14 things you should do to get the most out of a test drive

So, you’re in the market to buy a new car. 

You’ve done some online and in-real-life automobile window-shopping, and then used KBB.com to complete some preliminary research, which helped you narrow down your list to a few final makes and models for consideration.

Now comes one of the most fun steps in the car-buying process: The test-drives. 

It’s exciting – and extremely important – to get behind the wheel and give prospective vehicles a try-before-you-buy experience, but your test-drives should be much more than simply driving a car around for a few minutes to see how it handles. You’ll want to take the time to really get to know the car, since, you know, it’s likely you’ll be driving it for the next few years. The test drive is crucial in helping you make sure you’re purchasing the one that best fits with your wants and needs.

Here are 14 things you should keep in mind and make sure you do when you’re test-driving a new car, from before to during to after.

1. Bring your phones, cords and other loose items you’d regularly use and store in a car to make sure there are ample cubbies and storage places to accommodate your needs. 
2. Take a moment to see how easy it is to pair your phone to the car's Bluetooth, and if the vehicle is equipped with voice recognition, take a look at how well it works and responds to your requests.
3. If you often have coffee or another beverage while driving, bring along your favorite to-go mug to make sure it fits well in the cup holders. 
4. If you use a stroller and/or car seat, bring those along as well to ensure there’s ample room to install and comfortably fit them.
5. Play with the sun visors to make sure they offer adequate protection from distracting rays. Little things like this may seem very insignificant in the grand scheme of a car’s offerings, but they’re also the things that will repeatedly annoy you while you’re on the road.
6. Try out the air conditioning and climate controls on maximum to see how user-friendly they are, how well the air flows, how quickly the car heats up or cools down, how loud it sounds and where the system blows the most air. 
7. Experiment with the controls and infotainment system to see how adjustable the lighting and the screen illumination is. 
8. Register the interior quietness (or loudness) of the vehicle, and imagine yourself having a normal conversation with a passenger in the front seat. 
9. Check the audio source reception, including AM, FM, satellite and any auxiliary connections you might use. (You may want to check these multiple times in different areas during the drive, since reception gets better or worse in certain places.)
10. If possible, you should take the car for a drive at night to see how well the headlights illuminate the road. If you go on your test drive during the day, take it under a bridge or into a tunnel to test the headlights and see how legible the instruments are when it’s dark.
11. Find a stretch of highway or freeway so you can see how the car handles on the open road. During this phase of the test drive, take a listen for wind noise, rattles, squeaks and other abnormal noises.
12. Pull into a parking lot, park and get out of the car. You’re going to be parking your car multiple times pretty much every day, so you want to see how easy it is to maneuver into a space, how easy it is to get out of the car when it’s parked next to another vehicle. You’ll also want to get back in the car and check for rear visibility while backing out.
13. Set the driver’s seat to your ideal position, and then get into the seat behind it to make sure there will be enough leg room for friends, loved ones and other passengers who might regularly be riding in the back. 
14. While driving in your ideal seat position, check mirror visibility and overall visibility. You’ll want to check how easy it is to monitor the vehicle’s four corners, and where the front and rear bumpers start.

IMAGE: UNSPLASH

5 additional questions to ask yourself during your test drive

1. Do the brakes allow you to make smooth and abrupt stops? 
2. Would you be comfortable having your spouse or partner’s parents riding in the backseat?
3. Beyond off-the-line acceleration, does the vehicle provide good second-effort acceleration between 20-40 mph?
4. Would you be willing to rent the car for the same monthly amount you’re buying it for?
5. How does the car compare to your current vehicle — and what do you like or dislike (if anything) about it? 

For more information to help you have a successful set of test-drives, check out the video below, and visit KBB.com for reviews and information that will help you get into your next ride.