CPO Program Review: Volvo

Overview

As of November 1, 2018, Volvo’s certified pre-owned (CPO) warranty offers 5 years and unlimited miles of coverage from the car’s original sale date. Volvo also offers its Volvo Increased Protection plans for its certified pre-owned vehicles, and at the time of purchase, buyers can choose from options that extend the CPO warranty from between 6 and 10 years and either 100,000 or unlimited miles. Volvo’s CPO warranty is also fully transferable, includes no deductible, features roadside assistance and occasionally comes with special financing rates.

Volvos sold as certified pre-owned prior to November 1, 2018 carry 7 years or 100,000 miles of coverage. The Volvo program is called “Certified by Volvo” which brings it in line with other Volvo offerings like “Service by Volvo” and “Care by Volvo” which is the company’s vehicle subscription plan.

What We Like

No warranty deductible; fully transferable warranty; special financing rates, option to add additional coverage

What We Don’t

Warranty starts from original sale date, recent reduction to 5 years of total coverage.

Program Specifics

Volvo’s CPO warranty offers an additional year onto the manufacturer’s basic warranty regardless of mileage, is fully transferable and comes with a few other perks.

Let’s start with length. Volvo’s current CPO warranty plan provides 5 years and unlimited miles of coverage from the car’s original sale date, which places it in the middle of the pack among automakers, as certain rivals cover CPO vehicles for up to 6 or 7 years. The fact that Volvo offers the option to extend its CPO warranty at an extra cost should be seen as a plus, as this would serve to bring its offering in line with more generous competitors.

As for the other benefits, Volvo’s warranty is fully transferable without a fee, which is more than you can say for most rival automakers. In fact, Lexus’ CPO warranty can’t be transferred at all. Volvo’s warranty also includes no deductible, which is an improvement over certain rivals who charge $50 or $100 per visit. And then there are the special financing rates, which allow customers to occasionally get new-car finance deals on certified pre-owned Volvos. Certified by Volvo buyers also get a CARFAX vehicle history report with buyback guarantee.

What’s the catch? Our only real gripe about Volvo’s certified pre-owned warranty is that in its basic form, the additional year of coverage it provides isn’t particularly generous. Also, it starts from the day the original owner purchased the car, not the day you bought it. This can make it hard to calculate exactly when your warranty will end. Still, by no means does Volvo’s CPO warranty short change buyers, thanks to its customizability and offering of other perks. Find a CPO Volvo for sale