Remote car buying — completing the research, negotiation, and financing entirely online and having the vehicle delivered — has become increasingly common. Some buyers purchase vehicles they've never driven based on reviews, research, and video walkthroughs alone. Is that reasonable?
The answer depends on the vehicle, the buyer's experience, and how comfortable they are with the return policies of the platform or dealer they're working with.
When skipping the test drive is reasonable
Buying the same model you already own or have driven extensively. If you're replacing a vehicle you've driven for four years with the same model and generation, you know the car. A test drive isn't going to reveal anything new.
Buying a model you've driven recently in another context (rental, friend's car, dealer test drive of the same model elsewhere). If you drove a Honda CR-V at one dealership and are buying one from another dealer 300 miles away, the experience won't be materially different.
Platforms like Carvana, Carmax, and Tesla have no-questions-asked return windows (7 days/250 miles, typically). If the vehicle isn't what you expected, you can return it. That policy effectively substitutes for the pre-purchase test drive for buyers who are uncertain.
When you should not skip the test drive
Buying a model or brand you've never driven. Driving impressions vary dramatically across vehicles — ride quality, noise levels, visibility, seating position. A car you loved in reviews may not suit you in person. A new model from an unfamiliar brand warrants a test drive.
Buying an EV for the first time. EVs drive differently from combustion vehicles: instant torque delivery, regenerative braking, different acoustics. First-time EV buyers should drive before buying.
Any vehicle with known ergonomic variation (sports cars with low seating positions, trucks with high seating positions, vehicles with unconventional cockpits). These are worth experiencing before committing.
How to do a proxy test drive
If you're buying remotely but want the test drive experience, rent the same model through a rental service. Turo, Hertz Dream Cars, and some dealers offer short-term rentals of specific models. Spending $100–$200 on a 24-hour rental of your target vehicle is a reasonable investment before a $30,000+ purchase.
Some dealers will also accommodate a test drive at a different location — you test-drive at a local dealer who has the same model, then buy from the dealer who has the best deal, even if that dealer is far away.