Honda Extended Warranty Review: What is Covered? (2023)

Aug 26, 2023

Alex is a MarketWatch Guides team writer that covers automotive and personal finance topics. She’s worked as a content writer for over a dozen car dealerships across the U.S. and as a contributor to several major auto news websites.

Rashawn Mitchner is a MarketWatch Guides team editor with over 10 years of experience covering personal finance, loans, insurance and warranty topics.

*Based on data from our users; 10/1/2022 – 3/1/2023

All new Honda vehicles come with limited warranty coverage, but once that expires, your car will lack protection against mechanical breakdowns. At that point, a Honda extended warranty might come in handy for peace of mind on the road.

In this article, we at the MarketWatch Guides Team will take a close-up look at Honda extended warranty coverage, including services, costs and added benefits.

Our team has researched and ranked the most reputable extended car warranty companies on the market, so we’ll also explain whether you should consider independent warranty coverage to keep your vehicle protected in the long term.

The MarketWatch Guides Team is committed to providing reliable information to help you make the best possible decision about a warranty for your vehicle. Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best extended car warranty companies. We collected data on dozens of auto warranty providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. After 500 hours of research, the end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the companies that scored the most points topping the list.

Learn more about our methodology.

Honda extended warranty plans are offered through Honda Care and give up to 8 years/120,000 miles of coverage. Honda Care’s vehicle service contracts (VSCs) are available for new and used cars until the manufacturer’s warranty expires at 3 years/36,000 miles.

There are two coverage options available for Honda extended warranty coverage:

With Honda extended warranty plans, all car repairs are made by factory-trained Honda technicians using genuine parts. Your Honda Care extended service contract is transferable to a new owner if you sell your vehicle. You also have the option to cancel your coverage and receive a prorated refund.

The following items are not covered under a Honda extended warranty:

If your vehicle suffers a mechanical breakdown, you must take it to an authorized Honda dealership. If there’s no Honda dealership available within towing distance, covered repairs may be made at a Honda Care authorized service center.

If you choose to purchase an extended warranty from a Honda dealer, your plan will come with the following perks:

Drivers can also add Honda Care Sentinel to their extended warranties. Sentinel services cover tires damaged by road hazards, along with oil changes, concierge services and various types of scheduled maintenance.

Like most warranty providers, Honda does not list pricing information for extended warranties online. Drivers must reach out to their local Honda dealerships for coverage and cost details.

Our team contacted a dealership in California to get an idea of what drivers spend on Honda Care vehicle service contracts.

For a 2019 Honda Accord with 35,000 miles, the dealership gave us the following quotes:

For a 2018 Honda Civic with 35,000 miles, we were quoted:

Both estimates for these Honda vehicles came with a $0 deductible. Honda customer service representatives told us that drivers must pay the entire extended warranty cost up front as monthly payments were unavailable.

Note that pricing information will change based on dealership and location. You should only use these estimates as an idea of what you can expect to pay, not as a guarantee.

Your decision to purchase an extended auto warranty should depend on your vehicle’s reliability and your personal finances. While models such as the CR-V and Accord have been known as reliable in the past, Honda has fallen in dependability ratings over the past several years. It ranked 24th of 32 car brands in the J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study℠.

Our review team reached out to Honda for a comment on these scores and received the following response:

“We value J.D. Power study results as one source of valuable feedback on the overall customer experience along with other industry measures where Honda ranks at the top of the industry, including the We Predict Deepview™ True Cost Report and the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI®) Automobile Study 2020-2021.

Quality and dependability are the foundation on which Honda has earned the trust of tens of millions of customers, and we will continue working to enhance the functionality of our vehicles in an unrelenting effort to create new value for our customers.”

RepairPal, a cost estimation website, determined that Honda owners spend an average of $428 per year in maintenance and repair costs, which is about $200 lower than the industry average. The following are common repairs Honda owners have experienced:

Without the additional coverage of a vehicle protection plan, you would be required to foot the bill should your vehicle require any expensive repairs.

Honda’s new vehicle warranty coverage includes the following:

Honda Warranty Plan

Length of Coverage

New vehicle limited warranty

3 years/36,000 miles

Powertrain limited warranty

5 years/60,000 miles

Rust perforation limited warranty

5 years/unlimited miles

Accessory limited warranty

3 years/36,000 miles

Honda’s new vehicle limited warranty is a bumper-to-bumper plan that covers most major parts of your vehicle, from the drivetrain to the cooling system.

Honda certified pre-owned vehicles are also under warranty, with 2016 to 2021 HondaTrue Certified vehicles receiving 7 years/100,000 miles of powertrain coverage. Vehicles purchased within the new car limited warranty period will have bumper-to-bumper protection extended to 4 years/48,000 miles, while purchases made after coverage expires will receive 1 year/12,000 miles from the car’s delivery date.

If you’re considering purchasing extended coverage, you may be looking at third-party warranty companies in addition to Honda. Independent warranty companies can be good options for a Honda extended warranty as plans tend to offer greater flexibility than those from a dealership. Research each company before purchasing to make sure you’re doing business with a reputable aftermarket warranty company.

In March 2022, our team surveyed 1,000 drivers who had purchased extended warranties. Just over half (52%) of the respondents said coverage was the most important factor in deciding which plan to buy. Only about 19% of those surveyed said cost was their key consideration when purchasing long-term coverage.

There are many advantages to using an independent warranty company, such as:

One downside to independent warranty coverage is that there’s no guarantee you will receive genuine parts or a certified technician if your vehicle goes to the repair shop.

Getting quotes from independent companies can help you find the best option for your situation.

A Honda extended warranty can provide peace of mind when your factory warranty expires. However, third-party providers may offer greater flexibility than Honda Care’s vehicle service contracts.

Honda does not provide extended warranty cost information on its website. However, when we contacted a Honda dealership for quotes, we were given a $1,850 quote for a 3-year/120,000-mile extended warranty and a $2,250 quote for a 5-year/120,000-mile extended warranty for a 2019 Honda Accord with 35,000 miles. Costs largely depend on factors like mileage, location and dealership.

A Honda extended warranty can last up to 8 years/120,000 miles.

You can only purchase a Honda extended warranty from a Honda dealership before your new vehicle limited warranty expires. After that, you’ll want to look at third-party options.

*Data accurate at time of publication.

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