Volkswagen doesn’t quite have the same reputation for dependability as some of its rivals, an issue only worsened by the diesel scandal.
The automaker is keen to change perceptions, though. That’s why it announced on Friday a new 6-year/72,000-mile (whichever comes first) People First Warranty.
The bumper-to-bumper warranty, which is twice as long as some rival offerings, is being introduced for 2018 and is fully transferable. Importantly, it includes powertrain coverage for engines, transmissions and—where applicable—all-wheel-drive systems. And this too is fully transferable.
The warranty covers all models bar the electric e-Golf, which has a 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage. The e-Golf’s battery also has its own 8-year/100,000-mile coverage.
The announcement of the warranty comes on the same day that the Volkswagen Group announced it was taking an unexpected $2.95 billion charge in the third quarter due to what it said were “more technically complex and time-consuming” efforts surrounding its retrofit and buyback program for the diesel scandal. The cost of the scandal is now expected to surpass the $30 billion mark.
