The test drive begins with your initial encounter with the vehicle rather than the drive itself. Consider these questions:

Is the car easy to get in and out of? How about the back seat? Who will have to sit back there and will they be comfortable? Two-door vehicles sometimes require an adult to be a contortionist to get into the back seat. If your rear passenger will be a small child, check to see if the vehicle offers an integrated child seat. Can you get your infant car seat in and out? Can you lift a sleeping child out of the seat? You'll quickly see why two-door sporty cars and trucks don't make good family cars.

Will the door handles catch and break your nails? If you're in a cold climate, can you open them with gloves or mittens? How heavy are the doors? Can you open them with one hand while juggling a grocery bag in the other? How about trunk accessibility? Some trunks are very deep, or have high sills, forcing you to lift items over the back end of the car and down. Because of this, it can be a strain to put things in and take them out of the trunk. How about the trunk's size? Will it hold those golf bags you tote every weekend? Does the rear seat fold down for long item hauling?

Will the driver's seat adjust to fit YOU? (Cars are NOT "one size fits all.") Even after adjusting, is the seat so high from the floor that it presses against the back of your knees cutting off the circulation in your legs? Conversely, is it so close to the floor that you can't see out the windshield? (If you can, buy power-adjustable seats -- at least for the driver. They offer a more accurate fit). Are you at least 10" away from the steering wheel air bag?

Will the seat be comfortable on a long haul? Does the shape of the back make it difficult for you to turn around to discipline the kids? How about the seat belt? Is it comfortable, or does it hit you in a bad spot, crush your breast or rub your neck? Many vehicles have an adjustable seat belt mount for driver and front passenger.

How about the pedals? Is the clutch on a manual transmission car easy to use? Is the brake close enough to the gas pedal to slip on and off readily? (Short people can benefit from a device called the "pedal extender." Ask the dealer about it, or go to an "after market" auto accessory store).

How about visibility? Does the vehicle give you a broad panorama of the road? Because of the structural design of some vehicles, there may be significant blind spots affecting overall visibility, especially "over-the-shoulder." Your physical height determines whether or not these blind spots are a hazard.

Can you see the gauges on the dashboard with a quick glance? Does the steering wheel, in its proper position, obstruct anything? Can the wheel adjust to fit the usual drivers? Besides the speedometer, you really need to be able to read the gauges (temperature, fuel, oil) while driving. If the vehicle you're considering requires serious shifting, be sure to check the visibility of the tachometer.

Can you easily reach the sound system controls? Many cars are placing the radio above the heater controls, knowing it is accessed far more frequently. A frantic search for the channel knob can have fatal results. Are the markings easy to read? Also, are those knobs or buttons easy on a woman driver's nails? In some automaker design studios, male engineers are required to paste on fake nails or paper clips (as Cadillac did) when testing the controls.

The test drive should determine whether or not the car is able to handle YOUR driving style on the roads YOU drive. Be sure that you drive the vehicle for a long enough period of time to make a good assessment, and that the test drive is on terrain of your choice. Shoot for at least 20 minutes in any car you are seriously considering. If you need to drive it more than once to make a decision, do so. You can even go to a second dealership if you wish.

A talkative salesperson may get in the way of your analysis when you're taking your test drive. DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK THEM TO BE QUIET WHILE YOU TEST THE CAR. You can say something like, "let's not talk for a minute, so I can listen to the engine." Be sure you get the test drive YOU want. A quick spin around the block is not a test drive.

Here's a list of what to do during the test drive:

1. Take it on the freeway. How well does it merge into traffic?

2. On a quiet street or in any empty parking lot, brake and steer hard at the same time to see how well the car will handle in an emergency and what the Antilock brakes feel like when engaged.

3. Drive it where you live. Does it turn sharply enough for your driveway? Does it scrape? Will it fit into your garage. What is the turning radius? Can you flip a U-turn when you need to without backing up?

4. Air conditioning takes a lot of power from the car and it can hide sounds the car may be making. Be sure your test drive includes a couple minutes with and without the A/C turned on to both test the power drain and to listen to the car. The same goes for the "incredible" stereo the salesperson is trying to have you listen to. Make sure you try the heater, especially at the beginning to see how long it takes to put out heat.

5. Parallel park the car. Does it handle this maneuver well? Is the power steering light and responsive?

6. Feel where the gears shift in cars with automatic transmission. If a manual, does the clutch engage too high or too low - each may indicate wear or a problem. Is the shifter precise and not "notchy?"

7. Does the car lag (respond slowly) when you stand on the gas. This indicates that the car may not have enough power (too few horsepower) for your safety needs, such as getting on the freeway. However, remember that cars can be revved much higher than you may be used to, and a bit of lag is normal in a car with a Turbo Charged engine.

8. Drive in traffic. Look through the mirrors and see where the blind spots are in the car. Are the blind spots too large or too many for your comfort?

9. Take a photo of the car, if you plan to test drive a lot of them, so you can remember which make and model was which. (Remember that this will be a dead giveaway that you are shopping and not ready to buy).

After the test drive and before the salesperson has a chance to inundate you with questions and divert your attention, pull out your notebook or test drive form and make careful and complete notes about how the car handled, how confident you felt behind the wheel, how comfortable you were, what the car sounded like and so on.

Take a break from the salesperson while you're making these notes. Sit in the lobby. Get a cup of coffee or a soda. Don't let anyone interrupt your thoughts or pressure you. Your notes need to be as complete as possible. It's easy to be confused after you've driven several cars and you want to be sure you buy the one that's right for you.

If you are considering a used car without a warranty, it is especially crucial to pay the modest cost and have an independent mechanic check it out.

Good luck, and happy motoring!