Auto journalists spend a lot of time on automakers’ websites, which gives us a unique perspective on how they work, but everyday car shoppers can have drastically different opinions on the interfaces. J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Manufacturer Evaluation Study polled car buyers and website users on their experience based on four factors: information/content, visual appeal, navigation, and speed.
The study ranked Mercedes-Benz as the top premium brand, giving it a score of 757 out of 1,000. Lexus earned a 756 for second place, with BMW and Infiniti tying for third at 751. On the mass-market side, Chevrolet had the highest score, at 758. GMC, which has website that’s nearly identical to Chevrolet’s, came second with 744. Jeep was third with a score of 743.
On the low end, Acura, Jaguar, and 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 Ford, Mini, and Mitsubishi, scoring 701, 700, and 685. While J.D. Power only asked potential car buyers about their opinions on the websites, it’s impossible to tell whether those people also let their personal feelings about a brand impact their scoring decisions.
It’s good to remember that we’re talking about automaker websites here, not dealers. While franchise dealers have an approved list of website providers and dealer management systems companies, automakers control their web presence, and ultimately, the user experience. So, while a particular dealer’s site may be a real pain, it generally has nothing to do with the brand(s) it represents.
J.D. Power polled 10,471 new vehicle shoppers who said they would be in the market for a vehicle in the next two years. The study was fielded in May of 2024, but automakers change their websites all the time, so the scoring could look very different by this time next year.