Video: Making the Most of a Test Drive

It might make for a long Saturday, but those back-to-back test drives will really help you tell the difference between one car and the next. Now, on the test drive itself, you're gonna want to think carefully about a number of factors. First off, ask yourself, "How does this car ride?" really try to get over some broken pavement or manhole covers to get a sense of the suspension. Also, get up to highway speeds legally and listen carefully for road and wind noise. Next, ask yourself, "How does the car accelerate?" Is there enough power on the highway and around town? Does the transmission upshift smoothly? And when you press down on the gas, does it downshift to lower gears without too much delay? Next, how is handling and braking? Take a few corners maybe on on or off ramps to the highway and think about steering feedback, brake pedal feel and body roll. Aside from driving, be sure to evaluate seat comfort and sit in every row of the car. Think about things like seating and cargo space, visibility, cabin quality, features and how easy it is to fold the seats down. After a day of test driving like this, you should really be able to see and quantify the differences between the cars you drove. Car shopping isn't always easy, but with a level head and good notes, you ought to be able to figure out which cars you don't like, find the one you do, and feel confident about the reasons why. (upbeat music)