Commercial vehicle brands with the best warranties

A warranty is a written guarantee that a product is fit for purpose and contractually obliges a vehicle manufacturer to fix faults. The document details what the warranty covers in terms of parts and components, its length and whether there's a mileage limit.

However, warranties can differ between manufacturers, so it's always worth reading the small print.

Broadly speaking, a warranty covers all major mechanical components, including:

• Engine
• Transmission
• Electrics
• Gearbox
• Steering
• Suspension
• Fuel and ignition systems
• Cooling system

Most manufacturer warranties don’t cover damage or deterioration of parts caused by normal wear and tear, though in some cases, a warranty will cover replacement of these components if they’ve prematurely worn as a result of a fault with the vehicle:

• Tyres and wheels
• Exhaust
• Brakes and clutch
• Bodywork and paintwork
• Catalytic converter
• Glass
• Headlights

The majority of commercial vehicle makers offer a three-year warranty, but the good news is that in these days of increasing dependability and fierce competition, there are now warranties on offer as high as seven years.

What's more, if you're buying a used commercial vehicle that's still relatively young, you may still be able to benefit from any years remaining on the warranty because most are transferable.

Of course, it's also worth pointing out that just because a vehicle has a long warranty, it doesn’t make it reliable. Also, long warranties often have mileage limits attached to them, such as seven years/150,000 miles, whereas a vehicle with a three-year warranty might offer unlimited mileage. There may also be variations in cover of some components.

Here’s the lowdown on the commercial vehicle warranties currently available in the UK.

7 years - SsangYong

Up-and-coming South Korean 4x4 specialist SsangYong offers the longest commercial vehicle warranty. Capped at 150,000 miles it covers the Musso pick-up, as well as the brand’s SUVs including the Tivoli, Korando and Rexton.

The warranty covers all the major mechanical components including wheel bearings, suspension joints and bushes, steering joints, shock absorbers and even the audio system.

Wearable components such as clutch discs and brake friction materials "which could have their life reduced by poor driving" are covered for one year or 12,500 miles, while the battery and paintwork have a three-year guarantee.

5 years - Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Isuzu, Fiat, Nissan

Manufacturers offering five-year warranties have increased over the last few years, making this a busy category. And again, there are variations when it comes to mileage – a key element for many buyers. For instance, Hyundai offers unlimited mileage, while Toyota caps its warranty at 100,000 miles.

Interestingly, Nissan's e-NV200 van (EV or electric vehicle) has a five-year/60,000-mile warranty for EV system parts and three-years/60,000 miles for the rest of the vehicle. Read more about the pros and cons of running an electric van.

Fiat’s standard warranty is three years, but there's currently a five-year deal on the Technico and Sportivo ranges for the Fiorino, Doblo, Ducato and Talento vans. 

3 years - Ford, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Vauxhall, Citroen, Peugeot, Renault

Many of the biggest names in the automotive industry fit into this category. However, there are mileage limit variations. For instance, Mercedes-Benz offers unlimited miles for its Citan, Vito and Sprinter vans, while Citroen's warranty is capped at 100,000 miles.

2 years - Iveco

This covers unlimited mileage for the Daily van range.