Used Car of the Year Awards 2022: Approved Used Car Schemes

With demand for used cars on the rise, you’ll want to know which manufacturers offer the best approved-used schemes. Here we have the answer...

Best Approved Used Car Scheme

Volkswagen Approved Used

Used Car of the Year Awards 2022 - approved used Volkswagens

The recently revised Volkswagen Approved Used scheme now gives you a rare 24-month warranty,
as well as two years’ worth of of free MOT tests, two years’ roadside assistance and, if you buy the car through Volkswagen’s own PCP finance scheme, two free services as well.

There’s also a 142-point check on each car, a 30-day/1000- mile no-quibble exchange policy, service history checks, independent vehicle history and mileage checks and five days of complementary Volkswagen Drive Away insurance.

On top of that, it covers cars of any age that are offered for sale on VW forecourts, up to a 100,000-mile limit.

It’s this last quality that sets it apart from the few other rivals schemes that also offer 24 months’ worth of warranty cover but generally for younger cars only. All told, this scheme’s sheer breadth is unparalleled.

Find used Volkswagen cars for sale >>

Also consider...

DS Certified

The DS Certified scheme is a previous overall winner in this category, but this year it has to give way to the Volkswagen scheme. That’s because although DS, too, offers a splendid 24-month warranty, it’s not as all-encompassing, in that it only covers cars up to four years old that have done less than 50,000 miles.

Still, DS also provides an extensive 120-point mechanical check, two years’ EU and UK breakdown recovery, a full history and mileage check, free MOT test cover and a 30-day/1000-mile exchange programme.

Meanwhile, if you’re buying a DS between four and seven years old with no more than 100,000 miles on the clock, a 12-month warranty is offered.

Find used DS cars for sale >>

Toyota/Lexus Relax

Anyone buying a car through the approved scheme offered by Toyota and Lexus gets a 12-month/unlimited-mileage warranty that covers used cars up to eight years old with a maximum of 100,000 miles. On top of that, you’ll get one year’s UK and European roadside assistance, a multi-point mechanical check and full vehicle preparation, a full service history guarantee, a free MOT test and, if a demonstrable fault is unable to be fixed, a 30-day or 1000-mile exchange policy.

Additionally, if you take your Toyota or Lexus to be serviced at a main dealer every year, its warranty will automatically be extended for another year until the car reaches 10 years old or accrues 100,000 miles on the odometer.