Before a Test Drive
Walk around the car.
Inspect car's lines, quality of assembly, body panel alignment, paint and door handles.
Check if the doors, trunk, and hood are easy to operate.
Check if the windows are UV-protected.
Check for any special features.
Try it on for size, get in and out, get comfortable.
Adjust the seatsSit in the back seat.
Check if the car interior is well-lighted.
Try the accessories before going on the test drive.
Make sure the controls are easy to reach and operate.
Open and close the tailgate/trunk.
Ask yourself if you would be comfortable driving it every day.
Let the salesperson give the pitch before hitting the road.
A Test Drive
Drive the exact model of car you're interested in buying.
Choose your own route.
Drive on a number of different road surfaces: winding roads, city streets, hills and freeways.
Test the power in real-world situations: highway merging, passing, city driving.
Try driving with the air conditioner on to see if it results in too much power drain.
TransmissionLook for smooth operation and ease of use.
Check out steering responsiveness.
Practice long turns and short turns, sudden swerves and smooth transitions.
Use the breaks: brake softly, then aggressively to test the car's reaction to sudden braking.
Listen for excessive engine, interior, road and wind noiseDo this with the windows up and down.
See how comfortable you are in the driver seat.
Parallel park the car to check for blind spots or any difficulty identifying the corners of the car.

Test Drive Checklist

Related Checklists