It’s never nice when your car decides to stop working, leaving you stranded on the side of the road with no way home.
A comprehensive warranty can take the edge off somewhat, providing peace of mind you’ll be protected if things that shouldn’t break, fail.
Manufacturers have realised warranties do indeed matter to new car buyers, and the bar is constantly rising – today’s average warranty is longer than years gone by, and some include plenty of extras.
Here we take a look at the top 20 selling manufacturers in Australia and unpack which marque gives you the most warranty bang for your buck.
Audi
Standard warranty: Five years, unlimited kilometres
Longest warranty: As above
Audis come with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is in line with much of the competition. The eight years or 160,000km of electric car drive battery coverage is also in line with most rivals.
Capped-price servicing: Five years or 75,000 kilometres
Roadside assistance: Five years
Also aligned with most rivals is the five years of roadside assistance and capped-price servicing.
MORE: Everything Audi
BMW
Standard warranty: Five years, unlimited kilometres
BMW’s post-purchase model is more intricate than many other carmakers, with service programs differing based on a number of factors.
All BMW new cars in Australia, however, are warrantied for five years and unlimited kilometres.
Electric car batteries are covered for the standard eight years or 160,000km, but that is reduced to six years or 100,000km for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) batteries.
Capped-price servicing: Three years or 40,000 kilometres to five year or 80,000 kilometres (prepaid)
Roadside assistance: Three years
BMW’s complimentary roadside assistance period spans just three years.
Instead of capped-price servicing, BMW offers prospective buyers a choice of pre-paid service packages that cover the cost of maintaining the vehicle from three years or 40,000, to five years or 80,000km.
MORE: Everything BMW
Ford
Standard warranty: Five years, unlimited kilometres
Longest warranty: As above
Ford offers the same five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty as many manufacturers in Australia, and also follows the crowd when it comes to electric car drive battery warranties – you get eight years or 160,000km of coverage.
Capped-price servicing: Four years or 60,000 kilometres
Roadside assistance: Up to seven years (conditional)
Particular to Ford is a conditional roadside assistance package – the plan lasts 12 months but can be renewed at each annual service up to seven years, which is one of the longest time periods on this list.
The same cannot be said for Ford’s capped-price servicing provision, which is well behind the leaders at four years or 60,000km for most models.
MORE: Everything Ford
GWM
Standard warranty: Seven years, unlimited kilometres
Longest warranty: As above
Rounding out the group of carmakers offering a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty is GWM – which encompasses Haval, Cannon ute, Tank, and Ora-badged vehicles.
Capped-price servicing: Five years
Roadside assistance: Five years
Founded in 1984, the Chinese brand has expanded its offering in Australia over recent years, partnering the fresh metal with a long warranty and five years of included roadside assistance.
Servicing costs are also capped for five years, while the drive battery in electric cars is protected for eight years and unlimited kilometres.
The exception is the new Tank 500, which has seven years of capped-price servicing and roadside assist included.
MORE: Everything GWM
Honda
Standard warranty: Five years, unlimited kilometres
Longest warranty: As above
Honda offers a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty in line with most rivals.
Capped-price servicing: 10 years
Roadside assistance: Five years
In addition to five years and unlimited kilometres of standard warranty, Honda caps servicing costs for 10 years –significantly longer than most rivals.
Five years of roadside assistance is included, rounding out a strong package.
MORE: Everything Honda
Hyundai
Standard warranty: Five years, unlimited kilometres
Longest warranty: As above
Hyundai offers a five-year, unlimited-kilometre standard warranty, but backs it with a comprehensive servicing scheme.
Capped-price servicing: Life of the vehicle
Roadside assistance: Up to 10 years (conditional)
The Korean manufacturer’s ‘Lifetime Service Plan’ promises fixed-price maintenance for, you guessed it, the life of the vehicle, meaning “until the vehicle is either written off, not registrable or is otherwise permanently not roadworthy as Hyundai may determine”.
On top of that, owners can access up to 10 years of roadside assistance if their car is serviced at a dealer, positioning Hyundai as one of the leaders in this space.
MORE: Everything Hyundai
Isuzu Ute
Standard warranty: Six years, 150,000 kilometres
Longest warranty: As above
Isuzu Ute was a popular choice among Australian tradies and families in 2023, with 45,341 utes and SUVs sold.
All were backed by a six-year, 150,000km warranty, which sits just above the common five-year programs provided by many of the top manufacturers.
Capped-price servicing: Seven years
Roadside assistance: Up to seven years (conditional)
Another area where Isuzu Ute differs is roadside assistance. The Japanese marque guarantees 13 months initially, but that can be continually reset up to seven years if the car is serviced at a dealer.
Servicing costs are capped for seven years.
MORE: Everything Isuzu Ute
Kia
Standard warranty: Seven years, unlimited kilometres
Longest warranty: As above
Kia changed the automotive landscape when it introduced the seven-year warranty back in 2014, setting the standard for customer support in Australia.
Decision makers at many manufacturers have elected to follow suit and extend warranty offerings in the following years, but Kia still stands as one of the few to offer a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Capped-price servicing: Seven years
Roadside assistance: Eight years
Alongside the warranty, Kia buyers receive eight years of complimentary roadside assistance and are entitled to seven years of capped-price servicing.
MORE: Everything Kia
LDV
Standard warranty: Five years, 130,000 kilometres
Longest warranty: Seven years, 200,000 kilometres (Mifa people mover)
Most LDV models in Australia are backed by a five-year, 130,000km warranty, while the Mifa people mover gains an extended seven-year, 200,000km policy.
Capped-price servicing: Only included with Deliver 9
Roadside assistance: Five years
Notably, only the Deliver 9 van is sold with capped-price servicing in Australia.
Five years of roadside assistance is included with all sales.
MORE: Everything LDV
Lexus
Standard warranty: Five years, unlimited kilometres
Longest warranty: As above
EV buyers rejoice! Lexus covers electric drive batteries for 10 years and unlimited kilometres – a standard that is unmatched.
It sits alongside a standard five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty on all new cars.
Capped-price servicing: Three to five years (model dependant)
Roadside assistance: Three years
Roadside assistance included for three years as part of the Lexus ‘DriveCare’ program.
Maintenance charges are capped for three to five years, depending on the model.
MORE: Everything Lexus
Mazda
Standard warranty: Five years, unlimited kilometres
Longest warranty: As above
Mazda’s new car warranty is active for five years and unlimited kilometres.
Capped-price servicing: Five years
Roadside assistance: Five years
Mazda offers five years of capped-price servicing, although in some models that equates to 50,000 kilometres worth, in others it equates to 75,000km worth.
MORE: Everything Mazda
Mercedes-Benz
Standard warranty: Five years, unlimited kilometres
Longest warranty: As above
German giant Mercedes-Benz matches its European rivals with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Differentiation comes in the form of a long 10-year/250,000km warranty on the drive batteries for some electric cars – numbers that are bettered by only Lexus.
Capped-price servicing: Five years
Roadside assistance: Five years
Mercedes-Benz matches its five-year warranty with the same coverage for roadside assistance and capped-price servicing.
MORE: Everything Mercedes-Benz
MG
Standard warranty: Seven years, unlimited kilometres
MG offers a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty across its range.
It also offers a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre lithium-ion battery warranty for electric cars, which is only provided by a handful of brands.
Capped-price servicing: Seven years
Roadside assistance: Seven years
The Chinese marque also offers seven years of capped-price servicing, and seven years of roadside assist.
MORE: Everything MG
Mitsubishi
Standard warranty: Five years, 100,000 kilometres
Longest warranty: 10 years, 200,000 kilometres (conditional)
Mitsubishi currently offers the longest warranty of any manufacturer in Australia, guaranteeing a full 10 years or 200,000km of coverage.
However, there is a caveat to that promise – owners must service their cars at Mitsubishi dealers in order to access the full warranty, otherwise the program maxes out at five years or 100,000km.
Capped-price servicing: 10 years
Roadside assistance: Up to 10 years
A similar policy applies to roadside assistance, with owners able to access five years of support if they stay within the dealer network.
Mitsubishi’s 10-year warranty is accompanied by capped-price servicing for the same period.
MORE: Everything Mitsubishi
Nissan
Standard warranty: Five years, unlimited kilometres
Longest warranty: Eight years, unlimited kilometres (conditional)
Nissan’s standard warranty spans five years with unlimited kilometres.
Capped-price servicing: Six years
Roadside assistance: Five years
Nissan offers six years of capped-price servicing, one more than many rivals, and five years of roadside assist.
MORE: Everything Nissan
Subaru
Standard warranty: Five years, unlimited kilometres
Subaru’s offering is straightforward; a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and eight years or 160,000km coverage for electric car batteries.
Capped-price servicing: Five years
Roadside assistance: One year (five for new Solterra)
It offers five years of capped-price servicing, but just a single year of roadside assist is included with all new car purchases except for the Solterra (five years).
MORE: Everything Subaru
Suzuki
Standard warranty: Five years, unlimited kilometres
The range-wide five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty is on par with most rivals in Australia.
Capped-price servicing: Five years/100,000 kilometres
Roadside assistance: Five years
Five years of included roadside assistance and capped-price servicing are also on par with most rivals.
MORE: Everything Suzuki
Tesla
Standard warranty: Four years, 80,000 kilometres
Elon Musk’s electric empire – Tesla – offers the shortest warranty of any of the top 20 selling carmakers in Australia. At just four years or 80,000km, Tesla warranties fall at least one year short of the rest.
On a positive note, the drive battery is covered for eight years/160,000km (192,000km in Model 3 Long Range), and four years of roadside assistance is included.
Capped-price servicing: Not available
Roadside assistance: Four years
Service pricing fluctuates. That’s because Tesla’s servicing schedules are condition-based, in other words, the cars are not serviced to a set time/distance interval.
MORE: Everything Tesla
Toyota
Standard warranty: Five years, unlimited kilometres
Longest warranty: Seven years, unlimited kilometres (conditional)
Traditionally renowned for the reliability of its vehicles, Toyota backs its cars with a relatively standard five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, which can be lengthened to seven years for the engine and driveline if recommended service intervals are maintained.
Toyota has a similar policy when it comes to electric car batteries – correctly maintained vehicles are warrantied for 10 years with no kilometre limit.
Capped-price servicing: Three to five years (model dependant)
Roadside assistance: Seven years
Seven years of emergency roadside assistance are included with all Toyotas, and servicing is capped for the first six visits – equivalent to three years worth of maintenance in vehicles such as the HiLux with its six-monthly intervals, or six years in cars requiring annual maintenance.
MORE: Everything Toyota
Volkswagen
Standard warranty: Five years, unlimited kilometres
Volkswagen provides a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty on its new cars in Australia.
Capped-price servicing: Three to five years (prepaid)
Roadside assistance: One year
The German giant falls short when it comes to roadside assistance, including just one year with a new car sale, while servicing can be prepaid for the first three to five years.
MORE: Everything Volkswagen
