Subaru Australia has announced an extension of its new car factory warranty in Australia to five years and unlimited kilometres.
Adopting the scheme for all vehicles sold from January 1, 2019, the Japanese manufacturer is the latest in a long line of car-makers to raise its warranty provisions from three years to five years. Or, in the case of Kia and Ssangyong, seven years.
In fact, with Subaru’s update, only Toyota Australia and Nissan Australia continue to offer below average three-year new car warranties – an anomaly among Australia’s top 10 brands.
Subaru had dabbled in promotional five-year warranties as recently as December in a bid to draw in more Australian customers. The marque’s managing director, Colin Christie, said the permanent change to five years was customer-driven.
“While we have had periods of promotional five year warranty on some models in recent times, this development offers our customers consistency right across the range,” he said.
Subaru’s adoption of a five-year scheme sets up an interesting conundrum for Japanese stablemate Toyota, on one model in particular. Whereas the Subaru BRZ will now be offered with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty provision, its twin under the skin, the Toyota 86, will only be sold with a three-year/100,000km provision.
Toyota and Nissan have vowed staunchly to continue with three-year factory provisions in Australia in recent months, as rivals Ford, Holden, Mazda and Volkswagen have joined the growing five-year consensus.
“At this stage, Toyota Australia has no plans to extend its warranty for new vehicles,” a Toyota spokesman said in August.
At a time where most manufacturers employ 12-month/15,000km servicing intervals, Subaru is sticking by six-month/12,500km servicing intervals on some of its most popular models (Outback, Liberty, Levorg and WRX/STI). The manufacturer has confirmed a nine-month/15,000km servicing schedule will continue for the BRZ, while vehicles on its new global platform - XV, Forester and Impreza - have assumed 12 month/12,500km servicing intervals.
Subaru has confirmed it will extend its capped price servicing from three years to five years.
Subaru’s adoption of a five-year scheme coincides with Hyundai Australia’s pioneering move to a five-year warranty 20 years ago, way back in 1999.