Test drives increase sales
Cooper Solutions encourages dealers to recognise the power of a test drive as new research from What Car? reveals more consumers expect to test drive more than two models the next time they buy a car.
Nearly 32% of car buyers surveyed by Cooper Solutions said that an extended test drive would increase the chances of them ‘falling in love’ with the vehicle they were test driving. Despite this, data from Cooper Solutions shows the average test drive offered by dealers lasts just 46 minutes.
What Car? believes that the rise in choice and popularity of electric or hybrid vehicles will increase demand for test drives of these vehicles, but that it will be a new experience for millions of drivers and they will want to understand what they are buying.
This is supported by the findings of the Cooper Solutions survey that revealed 1 in 4 car buyers like to test a car to make sure it fits their lifestyle, which is more important if a customer is considering switching from a petrol or diesel vehicle to an electric or hybrid model.
The study also shows that the test drive is more likely to seal the deal, with 43% of buyers saying they would use an extended test drive as an opportunity to show off a potential purchase to friends and family to gauge their opinion and 89% admitted that a positive response from loved ones would likely finalise their decision.
