When you think about the most reputable brand in the automotive industry, what brand comes to mind? Did you immediately think of Honda and models like the Civic and Accord? If so, you’re not alone, thanks to Honda’s outstanding reputation for building some of the most reliable vehicles on the road. That reputation spans generations of drivers, which is why you’ll see more and more young drivers scouring the lots of certified pre-owned Honda dealers for an affordable and reliable Honda that will easily serve them for years to come.
Case and point, my dad had a Honda Civic when he married my mom. That tiny Honda Civic was big enough for his 6’4” frame, my mom, and their luggage as they set out north from central Arkansas to New York City to visit their friends in the early 1980s. The car effortlessly traveled down New York’s busy streets and brought them back to Arkansas, where it navigated their first decade of marriage before they replaced it with a newer model. This dependability hasn’t changed over the last three decades, and that’s to the benefit of drivers who have confidence in every purchase, especially when they shop Honda’s certified pre-owned options. Here’s why.
Talking Eligibility
Honda takes great pride in its reputation, and that’s why the manufacturer has a strict set of requirements for a vehicle to join its certified pre-owned (CPO) lineup. The last thing Honda wants is for you to get behind the wheel of a dud that they haven’t given their seal of approval. To prevent this, Honda requires that eligible vehicles be five years old or newer and have fewer than 80,000 miles. If the vehicle meets these standards, then it’s put through a 182-point inspection, which far surpasses Toyota’s 160-point inspection as well as Chevrolet’s 172-point inspection.
Once a vehicle passes Honda’s comprehensive inspection, the necessary repairs are made to ensure it reflects Honda’s standards of operation. This means that when you purchase a CPO Honda, you can rest assured and have confidence in your purchase, knowing that it’s been tested to ensure its performance for years to come. To boost this confidence even further, Honda makes every CPO vehicle’s inspection report available for download so that you know what to expect before your test drive.
Easy to Find at the Click of a Button
One of the biggest hassles of buying a new or used vehicle is scouring the dealership lot for the best model. This looks different to a lot of people and might mean driving around the lot slowly to get a better feel for a dealer’s inventory or diving in completely and working with a salesperson from the start. Fortunately, Honda gives you another option with one search tool that allows you to view every Honda CPO vehicle near you. This tool not only saves you time but allows you to search every dealership in the area for exactly what you’re looking for in a CPO model. You can also sign up for alerts to notify you via email when new inventory is added.
Going the Extra Mile with Warranty Coverage
While most brands like Toyota, Chevrolet, and Nissan offer a standard certified pre-owned warranty, Honda goes the extra mile and widens its scope to give you more confidence in your purchase, especially when you invest in a newer CPO model. This confidence begins with Honda’s 7-year or 100,000-mile powertrain coverage that is offered on every CPO vehicle. Honda, however, doesn’t stop there and also offers non-powertrain coverage in the form of the HondaTrue Certified and Certified+ programs.
What’s Covered?
Before we dive into the differences between the Certified+ and Certified warranties, it’s important to have a better idea of what’s covered in a powertrain and non-powertrain warranty. Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the components that make the vehicle run. These components include the engine, transmission or transfer case, front-wheel drive system, and the rear-wheel drive system, as well as all the internal parts associated with each component. As you probably already know, engine repair can be costly, which is why Honda’s 7-year or 100,000-mile powertrain warranty can go a long way to ease your worry when buying a used vehicle.
With the engine parts covered in the powertrain warranty, what’s left? The non-powertrain limited warranty takes care of everything else, literally. The warranty covers the fuel system, suspension, steering, and brakes, as well as all the bulbs, sensors, and electrical components. It also covers the air conditioner and heater, airbags, fluids, hinges, window components, audio devices, and navigational systems. Of course, there are certain limitations of coverage on these components, which is why it’s always a good idea to ask what’s covered and what isn’t when you find yourself at the service department with a vehicle that needs repair.
HondaTrue Certified+
When you purchase a CPO vehicle that’s less than 12 months old and has fewer than 12,000 miles from its original in-service date, you’ll enjoy all the benefits of the HondaTrue Certified+ non-powertrain warranty. This 2-year or 50,000-mile coverage goes into effect when the new vehicle warranty expires and extends your total coverage time to 5 years or 86,000 miles. The benefits continue with Honda adding a variety of perks like a 90-day trial subscription to SiriusXM, concierge service, trip interruption coverage, and roadside assistance. Honda will also pay for the first two oil changes within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles you own the vehicle.
HondaTrue Certified
If you purchase a vehicle that’s older than 12 months and has over 12,000 miles from its original in-service date, you will still enjoy many of the same benefits of the HondaTrue program. For starters, the Certified non-powertrain coverage is available on all models that meet the CPO requirements. The 1-year / 12,000-mile coverage begins when the new vehicle warranty expires, which makes shopping for an older model like a 2016 CPO Honda even more attractive since you know you’ll be covered by Honda’s Certified warranty.
Like the Certified+ warranty, you’ll also have access to roadside assistance, trip interruption coverage, and concierge service. Honda will cover the first two oil changes within your first year of ownership, and you can stay entertained behind the wheel with a complimentary 90-day subscription to SiriusXM. You can also purchase Honda Care for added protection against major issues with the engine, transmission, suspension, fuel system, air conditioner, or heater. These repairs can be costly, which makes adding Honda Care an attractive option, especially on older CPO models.
Shop with Confidence, Shop Honda CPO
It’s hard to believe that Honda got its start building bicycle engines that eventually transformed into motorcycle engines, motorcycles, and then automobiles. That rich history is a testament to Honda’s innovation as well as its dedication to giving drivers everything they need, whether they’re behind the wheel of a Civic or a motorcycle. Reliability and dependability are at the heart of the Honda brand.
This reliability and dependability extend to Honda’s certified pre-owned lineup. From Honda’s stringent requirements to certify a vehicle to its exceptional warranty program, there are plenty of reasons to shop Honda’s CPO inventory. Considering you can shop every available CPO in your area at the touch of a button, there’s nothing keeping you from starting your search and your Honda journey today.
