The test drive is the moment when the buyer checks the car with their own senses. The methodology turns it into a process with preparation, structure and measurement.

What the data shows about the role of the test drive

The most direct measurement is the CDK Global survey from spring 2024 among 1,048 new car buyers in the USA. Of these, 78% say the test drive alone convinced them of the car they bought. For 54%, the opportunity to test drive is the main reason to choose a dealership instead of buying online. Another 35% chose a specific dealership because they could drive that exact car. This reason ranked ahead of the dealership’s location.

The same survey also compares how the drive was conducted. The difference between driving with an employee and driving alone is 4 percentage points. The value is higher for a test drive with a loaner car.

The time spent driving is short compared to the whole visit. According to an appendix to the 2024 Cox Automotive and Autotrader study among 2,310 buyers, the total test drive time is 27 minutes, while the time at the dealership of purchase is 2 hours and 54 minutes. By our calculation, the test drive takes up about 16% of the visit. The rest of the time is for conversation, paperwork and negotiations, so the structure of these 27 minutes carries weight.

An older Cox study from 2017 adds another detail: 55% of buyers drive only one car, the one they end up buying. When the buyer has driven only one car, the preparation of that specific car is the entire test drive.

The Bulgarian context: why the question is relevant now

According to Ministry of Interior data, in September 2026 Chinese brands accounted for 751 of 4,773 new registrations, or 15.7%. From January to September they were 4,413 of 44,265, or 10%. Among them are Forthing with 804 registrations since the beginning of the year, Dongfeng with 746, Geely with 678, MG with 466, GWM with 433 and BYD with 376.

The growing share of Chinese brands means that some buyers are considering a car from a brand they have no personal experience with for the first time. This is our conclusion from the data, not measured behavior. For such a buyer, the test drive is the first opportunity to check the car with their own senses and get answers to questions the specification does not answer.

Bulgarian data on the share of buyers who take a test drive and on its conversion into a sale has not been publicly measured.

A six-phase methodology

Phase 1: request and confirmation

Online booking is not the main channel even in the USA, where 8 percent of buyers booked a test drive online, and 10 percent for new cars. Requests come by phone, through a form, by email and in messages, so the standard is the same for these channels. The request is confirmed within the working day.

The exact version is also clarified. In the CDK survey, only 7% of buyers bought a different car in stock from the one they originally wanted. This is an argument for the engine and equipment of the test drive car to match the version sought.

Phase 2: preparing the car and the route

The car is clean, fueled or charged and has its screen set up. The customer’s phone pairs in minutes, so pairing is tested in advance. The route includes a city section, a less busy road and a chance to park. Its length is 25 to 30 minutes, within the average 27 minutes from the American study.

The appointment is 45 to 60 minutes, to leave room for the introduction and for a conversation after the drive. An Autotrader expert recommends at least 45 minutes when the customer needs to evaluate the car’s technology.

Phase 3: the drive itself

The first five minutes are for adjusting the seat, mirrors and climate control and pairing the phone. The salesperson explains only what is needed to set off safely. During the drive, they show two or three features related to the answers from Phase 1. A full review of the equipment is not the goal of these minutes.

Phase 4: return and conversation at the car

The conversation starts next to the car, before the customer enters the office. Three questions are enough: what they liked, what remained unclear and what needs to happen for them to make a decision. The answers to the third question determine the next step. The next step has a date. It can be an offer, a monthly payment calculation, a valuation of the current car or an extended test drive.

Phase 5: follow-up contact

On the day of the test drive, the customer receives a message with the answer to whatever remained unclear, together with the offer if one was agreed. Three to five days later, there is one specific contact about the agreed next step. These time frames are a starting point for the pilot, not a proven schedule.

Phase 6: recording the result

The test drive is recorded in the CRM: date, model and version, consultant, driving time, with or without an employee, answers to the three questions, next step and result. Without this record, conversion cannot be linked to the way the test drive was conducted.

How to measure test drive conversion

Questions and answers