Warranty coverage can often be overlooked when purchasing a car as the decision is often made with the heart as much as the head. It also stands to reason shoppers don’t want to think too much about their new ride going wrong. However, warranty coverage can be worth its weight in gold when something does go wrong and can play a deciding role of which model to choose. For the truck market, there isn’t much variety in warranty coverage. But a lone pickup on the market offers a leading five-year bumper-to-bumper warranty.

Truck warranty coverage is generally similar

Truck shoppers can choose various engines, cab sizes, bed sizes, transmissions, two- or four-wheel drive and typically a bevy of options to tailor their pickup to specific needs and wants, for either work or pleasure. However, truck buyers aren’t given many options in regard to warranty coverage. Regardless of their manufacturer or size, most trucks offer a three-year, 36,000-mile standard warranty.

This coverage includes all the heavy hitters of the segment, including Fords, from the small Maverick to the Super Duty, the Chevy Colorado and Silverado, the Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500, both of Nissan and Toyota’s offerings, and the Honda Ridgeline.

This can be irksome for truck buyers as pickups are not generally as reliable as other types of vehicles. For instance, in the 2022 J.D. Power dependability awards, only the Toyota Tundra scored over 80 out of 100 points for quality and reliability among light duty trucks based on information gathered from actual buyers.

The average score of the five pickups included in the study was 78. The average reliability score across full-size sedans, which also included five models, was 87.4, for example.

Truck buyers wanting more than the practically ubiquitous three-year, 36,000-mile coverage will have to a brand known as an industry leader for its warranties, though it’s one that’s not synonymous with manufacturing trucks.

The Hyundai Santa Cruz is the leader among pickup warranty coverage

Hyundai has long delivered industry-leading warranties, and that hasn’t changed now that the South Korean automaker has entered the pickup fray with its compact, SUV-based Santa Cruz.

The Santa Cruz comes with a five-year, 60,000-mile basic warranty. Additionally, it’s covered by a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, seven-year rust coverage, five years of roadside assistance and three-years or 36,000 miles of free maintenance.

Though the Santa Cruz occupies a niche status as a compact pickup, it is the outright leader among truck buyers who want the most extensive warranty coverage.

Types of automotive warranties

An automotive warranty is not a catch-all as there are various types of coverage.

A basic or bumper-to-bumper warranty provides coverage for faults within a car caused by design or manufacturing issues. This doesn’t include coverage of components that wear, like brake pads or windshield wipers, or regular maintenance costs, including oil changes.

A powertrain warranty, as the name suggests, covers flaws or issues with major components that power a car, including its engine or transmission.

Rust/corrosion warranties provide replacement coverage for sheet metal or bodywork that has rusted. Accessory warranties include coverage for manufacturer-specific components located in the cabin, like speakers or seatbelt restraints.

Automakers are also required by law to offer a limited warranty on emissions-related components.

Manufacturers may also include other types of warranties on their cars or certain models. And as the Santa Cruz shows, some brands also offer free maintenance periods, which can include no-cost oil changes or other routine services, or roadside assistance coverage.