Chatham G2 and G road test: tips and what to expect

Updated October 2026

DriveTest Chatham runs both the G2 and the G road test from its centre on Keil Drive South. The G2 test stays on city and residential streets close to the centre. The G test adds faster roads, where you need to hold the right speed and change lanes smoothly. Here is what to expect and how to get ready.

How the test works

You start and finish at the DriveTest plaza. Before you move, adjust your seat and mirrors, fasten your seatbelt and shoulder check before you leave the spot. The examiner then gives you one instruction at a time, and you won't be told the route in advance.

Chatham examiners use several routes, and the order of the manoeuvres changes from test to test. Be ready for every turn and manoeuvre, not just one route you've heard about.

Manoeuvres to practise (G2 and G)

• Left and right turns at traffic lights, stop signs and yield signs
• Lane changes when the examiner asks, and moving back to your lane
• Choosing the correct lane on your own, without being told
• A three-point turn on a residential street
• Parallel parking behind a parked car
• Parking on a hill, facing uphill or downhill, using the curb

What makes Chatham tests tricky

• Railway crossings. Look right and left every time you approach the tracks, even when the signals are quiet. Examiners watch for this.
• Speed limits change along the route. Some residential streets are 40 km/h, main roads are 50 or 60, and parts of the G test are 70. Watch the signs and adjust smoothly.
• Lane choice on four-lane roads. You are expected to move into the right lane yourself after a turn, and into the centre lane early before a left turn.
• Yield signs at right turns. Slow down, check left and only go when there is a safe gap.

How to prepare in the last two weeks

1. Practise each manoeuvre until you can do it without thinking about the steps.
2. Say your checks out loud while you practise: mirror, signal, shoulder check.
3. Do full practice drives where someone gives you directions one at a time, like an examiner.
4. Read the common mistakes and the test day checklist.

What you get in the DriveTest Routes app

The app covers the parts this guide can't share publicly:

• 3 Chatham G2 routes and 2 Chatham G routes, turn by turn
• Spoken, examiner-style instructions in the order you'll hear them
• Exactly where each manoeuvre and lane change happens
• The speed limit for every part of the route, with warnings if you drive too fast or too slow
• Practise as a simulation at home, or follow along in your car with GPS