How to Test-Drive Car Technology

Photo: Julia Kozlov | E+ via Getty Images

According to a recent J.D. Power report, in-car technology and its related software have become a major pain point for car owners today. This is why it's important for car buyers to test it as they would the driving aspects of a car. It can mean the difference between loving and hating a car. The fact that each car manufacturer has its own approach to technology, sometimes with multiple variations within a single brand, means that selecting the right car can be intimidating at best or overwhelming at worst. Luckily, there's a solution to this tech conundrum, and we call it a "tech test drive."

What's a technology test drive?

A tech test drive is kind of like the typical test drive you'd take with a vehicle, where you experience what it's like to drive on city streets and highways, but this one can be done without the vehicle moving at all. A tech test drive will have you going through the process of changing settings in the car’s infotainment system, pairing your telephone via Bluetooth, and more. It's also a great test for your potential salesman or saleswoman.

Basic requirements

For the best test drive of a new car's technology systems, you want ample time with the car, its electronics, and the smartphones you want to connect. You want to make decisions in a quiet, relaxed environment. While the right car salesperson can be a great asset in making technology choices, you want to avoid uninformed or overly intrusive dealership staff who can try to hurry you or give you incorrect information.

During your tech test drive, your top priority will be to check whether the features of your potential purchase's infotainment system are easy to use and compatible with your smartphone. Given that smartphones generally fall into one of two camps these days — Apple or Android — the odds are good that your potential new car will be happy to partner up with your phone. This is especially true if the car comes equipped with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Most vehicles in the U.S. market in 2025 have both; some still only have one or the other, while others, like General Motors, have eliminated it altogether.

Tips for setting up your tech test drive

Much of the time, getting the right salesperson who will let you take the time you need with a car can be a random lottery if you’re just walking onto the lot. If you want to increase your chances of success, here's how we’d suggest you go about getting the time you need and the right conditions to evaluate a car's technology.

Call or email the dealership's internet sales department and schedule a tech test drive. The internet staff is used to dealing with more informed shoppers and will be more likely to offer a relaxed sales environment for your test drive. Also, when it comes to making a deal, the internet department can often offer lower prices and less need for negotiation.
Ask for an appointment to drive exactly the car you want to buy, not a vehicle of a similar trim level or model. Make it clear that you want to verify that you're comfortable and familiar with the car's electronics before making a decision on whether to buy the car.
Be sure you have access to the car's owner's manual. Owner's manuals aren't always at hand in cars on the dealer's lot, so make sure the car you test-drive has a manual for reference. With most cars these days, you will likely be able to figure everything out without a manual, but it's good to have it just in case. Read through it with an eye toward the connectivity issues you care about. You also might be able to find the manual online.
The night before your appointment, try to find videos on sites like YouTube that go over the features of the car you’re looking at. Most journalists understand how important these kinds of tech features are to buyers and are keen to point them out. Such videos can give you a better idea of what to look at.
Take the car overnight if the dealership allows it. If you can get an overnight test drive, you will be better able to experiment with the car's infotainment displays in day and night conditions. If an overnight test drive isn't possible, at least get access to the car for a couple of hours. A longer test drive will let you relax and concentrate on becoming familiar with the car's technology and connecting your phone or music player to the vehicle.
If you are limited to a couple of hours for testing, politely tell the salesperson to give you some time alone in the car. This may be hard to do since car salespeople are often told by their managers to stick close to potential buyers. Sometimes they're fearful about other salespeople stealing their customers. Nevertheless, seek out a quiet corner of the car lot and assure the salesperson you will be in contact as soon as you are done.

Items to look for while going over the car's tech

Does your potential car have physical buttons or knobs for commonly used features, or do you have to use the touchscreen for everything?
How easy is it for you to locate the items you use frequently? Are they buried in menus, or does the car's infotainment system provide shortcuts to these features?
How intuitive is the climate control system? Does it require a lot of fiddling with, or can you simply set it and forget it? Are the various features clearly labeled and easy to understand?
If the car has an AI assistant, can it understand your voice? Do you know what commands to tell it?
For audiophiles, how does the audio system sound? If music is important to you, ask to try models with both the standard stereo and the upgraded stereo, so you can decide if it's worth the upcharge.
Is the operating system responsive? Is there a noticeable lag between pushing a button and things happening, or does the system respond quickly to your inputs? You might be surprised how annoying or distracting a slow infotainment system can be.
Does the system offer the ability to set profiles for different drivers? If the car is used regularly by multiple people, this can save a significant amount of time spent adjusting settings and preferences.
Make sure your phone works with the car's wireless charger, if equipped. It's not uncommon for phones to be very particular about their orientation on the charger, your phone's case to potentially interfere with charging, and so on.

General tips

Verify any big claims the salesperson might make during the testing process. When salespeople are eager to close a sale, they might make general promises about the car's technology and connectivity. It's wise to verify the car's technology and your devices' integration and functionality for yourself.
If the salesperson doesn't seem particularly informed or is uninterested in car technology, ask if there's a tech specialist on hand. Increasingly, dealerships have a designated tech consultant or delivery team member to help customers with connectivity issues. Many of these specialists are quite knowledgeable and might be able to answer your questions and show you how to connect and use your portable devices. However, it's important to have them use your phone for the demonstration rather than just answering questions or showing you how their devices work. If you decide on a different car, make sure to delete your profile before leaving the dealership.
Don't be afraid to ask the salesperson to check with their manager if they deny your requests. If you wind up with a salesperson who won't give you the room or time you need for a tech test drive and won't let you take the car off the lot alone, you can always go to the sales manager and ask for a different salesperson.
Don’t be afraid to take your business elsewhere if the dealership won’t work with you on this.