About Test Drive Reviews

This blog features quite a few test drive reviews of Porsche and other brands, so it might seem odd coming from us, but I’ve always thought that you shouldn’t take test drive reviews too literally.

The reason is that a single test drive review only reveals one aspect of the car.

Even when driving the same car, some say the ride is stiff, while others say it’s smooth. Some feel it has just the right amount of power, while others find the power lacking.

It’s quite common for the same car to receive completely opposite evaluations.

This doesn’t mean those reviewers are wrong or lying; rather, due to differences in perception and subtle changes in the car itself, the evaluation can vary greatly even when driving the same car.

So, I decided to reflect a bit on this topic today.

Because Everyone Has Different Preferences

Everyone has their likes and dislikes. I have a sweet tooth, so I might think, “This bakery’s cake is amazing!”, but my mother might say, “It’s too sweet for me to eat.” This kind of thing happens all the time (laughs).

The same applies to cars. People who love Porsche will naturally be Porsche fans, those who prefer Toyota will favor Toyota, and beyond brands, it’s only natural that people view things subjectively.

So even when driving the same car, perceptions and impressions can differ greatly.

Because Everyone Drives Different Cars Daily

People’s daily cars vary widely. Domestic cars, imports, sports cars, sedans, SUVs, compacts — all kinds. The feel of the car you usually drive seeps into your body without you realizing it and often becomes your benchmark, so your impressions and evaluations will differ when you test drive another car.

For example, if you usually drive a relatively luxurious sedan, the raw 911 might feel very stiff. On the other hand, if you’re used to a sports-tuned car with a firm suspension, you might find the raw 911 surprisingly supple.

A similar example: I want to share a story about the Golf 7 we once had. Both my wife and I constantly praised it, saying, “The Golf has great ride comfort and drives really well — it’s a fantastic car.” But after test driving the new Cayenne, whose ride was incredibly smooth, getting back into the Golf 7 felt rough and coarse, and the ride seemed very uncomfortable.

However, after some time passed and we forgot the Cayenne’s ride, we found ourselves thinking, “Actually, the Golf’s ride is pretty good.”

That experience made me realize how much a person’s perception changes depending on the car they usually drive or the one they just drove.

Because Even the Same Car’s Feel Changes with Specs and Mileage

This is often said, but the tires a car wears make a huge difference. My husband was amazed at how different the driving and ride comfort felt when he switched the Boxster’s tires from Goodyear to Michelin. Even tire pressure can affect the feel.

Also, even within the same model, specs and options can greatly change the driving and ride experience. For Porsche, whether it has PASM, PDCC, or PCCB affects ride comfort, and adding a sports exhaust significantly changes the engine sound.

Especially with Porsche, it’s said that mileage changes the feel. The difference between 300 km and 30,000 km can be huge in terms of suppleness, how the engine settles in, and even the engine sound.

So even if two people, A and B, test drive the same model, they’re not driving exactly the same car, so it’s natural their evaluations differ.

Gather Info from Multiple Reviews

Returning to what I said at the start, I think it’s very important to remember that one review doesn’t tell the whole story. So if you’re interested in a model, it’s best to read many reviews from different people to gather information. Of course, the best is to test drive yourself, but that’s not always possible with limited editions.

My husband also comments on how much evaluations differ between people even for the same car:

“Honestly, evaluations vary so much from person to person. That’s why I constantly watch every review I can find from around the world, both domestic and international, on articles and YouTube. Some share exactly my impressions, while others make me think, ‘Wait, you see it that way?’ — it’s really tricky. When I do reviews, I try not to just say ‘the ride is good,’ but rather use analogies or comparisons like ‘better ride comfort than XX,’ to communicate as clearly as possible.”

Ah, truly, the more you learn about cars, the deeper the fascination grows.