Test-Driving a New Car? How to Try Before You Buy

When you’ve got your eye on a new ride, research will only take you so far. To truly know whether a new car will suit you and your lifestyle, you need to take it for a test drive. The drive should be more than a casual spin around the block. You should plan a route and take steps that enables you to evaluate a number of factors, from daily usability to performance.

“My no. 1 rule for car buying is that you should test drive it,” says Brian Wong, senior review editor for Edmunds.com. “Many people don’t. They may say, ‘Well, I already know what kind of features I want,’ or maybe it's a newer version of a car that they already own.”

But buyer beware: After a house, a car is often the second-largest purchase a consumer will make. Before you fork over your hard-earned money, then, you should ensure your chosen model fits your needs.

I’ve driven hundreds of vehicles over decades to create reviews such as those in Money’s Best Cars roundup. Here’s what to keep in mind when you’re ready to put rubber to the road.

Consider your daily life

Make the conditions for your drive as close as possible to the way you’ll actually use the car.

“Many buyers just bring themselves and maybe a handbag to the test drive,” Wong says. “Instead, you should bring the things you would normally carry in your car to see if they fit. Bring your kids as well as their car seats. Bring your snowboard or golf clubs. Basically, bring your daily life to the test drive.”

Shoppers should consider less obvious needs, too. “If you live in a city, you might want to make sure there’s underfloor storage or a frunk [a storage compartment located at the front of a vehicle, especially an electric vehicle] that can fit a backpack that you wouldn’t want exposed,” he says.

Test the safety equipment

Although you don’t want to create a safety hazard on the road in order to evaluate the car’s safety equipment, you can put some features to the test. Wong recommends you ask your sales associate if you can spend some time on the freeway trying out the advanced safety equipment, such as lane keeping assist, which centers the car within its lane, or adaptive cruise control, which automatically adjusts the car's speed to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of it.

“You’ll also want to make sure the ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) isn’t super annoying,” he says. This system comprises technologies that aid drivers by using sensors and software to enhance safety and driving comfort. “Some systems can throw false positives or beep at you all the time. If the systems are too intrusive, people end up shutting them off, which defeats the purpose.”

See how well the car’s front and rear parking sensors work while driving slowly around the parking lot. Make sure the blind spot warnings function well, too.

Check the cameras

Before you journey beyond the dealership, check that you can see out of the car’s windows and mirrors, as well as its camera systems. Many vehicles come with a surround-view camera, “one of the most valuable features you can have,” Wong says. “To test it, have the salesperson walk around the car from three or four feet away, and see if you can see them."

Pay attention to the quality of the image on the camera, too. “There’s a big gap in the quality,” Wong says. “Hyundai and Kia models have hi-res cameras, for example, but other manufacturers may have systems with low resolution, a narrow field of vision, or trouble seeing at night.”

Try the infotainment system

As the central interface for hands-free phone calls, navigation and entertainment, the vehicle infotainment system is becoming an increasingly crucial piece of equipment. But not all infotainment systems are created equal. You may find that yours takes too long to pair with your phone or is too complicated to use while you’re on the move.

To assess, hook up the Bluetooth before you depart on your test drive, Wong says. See how easily you can boot up the apps you plan to use, from maps to audiobooks. Make sure you like the user interface and decide whether you would be comfortable using it in your daily life.

Drive mindfully

Finally, it’s time to hit the road. During the drive, “the main question to ask is whether the car feels comfortable to you,” Wong says. Try to imagine how you’d feel on a long drive. “Ask yourself, Would I be OK driving this car for four or five hours?”

Try driving over a variety of surfaces to see how the car handles, and pay attention to the steering feel and response. This will vary according to the type of vehicle; cars designed for higher performance often require a stiffer suspension, while those that aim for a comfortable ride will have a looser one.

Pay attention when driving around curves and corners to see whether the car leans or rolls. If possible, you can drive the car over railroad tracks to judge how well the suspension absorbs bumps.

Some cars with an automatic transmission have modes that vary when the gears shift to create differing driving experiences. “Try out Sport mode if the car has one, but skip the rest of the drive modes unless it’s a performance car,” Wong says.

Listen carefully

You'll also want to pay attention to cabin noise during your drive. Close the windows and sunroof, turn off the audio system, and listen. Is there too much noise generated by the engine and exhaust? Is the noise from the car’s tires or the wind outside intrusive? You should be able to speak to passengers audibly without shouting. Hybrids and electric vehicles should be especially quiet because they don’t have internal combustion engines or exhaust systems.

Live with it

Some dealerships offer extended test drives, so see if your sales associate will let you take the car home for a night, Wong suggests. Some car sellers will allow a 24-hour test drive period. Used-car specialist Carmax lets shoppers take two test drives within a 30-day period, which allows them to test the car in different weather or traffic conditions.

Know that if you’re test driving a used car, the same principles apply, but you’ll need to consider additional factors since any problems are likely no longer covered by warranty, Wong says.

Make sure the car maintains a straight line while driving. See how quickly it accelerates when merging onto the highway. Perform a panic stop to check the brakes.

“I warn all the people in the car that I'm going to do it so that I don't freak out the salesman who's usually tagging along.”