,000

5/100,000

Ford

3/36,000

5/60,000

5/Unlimited

5/60,000

Jeep

3/36,000

5/60,000

5/100,000

5/60,000

Honda

3/36,000

5/60,000

5/Unlimited

3/36,000 

Mazda

3/36,000

5/60,000

5/Unlimited

3/36,000

Nissan

3/36,000

5/60,000

5/Unlimited

3/36,000

Subaru

3/36,000

5/60,000

5/Unlimited

3/36,000

Toyota

3/36,000

5/60,000

5/Unlimited

2/Unlimited 

Decisions, decisions:

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