ST. LOUIS -

The vehicle test drive has long been the standard for dealerships looking to influence potential buyers by allowing them to experience a car’s ride and features. According to a new study, however, not all buyers are interested in taking the car for a spin.

In its Test Drive Study, Maritz Research reports that 11.4 percent of car buyers did not test drive their current car before buying it.

The reasons? Pragmatism, complacency and an Internet-shopping mindset.

“This may sound like heresy, but some people really don’t care,” said Chris Travell, vice president of strategic consulting for Maritz Research. “About one in 10 Americans we identify as being ‘purely pragmatic,’ which means a car is a very good thing for getting me from ‘A to B,’ and that’s about it. Because of this, it’s easy to see why they wouldn’t take it for a test drive.”

Travell said complacency is also a factor in the test drive decision, particularly for those coming out of the same brand or model.

“This is unwise, since the average American has been out of the car market for six-and-a-half years,” Travell said. “There have been huge advances in technology, vehicle design, ride and handling. It’s in the customer’s best interest to experience all that new car has to offer.

“It’s also in the dealership’s best interest to do everything possible to encourage test drives for these same reasons. The car the customer bought six or seven years ago is very different from the car they can buy in 2012,” he said.

The Test Drive Study cites responses from 80,219 customers who acquired a 2012 model year vehicle via purchase or lease during the October 2011 to February 2012 time frame.

The number of these drivers who said test drives are “very influential” came in at 52 percent, while 28 percent said test drives are “somewhat influential.”

Nine percent of respondents said test drives are “not very” influential, while 11 percent did not test drive their vehicle at all.

The study also heard from buyers who seriously considered another vehicle, Maritz reported — of those customers, 38 percent did not test drive the other vehicle even though it was at the top of their shopping list.

Because the study showed that nearly four out of 10 customers don’t take their most considered vehicle out for a test drive, Maritz researchers said a large opportunity exists for both dealers and manufacturers to encourage customers to do so while in the dealership, or even before they enter the dealership.

Among buyers who test drove the vehicle they most considered purchasing, 62 percent made the investment, while 38 percent did not.

The Internet is another key piece of the test drive puzzle, according to the study, which found that 78 percent of respondents used the Internet in shopping for their new vehicle.

Of those, 91 percent visited both OEM and dealer sites, 62 percent obtained vehicle pricing information from the Internet, and 28 percent corresponded with a dealer or manufacturer via email prior to their purchase.

Ten percent of these buyers set up a test drive via the Internet, which Maritz notes could have serious implications for dealers, in terms of effectively monitoring online inquiries and ensuring the desired vehicle and salesperson are available for the scheduled test drive.