First look: Carvana unveils ‘test drive center’ concept store

Carvana’s entry into the new-car market, selling Stellantis brands, has been a source of intrigue throughout the industry over the past year-plus.

Now, the company is adding to that intrigue with a brand new “test drive center” concept, piloting at its location in Dallas, Texas.

Carvana unveiled the concept publicly this morning (June 17).

That said, CDG News (alongside a handful of other reporters) got a sneak peek of the center ahead of the official announcement.

Here’s what we saw: The bright glow of the four-sided LED 10-by-10 “cube” sits at the entrance of the Dallas showroom. This is the start of the shopping experience.

The cube allows shoppers to scan a QR code and sort through vehicle options on their devices, all while the process is displayed on the giant screen.

(Courtesy of Carvana)

After picking a vehicle, a map appears on the display to guide you to models matching trim selections on the “playground.”

Complete with padded foam, the outdoor playground gives shoppers an opportunity to explore the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, or Ram brands.
Minivans are located on the padded foam positioned in front of a large soccer goal. Faster models are lined up along a faux racetrack.
Jeeps are sprawled across a more outdoorsy set-up. The list goes on.

(Courtesy of Carvana)

“We're not trying to sell cars here. We're trying to present cars,” said President of Special Projects Tom Taira.

On test drives, Taira explained that by scanning the QR code on any vehicle on the playground, an advocate can, with the press of a button, bring the vehicle up for a test drive to check out all the bells and whistles before completing the purchase and scheduling delivery via the smartphone.

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“We believe that there was a place for reimagining this concept of what a new dealership or a Carvana dealership looks like.”

Tom Taira
Carvana
President of Special Projects

Before we continue, let’s rewind: Carvana dove into the new car market in March 2025, purchasing a dealership in Casa Grande, Arizona, near Tempe.

Carvana’s aim there, Taira said, was to widen its options for consumers, many of whom are considering new and used vehicles while shopping.
Taira illustrated that point by sharing the initial results after they bought their first store.

“When we first acquired the store and started selling it on the Carvana site…we found out that for every four cars sold, three of them were used car shoppers,” Taira said. “Their intention was to come onto the site and shop for a used car, and they realized at some point, ‘Wow, I can get a new car,’ and then we convert them into a new-car sale.”

Worth noting: The new options can be searched simultaneously with the rest of Carvana’s inventory.

Tuesday, the retailer had ~2,000 new cars.
That is in addition to Carvana’s other 60,000-plus vehicles.

“We believe that this is worth it to us, as long as we could go out and increase share,” Taira said.

Choosing Stellantis: In deciding to join the new-car market and acquire franchise stores, Taira said Carvana specifically chose Stellantis because it offered models in segments for a first-time car buyer to luxury options with the Grand Wagoneer.

“You can go under one roof, cover four brands, and cover all the segments at once,” Taira said.

He also expects Stellantis to grow its market share through the partnership with Carvana’s online process, which is the same as its used-car sales.

Developing the test center: Carvana has added six other dealerships nationwide, with the Dallas CDJR store as the second. According to Taira, each acquisition was strategic, not random.

“We weren't just trying to buy dealerships that were available,” he said. “We're buying dealerships and acquiring dealerships in areas where there are pools of Carvana customers,” he said.

As for Dallas: Carvana began transforming the store located across the street from Dallas Love Field into the testing ground for its concept in September.

Taira said it’s an opportunity to learn and see how the concept works at a facility that fit the footprint and has a vibrant market.

Carvana has not committed to additional locations at this time.

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“Physically, it’s a great location serving a lot of different communities in the area,” Taira said. “When we first purchased the location, we looked at it and said, ‘Wow, it’s very easy to get to. It’s central to Dallas…’ We looked at this as an opportunity because of the land we could have to work with.”

Taira alluded to the open lot to develop the spacious playground concept, as well as the additional lot for inventory and the service facility. More importantly, he stated the dealership must meet CDJR specs and have a public service facility.

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Different shopping experience: Carvana’s no-haggle pricing, with terms and finance rates displayed after a soft credit pull, will also apply for the retailer’s new-car sales, per the Tuesday presentation.

Financing is currently through Carvana, though the door is not closed on other options in the future.

Also at the dealership: Carvana is testing different technologies and tactics (such as the cube in the showroom, QR codes on every vehicle, etc.), but admits this is an experiment with adjustments likely to be made along the way.

For now, whether online or at the Dallas store, customers can do everything online by themselves.
The “advocates” are available to answer questions as needed, but the team said it’s possible for shoppers to visit the test center and walk the playground, look inside vehicles, and request a test drive without ever stepping inside the building.
What doesn’t change is that the purchase of the vehicle must be completed online and that purchases include Carvana’s seven-day money-back return policy.

“This is a starting point,” Taira said about the testing center and the technology.

For dealers: Carvana is a force in the used-vehicle market, and its testing center is just one piece of the brand’s entry into new-vehicle operations.

That makes this a must-watch for dealers looking to compete, not on profit, but on reputation and the ability to offer easy car-buying journeys for consumers.

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