10 of the Best Certified Used Car Programs

Judging certified pre-owned (CPO) programs can be a difficult task. With so many different coverage limitations, terms and conditions, it’s not always easy to directly compare one CPO program to another. For the purposes of this article, we decided to prioritize CPO programs offering the longest warranty terms. What’s more, we elected to favor comprehensive CPO warranties over those that are restricted to powertrain coverage. This knocks out some programs such as Hyundai, which offers 10 years of powertrain coverage (impressive) but nowhere close to that in terms of comprehensive coverage (not quite as appealing). Let’s take a look at the top 10 CPO programs currently available.

Photos courtesy of respective manufacturers

The Lexus CPO limited warranty is quite simply the best in the certified pre-owned game. This limited warranty is considered a full extension of the company’s new car warranty, and offers all of the same perks and coverage that comes with a brand new Lexus. Its term is also unmatched – three years or 100,000 total miles from the date that the CPO car is purchased. The only things that are excluded from warranty coverage are basic wear items (brake pads, wiper blades, etc.) and scratches or damage to the vehicle’s paint, finish or interior. 24 hours of roadside assistance are also included in the warranty coverage.

Audi’s CPO program comes in second place. While its two-year / 50,000 mile comprehensive warranty term (up to a 100,000 total mile cap) matches that of certain other car companies on this list, the warranty’s flexibility – which allows it to begin either on the date that the CPO vehicle was purchased, or at the end of the original new car warranty’s term, whichever comes first – puts it ahead. Like Lexus, Audi includes free 24-hour roadside assistance for the duration of its comprehensive warranty.

Like its corporate cousin Audi, Porsche Approved CPO cars benefit from flexible warranty protection that can come into effect in one of two ways. If the CPO Porsche is still covered by its new car warranty when it is purchased, then the CPO warranty kicks in once that expires, but if the new car warranty no longer applies then the two year / 50,000 mile term begins at that time (with a cap of 100,000 miles).

On the surface, the BMW CPO program is almost identical to that provided under the Audi and Porsche CPO banners. However, BMW’s limited warranty does not 100 percent match its new car warranty – despite providing very comprehensive coverage – and it goes into effect immediately after the new car warranty expires. Free roadside assistance, with no mileage limit, is also applicable for two years following the end of the new car warranty (which also includes roadside assistance).

Jaguar’s Select Edition CPO cars provide warranty coverage that essentially extends the original new car warranty by two years, providing owners with 100,000 total miles of coverage or six years of total bumper-to-bumper warranty protection, calculated from the date the vehicle first went into service. As with the BMW warranty, it also provides free roadside assistance throughout the entire CPO coverage period.

The MINI Next CPO program tacks two years and 50,000 miles onto each CPO vehicle’s new car limited warranty, which in total provides six years or 100,000 miles of coverage. Although positioned as a premium brand, MINI’s strong warranty protection makes it the only affordable automaker to place on this top 10 CPO program list. MINI also offers two years of free roadside assistance with each CPO automobile, with no mileage restrictions.

Infiniti’s CPO program slides into seventh place on the list by virtue of the 10,000-mile gap in coverage between its comprehensive CPO warranty and those provided by the manufacturers placing in the second through sixth position. Infiniti’s warranty coverage on certified pre-owned cars works out to six years or 100,000 miles from the in-service date. When taking into account the four-year / 60,000 mile new car warranty, that works out to 40,000 miles of CPO coverage within the additional two-year term.

The Mercedes-Benz CPO program heads a trio of very similar certified pre-owned programs. Mercedes-Benz CPO cars feature 12 months or 100,000 miles of total warranty coverage, valid from either the day that the CPO automobile’s new car warranty expires or from the date of purchase if that warranty is no longer applicable. What sets the Mercedes-Benz program apart from other brands is the seven-day / 500 mile vehicle exchange guarantee that enables unsatisfied buyers to return their CPO Mercedes-Benz for a different model.

Coming in on the heels of Mercedes-Benz CPO offering is the Lincoln certified pre-owned program. The Lincoln CPO warranty starts at the end of the brand’s original new car warranty (which lasts for five years or 50,000 miles) and tacks on an additional year and another 50,000 miles of coverage. This makes for a total six-year / 100,000-mile warranty measured from the date the vehicle first went into service. Lincoln’s roadside assistance coverage and trip interruption reimbursement service are active during the warranty term.

Cadillac almost matches Lincoln in almost every respect when it comes to certified pre-owned cars. Cadillac CPO cars benefit from a one-year extension of their original new vehicle warranty, providing six years total coverage from the original date of sale. Given that a CPO Cadillac can display no more than 50,000 miles on the odometer, the cap of 100,000 miles applied to the CPO warranty means an additional 50,000 miles of protection. This no-deductible protection also includes free roadside assistance.

While this list contains 10 of the best programs, majority of the manufacturers have a program of their own. Take a look at what other brands have to offer.

• Acura Certified Pre-Owned
• BMW Certified Pre-Owned
• Chevrolet Certified Used Vehicle
• Dodge Certified Pre-Owned
• Ford Certified Pre-Owned
• Honda Certified Used Cars
• Hyundai Certified Pre-Owned
• Kia Certified Pre-Owned
• Mitsubishi Certified Pre-Owned
• Nissan Certified Pre-Owned
• Toyota Certified Used Vehicle
• Volkswagen Certified Used Cars