Mazda certified pre-owned warranty
Solid warranty, ho-hum benefits
Mazda has long been the plucky underdog of the auto world. Still, the brand tends to collect more followers each year with its reliable engines, semiluxury interiors and the enthusiasts’ darling, the Miata.
But, as Mazda moves upmarket, so does the starting price of its newer vehicles. With that in mind, you might be considering buying certified pre-owned (CPO) instead of new to save a few bucks without sacrificing quality. But how good is Mazda’s CPO program? Read on to find out.
Key insights
- Mazda certified pre-owned vehicles must be under six years old, have fewer than 80,000 miles and pass a 160-point dealer inspection.
- CPO Mazdas also come with a one-year/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty extension and a seven-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty — slightly above average for the industry.
- An extended warranty probably isn’t necessary beyond the CPO warranty, given the high reliability and low repair costs of Mazda vehicles.
Mazda certified pre-owned program explained
Mazda’s CPO program is, fittingly enough, called Mazda Certified Pre-Owned — or Mazda CPO for short.
In order to qualify, a pre-owned Mazda must be six years old or younger (e.g., a 2017 or newer in 2023) and have fewer than 80,000 miles on the odometer. The vehicle must also pass a thorough 160-point inspection at the dealer. During this inspection, a certified Mazda technician will check on the brakes, tires, suspension, engine, interior and more.
All CPO Mazdas also come with a one-year/12,000-mile CPO vehicle limited warranty and a seven-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Both have a $0 deductible on covered repairs. You’ll also get a few extra benefits, like 24-hour roadside assistance and a free AutoCheck report, but more on that later.
Before we dive into the benefits, let’s talk about the main reason you’d probably consider a CPO Mazda: the warranty.
» LEARN: What does a car warranty cover?
How good are Mazda’s CPO warranties?
Mazda’s CPO warranty is above average, and we’ll explain why.
For context, all new Mazdas come with the following factory warranties:
- A three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty
- A five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty
As mentioned above, Mazda CPO vehicles come with a one-year/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty — which extends whatever amount of the three-year/36,000-mile factory warranty you have left — and a seven-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty that effectively replaces your factory powertrain warranty. (If you purchase a higher-mileage CPO Mazda with no factory bumper-to-bumper warranty remaining, the one-year/12,000-mile CPO warranty goes into effect the day you buy the car.)
Mazda’s CPO powertrain warranty is measured from when your car was brand-new, but its CPO bumper-to-bumper warranty is not.
Both CPO warranties have a $0 deductible, which isn’t always the case. And although the CPO warranties technically go by a different name than the factory warranties, dealers told us they both cover the same parts.
“The CPO warranties cover the same parts as the factory warranty,” according to a Mazda salesperson. “You’re still getting bumper-to-bumper protection for another year. Suspension, engine, radio … it’s all covered.”
So, how does the Mazda CPO warranty stack up to what you get from its competitors?
How do Mazda’s CPO warranties compare?
With one extra year of bumper-to-bumper coverage and two extra years of powertrain coverage, Mazda’s CPO warranties outshine many of its direct rivals. Check out the table below to see how.
| Make | Additional CPO warranty coverage |
|---|---|
| Mazda | 1 year or 12,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage; 2 years or 40,000 miles of powertrain coverage |
| Kia | 1 year or 12,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage; 4 years or 40,000 miles of powertrain coverage |
| Hyundai | 4 years or 40,000 miles of powertrain coverage |
| Ford | 1 year or 12,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage; 2 years or 40,000 miles of powertrain coverage |
| Toyota | 1-year/12,000-mile bumper-to-bumper coverage; 2 years or 40,000 miles of powertrain coverage |
| Subaru | 2 years or 40,000 miles of powertrain coverage |
| Chevrolet | 1 year or 12,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage; 1 year or 40,000 miles of powertrain coverage |
» MORE: Best CPO warranties
CPO Mazda benefits
When you purchase a CPO Mazda, you’ll also get the following additional benefits:
- 24/7 roadside assistance for the duration of your CPO bumper-to-bumper warranty, including lockout assistance, gas delivery, jump-starts and flat-tire assistance
- Towing to the nearest Mazda dealer if you experience a warranty-covered breakdown
- Travel protection of up to $35 per day for up to five days per plan (not per occurrence) to help cover the cost of meals and lodging if your Mazda breaks down more than 150 miles from home
- Loaner car assistance while your Mazda is in the shop, subject to dealer discretion and available inventory
You’ll also get the aforementioned AutoCheck report (similar to a Carfax vehicle history report) and a three-month SiriusXM trial.
Overall, these are merely OK benefits for a CPO program. One notable omission is rental car assistance. Most other automakers offer about $40 per day to help cover the cost of a rental car if you can’t get a loaner from the dealer, but Mazda does not.
In addition, a maximum of $205 in travel assistance is far less than the $500 or $1,000 per occurrence some competitors offer. That’s worth considering if you plan to take your next vehicle on long road trips.
Do you need an extended warranty for your Mazda?
In our full breakdown of Mazda’s official extended warranties, we determined that although they’re relatively affordable (about $500 per year of coverage), they’re probably not all that necessary since Mazdas are so reliable.
But if you want ultimate peace of mind, consider shopping around for the best rate. We collected quotes from some other extended car warranty companies that were almost 40% lower than Mazda’s quote for similar coverage, so be sure to keep your options open.
Article sources
- J.D. Power, “ Vehicle Dependability Improves Despite Continued Problems with Technology, J.D. Power Finds .” Accessed Aug. 8, 2023.
- Consumer Reports, “Who Makes the Most Reliable New Cars?” Accessed Aug. 8, 2023.
- RepairPal, “ Mazda Reliability Rating .” Accessed Aug. 8, 2023.
- iSeeCars, “ Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Cars: Are They Worth the Extra Cost? ” Accessed Aug. 8, 2023.
- Edmunds, “ Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) .” Accessed Aug. 8, 2023.
