Video Tips: How to Take a Test Drive

Nov 07 2007 by Kristin Varela

When you’re getting ready to buy that next car, have a plan — a road map, if you will — about how the whole process should go. Check out our video and our advice below.
Watch The Video

Take the initial test drive without the kids

• Plan for a long day and drive as many cars as possible.
• Start narrowing down your choices after the first drives.

Next take the kids (but feed them first)

• Are their child-safety seats easy to load and unload? Do they fit properly?
• Can your little ones climb in on their own?
• Are the Latch connectors easy to find and to use?
• Can older kids buckle themselves?
• Can kids reach storage compartments and cupholders?

Drive the way you normally would   

• Take the car out on your own to talk candidly with your family about it.
• Drive on narrow city streets and highways to get a feel for how the car drives in a variety of locations.
• Park the car in tight spaces, then back out of those tight spaces.
• Put the car in Reverse and check for blind spots, etc.

Climb into the backseat

• Are the rear seats comfortable for adults as well as children?
• Can you access the third row (if the car has one) easily?

Have all drivers in the family drive the car

• Will it easily adjust to accommodate drivers of different statures?

Don’t fall for the “puppy-love” syndrome

• It’s easy to fall in love with the first shiny new car you try. The more cars you drive, the more perspective you’ll have as to what you like and what will work for your family.

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