00:00 - OPEN - Start Your Next Used Car Search 3-5 Years Early

It may seem crazy to start researching a used car or truck today that you won't actually buy until a few years from now, but in my twisted logic sort of way this actually makes sense, and I believe it will be fun for you.

00:55 - This Isn't Just Some Dumb Idea... It's Also Fun!

I call this idea the 'pre-used car test drive', but you know it by it's more common name - the 'new car test drive'. That's right, I'm suggesting you test drive new cars now in anticipation of possibly buying them used three to five (or more) years from now. Sounds fun, right? However, it's important that you do this correctly or you could end up experiencing a 'pre-used car test drive failure', more commonly known as a 'new car purchase'.

You do not want to test drive a possible future used car and end up buying it as a new car today. That would defeat one of the main reasons to buy used cars, which is to save money by avoiding both exorbitant new car prices and their evil post-purchase relative, depreciation.

02:00 - What To Keep In Mind for a Successful Pre-Used Car Test Drive

Start with the right mindset: It's just a test drive, not a purchase.

Remember that you're just going to test drive a new car... not buy it. Your singular mission in this is to take a test drive, pay attention to what you like and what you don't about the vehicle now so you can review that information in the future, take specific notes afterwards (or record thoughts to video using your phone) and, most of all, have fun with this!

Be Certain You Fit The New Car Shopper Profile

When you walk in and ask to go for a test drive, you want to be certain the dealership personnel think you're a serious prospect. Go in feeling confident so you look confident. That also means dressing for the part - don't be overdressed or underdressed.

Drive To The Dealership In A Car They Might Want On Trade

Even though you are not buying or trading in a car today, if possible, it's still important to drive to the dealership in something that they might want to take as a trade-in vehicle. Why? It makes you look more like a serious buyer.

Also, at a time when new vehicles (and test drives) are in short supply, if two people arrive at the dealership at the same time, who will get to test drive the only available car first? Will it be the dude in a faded t-shirt and flip-flops driving a rusty Chevy Cavalier? Or will it be the nicely dressed woman in the clean, straight Infiniti FX35? Hmmm... I wonder?

So what would be a desirable trade-in vehicle? Three to five-year old vehicles of just about any kind are popular trades, but really anything in the last 10 years (and even older) in good to excellent condition is probably welcome since used cars are currently in short supply and dealers can potentially make a lot of money on trade-ins.

Make Sure You Do Your Homework Before The Test Drive

Even though this is a test drive of a particular car, truck or SUV years before you may actually purchase it, that doesn't mean you shouldn't ask questions about features that are important to you. And the only way to know what to ask is to do some research beforehand by checking out automotive magazine reviews, web reviews, manufacturer brochures, and other information sources.

For example, I typically want to know what safety systems are on a vehicle and whether they are so intrusive that they might interfere with the joy of driving. I also want to know how to deactivate those systems (if possible).

Those are questions I like to ask on a test drive so I can discover first hand if those features can be deactivated using a button, a touch screen interface or in some other manner.

Know What Other Vehicles You Might Cross-Shop

Again, you are not buying a car, but the sales person will probably ask you what other cars you are looking at. Using a Volkswagen GTi as an example, I mentioned two other cars as possible cross-shopping targets: the Mini Cooper S and the Hyundai Veloster N. Those are real vehicles that one might cross-shop when looking at a GTi, so when the test drive is over and the sales person asks, "Are you ready to buy?", I can legitimately say, "No" because I still need to test drive those two other cars before making a decision.

Take A Really Long Test Drive

You want to drive that new car in a variety of situations and road conditions. To do that you should seek out a combination of city streets, suburban areas, a winding road (to check handling) and a nearby stretch of freeway. You want to feel how quickly the car gets up to speed, check for blind spots, test the brakes and make sure the car meets your requirements for sound levels and comfort.

Also, be sure to do a long test drive. A short drive around the block doesn't tell you much, so drive that vehicle for 30-minutes to an hour minimum, and if the dealer will let you, drive it even longer. That's the only way you will know whether that car might be right for future you. Plus, if you determine now that it is NOT what you want, then you can cross it off your list of potential used cars to buy in the future.

Write Down or Record Your Impressions

Memory is a funny thing and it's easy to forget the details of a test drive so write down your thoughts immediately after the test drive. You can also use your phone to record a short video of your impressions of the vehicle. If you go on the test drive with a friend, have them record you during the drive so you can capture what you were thinking in real time. Those direct impressions of the car from "previous you" will be invaluable in a few years when "future you" may actually be ready to purchase that vehicle.

09:55 - Which Car, Truck or SUV Should You Test Drive?

That's a great question and only you can answer it. But I did mention a few new vehicles that I'm interested in that you might find desirable too.

10:20 - Three New Sports Cars Worth Checking Out

The 2023 Nissan Z

This new version of Nissan's Z car returns after a short hiatus with a 400-horsepower 3.0-liter twin turbocharged V6 engine. Available with a manual transmission, this sports legend, with styling cues reminiscent of the original 240Z and other iterations, should be fun for drivers, both on the road or the track.

The 2023 Toyota GR Corolla

While some may complain that this isn't the direct rally homologation special (that would be the GR Yaris sold in Europe and Japan, not here), the GR Corolla should provide similar rally-like driving thrills for lucky owners and personally I am happy Toyota made it available here in the US. It features a 1.6-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged engine that makes 300-horsepower and 273-lb.ft. of torque. Shift-your-own-types will love the 6-speed manual transmission mated to a sophisticated all-wheel drive system that allows the driver to vary the percentage of torque sent to the front and rear axle with the twist of a dial. Very cool.

The Toyobaru Twins: 2022 Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ

The joint-venture first-generation versions of the Toyota GR86 (also sold early-on as the Scion FRS) and the Subaru BRZ sports cars were fantastic driver-oriented vehicles praised for their excellent handling. However they were left wanting a bit when it came to power.

That is solved in these new for 2022 second-generation versions. A 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine replaces the previous 2.0-liter and now makes 228-horsepower and 184-lb.ft. of torque (up 23-horsepower and 28-lb.ft of torque compared to the earlier engine).

While both cars have virtually the same body panels, interiors and suspension pieces, there are still differences between the two, so it's worth test driving each to discover any subtle (or not so subtle) variations in the way they look, handle and drive.

14:50 - SUVs and Trucks

The 2021 and later 6th Generation Ford Bronco

The general consensus through various reviews and commentary on the new Bronco is that it's great, both on road and off, but there is still nothing like a long test drive to confirm how it would work as a daily driver. If I owned one, I probably would not drive it 7-days a week, but I would want to know if it could pull daily duty if necessary. I would also want my wife to get some seat time in the Bronco to see if she would feel comfortable driving it.

The 2023 Mazda CX50

In spite of my later rant against there being too many crossovers and not enough wagons, this handsome new crossover SUV from Mazda looks great inside and out in the launch photos, and if it drives like the typical Mazda, the handling will be above par for these types of vehicles (which is always a good thing in my opinion). I don't know if my wife will still want a vehicle like this when we replace her SUV in a couple of years, but if so, I think this should be on her list as a contender.

The 2022 and later Ford Maverick Pickup

I don't need a full-size pickup, but I'm intrigued with the new Ford Maverick - and so are a lot of people, and that's why the first year production of these trucks is sold out. You might get lucky and find one somewhere, but you'll probably pay way over MSRP to buy it and I frankly would never do that. However, I do think the Maverick will be a great used truck buy in the future once supply catches up with demand.

17:20 - New Cars To Test Drive

The 2022 Honda Civic Si

This is Honda's driver-oriented Civic, and it still comes with a manual transmission, which is mission-critical for me. While it's grown in size, it still makes my list of affordable, fun-to-drive used cars that I might want to own in a few years. I'll take mine in Blazing Orange Pearl, thank you.

2022 Mazda 3

Available in sedan and hatchback form with both normally aspirated and turbocharged engines, along with 2-wheel and all-wheel drive, you can pretty much have your Mazda 3 just about any way you want it. While I like the manual transmission option, I also like the 250-horsepower turbo engine option, but that only comes with an automatic. That is a bit of a conundrum for me, but I would likely still buy the turbo with all-wheel drive, then just enjoy the 3's upscale features and interior while navigating our damp Pacific Northwest roads.

Volkswagen GTi

This latest iteration of the Volkswagen GTi is a long way from the original 90-horsepower version that debuted back in 1983 here in the states. It now makes 241-horsepower and 273-lb.ft of torque (up 13-hp and 15-lb.ft respectively over the previous generation) and with great handling and a hatchback design, the GTi continues to deliver practical performance to driving enthusiasts. I do, however, lament the fact that we can't get a wagon version in the US, although Europe does get a wagon version of the more powerful Golf R (315-horsepower turbo 4-cylinder engine with added all-wheel drive).

Audi S3

The Audi S3 has similar horsepower and torque to the Golf R in a sophisticated sedan configuration. Other than the aforementioned wagon configuration of the Golf R that's not available in the US, this is the perfect daily driver vehicle (in my opinion), once a few years of depreciation have been baked in to its used car price. Of course, I would prefer the RS3, but my beer budget won't accommodate that one!

19:55 - Electric Vehicle Options

Most electric vehicles I want are priced way higher than I'm willing to pay and in reality, the value is just not there compared to lower priced electric vehicles. So what would I look at in the lower price ranges?

Hyundai Ionic 5

Funky, yet attractive styling, combined with solid range and available all-wheel drive at a not-too-insane price make this an interesting EV that I want to check out.

Mustang Mach-E

While I did complain that this is not a "Mustang", I get why they called it one (but it's still not a Mustang!). That said, it's a good looking electric vehicle - better looking than most - and it delivers excellent performance and range for the price. Definitely something I want to test drive, but the jury is still out for me on how EVs (not just the Mach-E, but all EVs) will perform several years down the road after they have 60,000 or 80,000 miles on their battery. Time will tell...

22:00 - Wrap Up

So those are the cars, trucks and SUVs I would consider buying as used vehicles several years from now, but the real question is, what would you want to buy? Great question! Once you figure it out, go test drive some new examples ASAP. It's fun to do a little bit of test-drive window shopping for 'future you' and hopefully it will help you figure out what used cars you might want to buy several years from now.