Are Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis Warranty Packages as Good as Advertised?

Part of the same parent company, the Hyundai Motor Group, these brands have made huge leaps in terms of quality and customer service in recent years. The cars they build are much more refined, their prices are competitive, and to sweeten the deal even more, they come with generous factory warranty packages.

That said, there are still a surprising number of potential buyers who are skeptical about the advertised figures arguing that these days, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

To understand exactly what these standard warranties offer, we’re going to take a detailed look at the most important categories and compare them to other manufacturers on the market. Keep in mind that this is a purely objective guide that hasn’t been endorsed by any of the brands we mention.

New Vehicle Limited Warranty

Often called bumper-to-bumper warranty, it spans over five years or 60,000 miles (96,560 km), whichever comes first, and covers repair or replacement of any defective component constructed or originally installed by the manufacturer. That includes chassis, bodywork, interior, and various electronic components. One notable exception is the paint, which is covered for three years or 36,000 miles (57,936 km). Also, parts like brake pads, wiper blades, bulbs, or fuses benefit from a one-year or 12,000-mile (19,312 km) warranty.

All three brands offer this type of warranty, and among the competition, only Mitsubishi and Jaguar match it when it comes to both years and miles. Next up is Infiniti with four years and 60,000 miles (96,560 km), followed by a wide range of other manufacturers, including Tesla, BMW, VW, Mercedes, Lincoln, Cadillac, Audi, or Lexus which offer four years or 50,000 miles (80,467 km).

Powertrain Limited Warranty

The 10-year or 100,000-mile (160,934 km) warranty covers the repair or replacement of engine, transmission, or transaxle components constructed or originally installed by the manufacturer. Items such as filters, spark plugs, belts, or clutch linings are limited to a single year or 12,000 miles (19,312 km).

The same length applies to hybrid powertrain components, including motors, power control units, and batteries. Additionally, original owners of Hyundai hybrid vehicles manufactured between 2012 and 2019 benefit from a lifetime battery warranty.

Like the previous category, Mitsubishi offers the same length or number of miles for these components. Tesla’s powertrain warranty covers eight years or 150,000 miles (241,401 km). Next up are Infiniti, Lincoln, Cadillac, Lexus, and Acura, as their vehicles come with six years or 70,000 miles (112,654 km).

Anti-Perforation Warranty

For Hyundai vehicles, this category covers seven years without any mileage limit and refers to potential rust holes that may appear through the vehicle’s original body panels. The manufacturers define these holes as perforations from inside to outside and exclude surface corrosion.

Genesis anti-perforation warranty only covers five years regardless of the mileage, whereas Kia offers the same length but limits it to 100,000 miles (160,934 km).

Here, competing brands have varying conditions. For example, Mitsubishi provides customers with seven years or 100,000 miles (160,934 km) coverage, while Toyota and Ford offer five years without a mileage limit.

Roadside Assistance

In case the vehicles break down, get a flat tire, or drivers accidentally lock their keys inside, 24/7 roadside assistance is provided in all 50 states or Canada. It’s worth noting that this service doesn’t cover incidents that occur off-road or during an accident.

Hyundai and Genesis owners get 5 years of coverage without a mileage limit, whereas those who opt for a Kia get the same number of years, albeit with a 60,000-mile limit (96,560 km).

Currently, only Cadillac and Lincoln offer more years of coverage (6) whereas Jaguar, Mitsubishi, Buick, Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, Nissan, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram are the only other manufacturers on the U.S. market that also include 5 years of roadside assistance in their standard warranty packages.

Complimentary Maintenance

Few non-luxury brands include free basic services like oil changes and tire rotations. Among them are Toyota, VW, and Subaru who offer two years of coverage with limits that vary from 20,000 to 26,000 miles (32,186-40,233 km). However, Hyundai vehicles come with three years or 36,000 miles of coverage as part of their standard package. Genesis owners benefit from the same conditions, while Kia only offers this package on its upscale Cadenza and K900 sedans.

The Verdict

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, Hyundai Motor Group brands have made a tremendous effort to improve the visual appeal and quality of their products and the services they provide.

So, those looking to buy a new vehicle who are drawn to one of these three carmakers should not be skeptical about the warranty packages, as they are unquestionably as good as advertised.