Enhancing the Test Drive Experience: Strategies for Success in 2025

Test drives are one of the biggest factors in a buyer’s decision. 78% of car buyers say the test drive sealed the deal, and 54% choose to buy from a dealership instead of online because they can test the car first.

A well-structured test drive helps customers move from considering a car to committing to it. It also makes sure that they fully understand the vehicle before making a purchase. Dealerships that focus on test drives see 20% more bookings.

This article covers practical ways for you to improve the test drive experience and turn more potential buyers into paying customers.

How to Increase Test Drive Bookings

Long wait times and poor scheduling frustrate potential buyers. 55% of shoppers had to wait for a test drive, up from 41% the previous year. Slow manual booking systems make things worse, limiting availability and creating inefficiencies for your business. 

Here’s how you can fix it and increase bookings:

SMS & Email Reminders

Automated reminders help minimize last-minute cancellations.

Customers get SMS or email notifications about upcoming test drives and can easily reschedule if needed. BMW saw success with this approach. Its text campaign allowed customers to book a test drive by texting “Drive” to 111222, leading to a 12.5% conversion rate within a month.

Online Booking Systems

Digital scheduling reduces friction and makes test drives more accessible.

Online booking tools streamline operations, cut down scheduling conflicts, and free up your sales teams to focus on closing deals. Integrated with a CRM, these systems also help track leads, personalize follow-ups, and improve sales efforts.

Be sure to leave buffer time between test drive appointments to give each customer a quality experience.

AI-Powered Chatbots

AI-powered chatbots can improve your processes by handling bookings, answering customer questions, and following up on leads—24/7. They can also re-engage past customers with trade-in or upgrade offers so you don’t miss out on potential sales.

Mercedes-Benz Middle East successfully implemented this strategy by launching a bilingual Facebook Messenger chatbot that assisted customers in both English and Arabic. 

The chatbot helped users explore the full range of Mercedes-Benz models, instantly book test drives, and even recommended vehicles based on their personalities and preferences.

Self-Serve Test Drives

Giving customers more control over the test drive process can increase bookings and improve the overall experience. Many buyers hesitate to schedule test drives due to time constraints, long wait times, or the hassle of coordinating with sales staff. 

A self-serve model removes these barriers by allowing customers to book a test drive on their terms.

Tesla has successfully implemented this strategy, expanding its self-serve test drive program to over 160 locations across Europe and the Middle East. 

Customers can book a test drive online in less than a minute. Once scheduled, they receive an email with key details and a follow-up call from a Tesla advisor to confirm the appointment.

Psychological Triggers to Encourage More Test Drives

Here’s how you can tap into psychological triggers to motivate buyers to take action:

• Scarcity & Urgency: Limited-time test drive offers push customers to act fast. Toyota uses this strategy by promoting short-term deals on popular models and highlighting the limited availability of certain trims or colors. This creates a sense of competition, making buyers less likely to delay their decision.
• Countdown Timers: Adding countdown timers to your website, emails, or ads can make customers feel the pressure of a closing window without booking a test drive.
• Social Proof: Real testimonials, video reviews, and live updates on recent test drive bookings build credibility. Stellantis brands use social proof galleries on their website, showing potential buyers that others are actively booking test drives—making them more likely to do the same.
• Personalized Incentives: A survey by eBay Motor Group found that buyers are more likely to schedule a test drive if special offers or extended test drive periods are available. Offering exclusive perks—such as priority access to high-demand models or longer test drive durations—can turn interest into action.

Limitations of the Manual Booking Mechanism

Here are a few limitations of the manual booking mechanism: 

• Slow and inefficient: Due to the manual scheduling of test drives, customers often face delays due to back-and-forth coordination, limited time slots, and vehicle availability issues.
• Struggle with resource management: The Staff must handle scheduling, vehicle preparation, and customer coordination, which takes time away from sales efforts.
• Lack of flexibility: Customers have to visit the dealership during business hours, often leading to missed opportunities for those with tight schedules.
• Difficult in Tracking: Manual records don’t capture useful data on customer interests, test drive history, or feedback, making follow-ups less effective.

Creating a Seamless On-Site Test Drive Experience

A smooth test drive process can turn interest into a sale. Polestar runs around 1,000 test drives per month in the UK, showing how demand is growing. To meet customer expectations, you need to make the experience easy, personalized, and informative. 

Here are a few things that customers expect from a modern test drive:

• Frictionless Check-In: Long paperwork and rushed test drives hurt the experience. Spacing out appointments properly allows customers more time behind the wheel, helping them fully assess the car’s comfort, features, and performance.
• Personalized Test Drive Matches: Matching customers with the right car makes a difference. Porsche Bellevue allows test drive bookings by model and color, allowing the buyers to get behind the wheel of the exact car they’re interested in. This approach boosts engagement and increases the likelihood of a sale.
• Educating Without Pressure: Customers want insights, not a sales pitch. Start with a brief pre-drive overview covering key features like safety, infotainment, and fuel efficiency. During the drive, encourage buyers to explore these features naturally. Afterward, summarize the car’s standout qualities and outline the next steps without pressure.

Enhancing the In-Car Experience

A test drive should give buyers a clear feel for the car’s performance, comfort, and features. A structured approach helps them make informed decisions.

Test Drive Route Optimization

The route should be planned to showcase the car’s strengths—whether it’s acceleration on highways, smooth handling on turns, or city driving convenience. Letting customers know why a route was chosen helps them focus on what matters.

For an even more realistic evaluation, offering solo test drives can make a big difference. Nearly 33% of buyers prefer driving alone, as it allows them to experience the car in their daily routine—commuting, running errands, and getting feedback from family. 

Providing a designated space for free driving or allowing extended solo test drives gives customers a better feel for the car.

Time Consideration

A short test drive may not be enough for buyers to assess a vehicle properly. One in five shoppers prefers test drives longer than two hours, and two-thirds prefer drives between 15 minutes and two hours. 

Offering flexible test drive durations gives them the time to evaluate the car, involve family and friends, and make a confident decision.

Interactive Technology

Virtual test drives allow customers to explore a car remotely, testing its handling, features, and performance in different conditions. 

Dealerships integrating AR/VR and AI-driven technologies can attract more buyers and provide a modern, flexible way to test vehicles.

Here’s how interactive technology is transforming test drives:

• Mixed Reality Test Drives: Volvo and Varjo’s system overlays virtual elements onto real-world driving, allowing customers to experience advanced features in real-time.
• AI-Powered Personalization: Nissan Re-Defining Test Drives refines the car-buying experience using artificial intelligence. Customers can preview their future life behind the wheel of the latest Nissan models, with AI generating a customized video of them driving their selected car in their chosen attire. 
• Virtual Test Drives: Customers can test-drive a car from home using AR/VR, experiencing different road conditions, terrains, and features before visiting the dealership.

Turning Test Drives into Sales

By tracking some of these key data points and refining the process, you can improve conversion rates and increase sales: 

Track the Right Metrics

Understanding how test drives impact sales starts with measuring the right data. Key metrics include:

• Booking Rate: How many visitors schedule a test drive
• Completion Rate: The percentage of scheduled test drives that actually happen
• Time-to-Purchase: How long it takes for a test driver to make a buying decision
• Test Drive Conversion Rate: The percentage of test drives that lead to a sale.

A high conversion rate suggests the test drive process is effective, while a low rate may indicate areas that need improvement, such as refining landing pages, CTAs, or follow-up strategies.

Use Customer Feedback to Improve the Experience

Insights from customers can help fine-tune the test drive process. You can collect feedback on:

• Vehicle performance, comfort, and features to understand what matters most to buyers.
• Pain points in the test drive journey, such as wait times, lack of availability, or unclear next steps.
• Opportunities to personalize follow-ups based on customer interests and preferences.

Leverage CRM & Data Analytics

Digital tools can track customer interactions, preferences, and purchase intent throughout the test drive journey. CRM systems and data analytics can help your business identify trends, refine outreach, and create targeted follow-ups that increase the likelihood of a sale.

Key Takeaways & Next Steps

A well-structured test drive boosts bookings and increases sales. 

Here’s how to refine the process:

• Simplify scheduling with online booking, AI chatbots, and automated reminders to reduce friction.
• Create urgency with limited-time offers and social proof to drive immediate action.
• Make test drives seamless by reducing wait times, personalizing car matches, and allowing solo test drives.
• Use interactive technology like AR/VR and AI personalization to improve the experience.
• Track key metrics such as conversion rates and customer feedback to optimize results.

Next Steps

• Automate your booking system to improve efficiency.
• Introduce self-serve and solo test drives to match buyer preferences.
• Leverage AI and CRM tools for personalized follow-ups.

Limelight makes it easy to track data, personalize experiences, and improve test drive conversions. Book a demo now!