As dealers aim to optimize their sales funnel, the test drive stands out as a key step in converting interested buyers. According to a recent study, more than three-quarters of buyers (78%) say it was the test drive alone that ultimately sold them on their vehicle purchase.
Giving your customer an opportunity to get behind the wheel of the vehicle they’re considering is the best way to win them over. That’s why one of the most impactful things you can do is improve your test drive program. To stand out from your competition and deliver an unforgettable experience, you’ll need to focus on what’s important to your customers.
3 Ways to Improve Your Test Drives
Reduce friction
Although the test drive is a crucial point in the sales process, it’s also a step where friction is increasing. In CDK Global’s 2025 Friction Points survey, 55% of shoppers reported they had to wait to take a test drive, up from 41% last year.
To decrease wait times and ensure a more efficient flow, many dealers have started letting their customers schedule test drives online or over the phone. This helps them segment out high-intent buyers and prepare a personalized service. It also guarantees that they have the vehicle on site before the driver shows up to the dealership– saving time for both the consumer and the sales team.
“When we were recently shopping for a car, there were options we abandoned just because it was too hard to test drive the car,” said Modives CMO Joel Samen. “If they had the car on the lot, or could even help me schedule a test drive elsewhere, our choice may have been different.”
Provide the full experience
Letting a buyer test drive a car is a great way to give them a sense of what it’d be like to own it. But do they really get that on a 15-minute loop outside your dealership?
Extended test drives are emerging as a more effective method of letting consumers experience a vehicle. But that doesn’t have to mean offering 24-hour test drives that may inadvertently double as free car rentals. Instead, some dealers are using servicing as an opportunity to introduce customers to their next ride.
According to CDK Global data, test drives used as service courtesy vehicles were the most effective for consumers, with 86% saying this type of evaluation sold them on their purchase. By using the car in place of their normal vehicle, they can see how it fits into their day-to-day life.
To take advantage of this insight, you can encourage your service department to push customers toward a new model when providing a courtesy vehicle– even when their current type is available.
Build in automatic risk mitigation
Offering test drives– especially for extended periods– inherently carries some level of risk. However, they’re so common that many salespeople forget the liability involved.
At many dealerships, typical protocol often includes copying the driver’s license (a step that violates FTC Safeguard regulations) and getting a signed release form. But it’s not uncommon to hear about sales reps simply skimming a license before tossing over the keys– or not checking ID at all.
This kind of negligence can be incredibly costly for the business. All it takes is one accident for the vehicle to incur damages and the dealer’s insurance premiums to skyrocket– if the incident is covered in the first place.
Integrating digital insurance verification into the test drive process is a great way to control risk without introducing additional friction. Data shows that solo test drives have a better influence on buying decisions, but the increased chance of loss prevents many dealers from offering it.
Dealers and service departments can even verify insurance ahead of an appointment through an express check-in process, saving time while eliminating FTC compliance violations and substantially reducing risk.
By ensuring that the customer has their own coverage to rely on, you can focus on providing the optimal experience to push them to take the next step.
How to Upgrade Your Test Drive Process
To provide a seamless test drive experience in 2025, it’s not enough to rely on the traditional processes. Tasking your salespeople with handling every step, from document collection to follow-up, can lead to unnecessary wait times and employee burnout.
Instead, digitizing administrative work ensures that your sales team saves their time and energy for more in-depth conversations about the customer’s needs and preferences. That’s why many dealers are starting to use CheckMy Driver to complete ID and insurance verification ahead of each test drive.
With CheckMy Driver, customers can digitally verify their insurance in minutes by simply scanning a QR code and entering their credentials into the application.
Or, if the dealership offers online test drive registration, they can also provide a link to complete verification from home.
Not only does this provide a seamless experience for the customer, but it can also equip your sales team with key information they can leverage to close the deal. With the tool’s Driver Insights feature, the dealer can view in-depth driver details, including claim history and other vehicles on the policy. This can help them sort customers by risk level, offer more targeted advice, and overall provide a more personalized experience.
Revamp Your Test Drives in 2025
Ready to provide more seamless and memorable test drives this year? Talk to our team about how CheckMy Driver can work for your dealership.
