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5th
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Every year when I drive my assigned car categories during TestFest, which determines AJAC's best new cars and trucks of the year, and during our own Auto123.com comparison tests, I realize just how imperative the all-important test drive is for car shoppers.
For each of the vehicles I drove and rated during AJAC's TestFest, I evaluated their capabilities on a closed handling and braking course, then followed exactly the same route on a mix of city, highway and country roads. It's a repetitive exercise, but it's the best way to spot differences between each vehicle.
Determining a winner in the Best SUV/CUV under $35K category -- which was comprised of the Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, the Ford Escape, the Mazda CX-5, the Honda CR-V, the Chevrolet Trax, and the Subaru XV Crosstrek -- wasn't easy. Same deal in the Luxury Car category, which included the Acura ILX, the BMW 3 Series Sedan, the Buick Verano Turbo, the Cadillac ATS, the Lexus ES, and the Lexus GS.
Such back-to-back comparisons are great for figuring out which car or truck on your short list has the most comfortable or sportiest ride; which one offers the best outward visibility depending on your driving position; which one is the quietest over a variety of surfaces; and which one you just plain feel the most at ease driving.
Obviously, during TestFest and comparison test evaluations, we leave from and return to the same location, so a back-to-back comparison is easier. For the car shopper, dealerships of various brands can be spread out across the city, or in different cities altogether, so driving them on exactly the same route can be difficult.
However, test driving your potential candidates on the same day, in the same weather conditions and in the same state of mind is a good start. A predetermined route around each dealership that mimics the type of driving you perform on a daily basis is also a good indicator of how well the car or truck will serve you for the next few years. A little stop-and-go traffic, a stint on the highway and, if possible, a brief drive on longer stretches of country roads will help you figure out which vehicle suits you best.
If the dealership sales rep is riding shotgun or in the backseat suggests a preferred route, don't be shy to remind him or her that you're the customer and you want to make sure the vehicle you're testing is right for you.
In short, there are no “bad” new vehicles out there anymore; that's why driving them back-to-back is a surefire way to determine what you like and what you don't in each of them.
For each of the vehicles I drove and rated during AJAC's TestFest, I evaluated their capabilities on a closed handling and braking course, then followed exactly the same route on a mix of city, highway and country roads. It's a repetitive exercise, but it's the best way to spot differences between each vehicle.
Determining a winner in the Best SUV/CUV under $35K category -- which was comprised of the Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, the Ford Escape, the Mazda CX-5, the Honda CR-V, the Chevrolet Trax, and the Subaru XV Crosstrek -- wasn't easy. Same deal in the Luxury Car category, which included the Acura ILX, the BMW 3 Series Sedan, the Buick Verano Turbo, the Cadillac ATS, the Lexus ES, and the Lexus GS.
Such back-to-back comparisons are great for figuring out which car or truck on your short list has the most comfortable or sportiest ride; which one offers the best outward visibility depending on your driving position; which one is the quietest over a variety of surfaces; and which one you just plain feel the most at ease driving.
Obviously, during TestFest and comparison test evaluations, we leave from and return to the same location, so a back-to-back comparison is easier. For the car shopper, dealerships of various brands can be spread out across the city, or in different cities altogether, so driving them on exactly the same route can be difficult.
However, test driving your potential candidates on the same day, in the same weather conditions and in the same state of mind is a good start. A predetermined route around each dealership that mimics the type of driving you perform on a daily basis is also a good indicator of how well the car or truck will serve you for the next few years. A little stop-and-go traffic, a stint on the highway and, if possible, a brief drive on longer stretches of country roads will help you figure out which vehicle suits you best.
If the dealership sales rep is riding shotgun or in the backseat suggests a preferred route, don't be shy to remind him or her that you're the customer and you want to make sure the vehicle you're testing is right for you.
In short, there are no “bad” new vehicles out there anymore; that's why driving them back-to-back is a surefire way to determine what you like and what you don't in each of them.
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| Photo: Matthieu Lambert |