Here is the most important part of car shopping – the test drive. Chances are you’ll be experiencing a mix of excitement, awe, fervent enthusiasm and hope that this might be The One, something like going on a first date.

There are lots of things you need to look out for during a short test drive. If you’re considering a few vehicles, it’s a good idea to test-drive them back to back so that each experience is fresh in your mind.

It's easy to get distracted by the gadgets in the car and the alluring “new car smell”, but whatever your feelings, keep your wits and common sense about you, because you need to analyse the car’s performance critically. You can always get the salesperson to demonstrate all the features back at the showroom.

Make sure you’re driving the exact model of the car you’re planning to buy. You can’t try out a 1.6-litre version to judge a 1.8-litre car or vice versa.

Here are some things that you should be looking out for during the test drive:

Check how easily you can see traffic all around you. There will be differences in visibility while reversing and the positions of blind spots in a sedan, an MPV and a hatchback.

Turn off the radio to listen to the level of wind, road or engine noise within the vehicle. You can access the stereo system later.

Check to see if the gauges and controls for the wipers, radio, lights and air-conditioning are easy to read and within the driver’s easy reach. Some cars let you adjust the brightness of the illumination of the gauges on the dashboard.

Get a feel of how the car accelerates both gradually and quickly. Does the engine idle quietly when the car is not moving? Does it vibrate violently when you turn the engine on and off? If it's an automatic car, do the gears change smoothly and without hesitation? Does it provide enough power when you need it? Is it a struggle going up steep slopes?

The steering should feel responsive. There shouldn’t be any vibration and you shouldn’t feel the car pulling in a particular direction. The car should also feel grounded while cornering. Try to parallel park the car to see if you can manoeuvre in tight spaces.

Feel the accelerator, brake and clutch (for manual cars) pedals to see if they are responsive and firm. Without putting yourself in a dangerous situation, apply the brakes both gently and abruptly to see how the steering feels and how the brakes respond. This is a chance to test the anti-lock braking and brake assist systems.

Sound System

If you intend to use the factory fitted sound system, bring along your own CDs to test it out.