How to test drive a car

Just as it’s smart to try on shoes before you buy them, it makes sense to take a car for a test drive to make sure it fits your needs before you sign on the dotted line.

Altogether, American drivers together spend some 70 billion hours on the road annually, according to a survey published in 2019 by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. So it’s safe to say that you’ll want your car to perform well during all that time in the driver’s seat — and a test drive can help you spot any potential issues with it.

Ride along as we steer you through some of the key things to look for when you take a test drive, whether you’re shopping for a new car or a used one.

• How to plan for a test drive
• What to look for before your test drive
• What to look for during the test drive
• Options after your car test drive

How to plan for a test drive

After you’ve set your car budget and researched makes and models of interest, schedule test drives for the vehicles on your shortlist. In many cases, you can schedule a test drive online in advance to help ensure the exact cars you want to check out are available at a specific date and time. Some car dealers may even bring the car to your home or office so you can take it for a spin at your convenience.

How long is a test drive?

There’s no set amount of time for a test drive. Drive the car as long as possible, on different types of roads, to get a feel for how it handles different terrain. Consumer Reports recommends test driving a vehicle for at least 30 minutes.

What to look for before your test drive

Before you get behind the wheel, take a moment to walk around the car and give it a once-over. Assess how you’ll use the vehicle and how much space you need. Here are some of the factors to weigh related to roominess.

Room for kids and pets

Do you have children who travel in car seats? Will you be chauffeuring their schoolmates to soccer practice? You probably don’t want your youngsters to be uncomfortably crammed into your car.

Just as you want your kids to ride in comfort, you also want your dogs, cats or other creatures to feel at home (even when they’re not). Is there ample room so they won’t feel caged in?

No matter what you need the space for, be sure to ask yourself …

• Do the seats fold down to provide more room in the car? If so, how simple is it to fold the seats?
• Can you remove the seats? If so, how easy is it take them out?

Cargo space

Do you regularly haul equipment for work? Do you do a lot of yard work that requires you to lug around mulch and plants? Do you make regular trips to the grocery store? Give thought to how much stuff you’ll be carting around in your car.

What to look for during the test drive

Once you’re in the driver’s seat and on the road, consider the following.

Braking

Does the car brake smoothly? Are the brakes a little too sensitive? Or do you have to push forcefully for the brakes to work well?

Steering

Pay attention to how the steering wheel handles. When you change lanes, particularly at high speeds, how does the steering respond? Does the steering pull to the right or the left? If so, that might be a red flag.

How it handles the road

How does the car perform in different conditions? For instance, what’s it like on highways compared with stop-and-go traffic or rough roads? Consider how the car would handle on the kinds of roads you normally travel, such as residential streets, highways or rural roads.

Acceleration

Is the car sluggish or speedy when you step on the gas? Does it have enough power when you’re trying to climb a hill or pass another car?

Infotainment system

These days, so much of how you control a car is connected to the infotainment system. That’s why it’s wise to see how well it operates. For instance, is the system easy or frustrating to use? Is the touch screen fairly small? Does that bug you?

In addition, you should test how electronic options like Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and voice activation features sync with your mobile device.

Backup camera

With safety in mind, you’ll want to see whether the car comes equipped with a rear backup camera. The National Highway Safety Administration as of May 2018 requires rear backup cameras on all new cars.

If the car does come with a backup camera, is the rear view fuzzy or clear? And how well does the camera help you gauge distance? Are there blind spots?

Stereo system

Of course, you can drive a car without a stereo system. But if the car comes with one, you’ll want to make sure you’re pleased with it. For instance, are the speakers working? Do you see any damage? Is satellite radio included? And how does the system sound?

Steering controls

When you’re behind the wheel, you’re constantly steering, so you’ll want to check out the steering controls during a test drive. These controls can operate features like cruise control, headlights, windshield wipers and navigation. How are the controls laid out? Are the controls simple to use or is the process clumsy?

Options after your car test drive

Once you’ve completed a test drive, what’s your next step in the car buying process? Your options include …

• Test drive other vehicles. By getting behind the wheel of several vehicles, you can compare the performance and features to determine which car may be right for you. Car and Driver magazine recommends scheduling all of your test drives on the same day for easier comparisons.
• Ask to keep the car overnight. This will give you more opportunity to drive the car in real-life conditions. For example, you can determine how the car performs after sundown.
• Get ready to negotiate. If you’ve decided after a test drive that you’ve got to have that car, then you may want to try to negotiate a deal. Keep in mind that you can haggle with a car dealer over price, trade-in value, financing terms and other items. However, you might want to put some time between the test drive and the negotiating process to allow you to gather your thoughts without any pressure from a salesperson.

Next steps

It’s smart to do your homework before a test drive. For instance, figure out which features matter most to you and which cars best meet your needs. And comb through online reviews.

You might not want to do a test drive alone. If you bring along a friend or relative or two, it can make you more comfortable doing a test drive with the car salesperson — and they may be able to help identify some of the pros and cons of a car.

If you’re considering buying a used car, be sure to get to get a copy of the vehicle history report and get it inspected by an independent mechanic before you buy. In the end, you want to be sure that your new vehicle fuels a good driving experience for years to come.