Auto journalists spend a lot of time on automaker websites, which gives us a unique perspective on how they work, but average car buyers can have drastically different opinions about the interfaces. J.D. Power’s Evaluation study American manufacturer 2024 surveyed car buyers and website users about their experience based on four factors: information/content, visual appeal, navigation, and speed.
The study ranked Mercedes-Benz as the best premium brand, with a score of 757 out of 1,000. Lexus earned a 756 for second place, with BMW And unending tied for third place with 751. On the mass market side, Chevrolet had the highest score, namely 758. GMCwhose website is almost identical to Chevrolet’s, came in second with 744. Jeep came third with a score of 743.
On the low side, Acura, JaguarAnd Maserati were the worst among premium brands, with scores of 724, 720 and 708 respectively. The luxury segment average was 739. The worst mass market brands were fordMini, and Mitsubishiwith a score of 701, 700 and 685. While JD Power only asked potential car buyers As for their opinions on the websites, it is impossible to say whether these people also factor their personal feelings about a brand into their scoring decisions.
It’s good to remember that we’re talking about car manufacturer websites here, not tradersWhile franchisees have an approved list of website providers and dealer management systems companiesAutomakers control their web presence and ultimately the user experience. So while a particular dealership’s site can be a real pain, it generally has nothing to do with the brand(s) it represents.
JD Power surveyed 10,471 new vehicle buyers who said they would be looking for a vehicle in the next two years. The survey was conducted in May 2024, but automakers are constantly changing their websites, so the score could look very different this time next year.