A test drive is the driving of an automobile to assess its drivability, or roadworthiness, and general operating state. A person who tests vehicles for a living, either for an automobile company, automotive media for review purposes, or a motorsports team, is called a test driver.
The first test drives of a new production vehicle are made by mainstream automobile magazines and other third parties (not customers) for evaluation for the first time. Test drives are also usually allowed by vehicle traders or manufacturers to enable prospective customers to determine the suitability of the vehicle to their driving style. Test drives can also be taken before vehicle repairs to assist in diagnosis or after repair works to ensure that the vehicle has been fully restored.
In a broader sense, "test drive" can be used to refer to the testing of anything, such as a computer program, an idea or process, a pair of shoes, etc.
Famous quotes containing the words test and/or drive:
“The first reading of a Will, where a person dies worth anything considerable, generally affords a true test of the relations’ love to the deceased.”
—Samuel Richardson (1689–1761)
“Certainly, words can be as abusive as any blow. . . . When a three-year-old yells, “You’re so stupid! What a dummy!” it doesn’t carry the same weight as when a mother yells those words to a child. . . . Even if you don’t physically abuse young children, you can still drive them nuts with your words.”
—Mary Kay Blakely (20th century)