[IndianGuardian]

The hope of starting this topic is that car manufacturers based on feedback here will improve their websites over time.

I think Renault has one of the best websites among the car manufacturers. The pages are constantly updated to reflect the newest features, features are explained in detail with great photos, excellent variant comparison tools and up-to date pricing of all models.

Honda too has a pretty updated website for it's popular models.

VW on the other has the most outdated website. The Vento page does not reflect the new features, accessories page is often copied from their overseas counterpart and hence has inaccurate info etc.

Navigation on Audi India's website is a nightmare. After you select a model, the sub-menues for the model are not well thought out and the pop-ups when you click on them is not too pleasing.

[rameshnanda]

In my opinion, Fiat India has the best website now with a stunning design. A month back, theirs was one of the worst. As for the worst, Tata Motors leads the list. Where ever you click they will open a new window and its quite irritating to browse through.

[MHG]

I cannot say which manufacturer has the best website, but I can put forward points which say which website is good and which is bad (my opinion) so that you can judge yourself.



Here's what the average target audience of the car website (a guy checking out a car and perhaps evaluating it for purchase) expects (and ALL of this also holds true for a bike website):

1. The site should list all of the manufacturer's products, in an easy to find way and enable the visitor to compare products.
2. The website should be quick loading and easy to use when it comes to browsing.
3. There should be some difference between a model-specific brochure and a website.
4. There should be some sort of consistency in presentation.
5. Information should be readily available, and detailed specifications of vehicles should be either viewable in a single page or downloadable as a PDF.
6. Links to service manuals and owner's manuals in PDF should be readily available.
7. Links to every dealer (searchable by state or city) of the company should be available. Links here refer to websites (preferred) or at the least contact information (like address and phone).
8. Ex-showroom prices and (rough) on-road prices for every city should be readily available.
9. All running offers should be easily visible and the on-road prices AFTER applying offers should be visible.
10. Visuals detailing the color options the car comes in, 360 view for the exterior and the interior (for all possible color combinations) are perfect (this is the only heavy content in the website which is not a total waste of bandwidth).
11. Links to NCAP tests are a bonus.

Instead what we end up getting (from an overwhelming majority of the manufacturers out there):

1. Irritating use of heavy flash with random annoying boom-chica-boom music playing in the background.
2. A message like "please contact our dealers for on-road prices". What is the goddamned point ? Its much easier to simply publish the data online for everyone to see.
3. A separate "special website" for each product. The newer the product, the longer the site takes to load. Rather than being helpful to the visitor, it tends to overwhelm with useless bloat.
4. Weird, whacky and dumb "games" visitors have to navigate through to get to information about a car/bike.
5. Lack of availability of relevant information. Some manufacturers refuse to make some information available to the user in a way which is plain stupid. Harley Davidson for example, only publishes "engine torque" figures while refusing to let out BHP information (since their cruisers obnoxiously lack in power). Chevrolet masks the low power and torque figures of Beat Diesel by instead displaying power as "PS/L" and torque as "NM/L" since the actual displacement of the car is just 936cc and these figures tend to be higher.

As a developer, the funny thing I note is that it is much easier to design (and consequently cheaper to outsource) a simple, consistent, useful and easy to navigate website than make over-the-top, bloated, flash-filled crappy websites which manufacturers typically have.

[oxyzen]

Completely agree with MGH.

Ford site is my favorite.

• Products displayed properly.
• Simple easy loading webpage. No rubbish flash.
• Brochure available readily
• Ex showroom price is displayed properly.
• Easy comparison between variants.

Pretty much everything that is needed.


Worst sites.
Masuti suzuki. Why do all cars have different websites. I had nightmares going through the Swift site.


Another is VW. Nowhere you will find their ex-showroom price.

[Honda Monk]

Then the worst you haven't seen yet.
Mitsubishi India is the worst any website can be designed.
All the models have separate websites, out of which some never opens.

[Motored Mindset]

Originally Posted by IndianGuardian

The hope of starting this topic is that car manufacturers based on feedback here will improve their websites over time.

I agree that Indian automotive websites are severely lacking. One feature that should be standard, that I think only Chevrolet employs is to show the ex-showroom price of a vehicle as soon as you click on the model. Other websites have you go to separate sections, fill in your State and City details and then display prices. Still others don't display a price online at all which is shocking in this day and age where people are more than willing to buy a car after researching it online (not us enthusiasts who love free-revving test drives ). I know different areas have different prices, but they should display atleast an ex-showroom price so that car shoppers have an idea of the approximate cost of the car.
It's also disappointing to see grammar and spelling mistakes on manufacturer websites like Ford.

My favourite website is Volvo's that has an online configuration and a well though-out display with menus and videos for each feature.

I strongly suggest you add a Poll to this thread, so that we could better understand the preferences of T-Bhp-ians in terms of manufacturer websites.

[agambhandari]

I believe most of the Major manufacturer's Websites are pretty good. Provide quick feature set per variant, Provide ex-showroom prices, also have product brochures and many also with owner manuals.

You can't really match the experience of checking the car out in flesh on a website! So I guess us enthusiasts will never be completely satisfied..

P.S. One thing that I would want to suggest to the manufacturers is to put up the On-road prices as well, CarWale gives a similar feature, but I have found mistakes in it several times.

[knaveen]

Originally Posted by oxyzen

Completely agree with MGH.

Ford site is my favorite.

• Products displayed properly.
• Simple easy loading webpage. No rubbish flash.
• Brochure available readily
• Ex showroom price is displayed properly.
• Easy comparison between variants.

Pretty much everything that is needed.


Worst sites.
Masuti suzuki. Why do all cars have different websites. I had nightmares going through the Swift site.


Another is VW. Nowhere you will find their ex-showroom price.

I second that. Ford is by far one of best indian sites that i have come across.

And for the worst, anyone checked out HM's site? The most unprofessional site by any standards. Also the Mitsubishi India's site, some link's don't work (try the Evo link on the page)

[hellmet]

How about Mahindra vehicles? They don't even HAVE a one page destination from where you can browse other vehicles.

[oxyzen]

Originally Posted by Honda Monk

Then the worst you haven't seen yet.
Mitsubishi India is the worst any website can be designed.
All the models have separate websites, out of which some never opens.

Its true. I never looked for HM website. But I have checked the Mitsubishi website for USA. And that is pretty much awesome.

Originally Posted by Motored Mindset

I agree that Indian automotive websites are severely lacking. One feature that should be standard, that I think only Chevrolet employs is to show the ex-showroom price of a vehicle as soon as you click on the model.

Yes, but then you can't view the prices for other variants. Chevrolet is good but the site is heavy. Takes time to load.

Originally Posted by Motored Mindset

It's also disappointing to see grammar and spelling mistakes on manufacturer websites like Ford.

I dont mind that as long as I get the information I want.

Originally Posted by Motored Mindset

I strongly suggest you add a Poll to this thread, so that we could better understand the preferences of T-Bhp-ians in terms of manufacturer websites.

I second that.

Originally Posted by agambhandari

P.S. One thing that I would want to suggest to the manufacturers is to put up the On-road prices as well, CarWale gives a similar feature, but I have found mistakes in it several times.

On road prices in India vary from state to state. Then you need to incorporate the discounts. It is a big task but definitely worth it.

Originally Posted by knaveen

And for the worst, anyone checked out HM's site? The most unprofessional site by any standards. Also the Mitsubishi India's site, some link's don't work (try the Evo link on the page)

We dont expect anything form HM/Mitsubishi here. Although a decent Lancer evo site should be there.
I once tried to browse Mahindra. I had a hard time finding the cars the manufacture. So that one is hopeless as well.

[Flying Djinn]

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

In my opinion, Fiat India has the best website now with a stunning design. A month back, theirs was one of the worst. As for the worst, Tata Motors leads the list. Where ever you click they will open a new window and its quite irritating to browse through.

Agree. The new website looks really nice. Ford website is probably not as flashy (pardon the pun ) but very functional nevertheless. Honda is good as well.

[MHG]

To the guys who said Ford has the best website, I beg your pardon, but where can I find Bangalore ex-showroom price for the Ford Figo (or any other car) ? They quote the price but only for Delhi.

[Motored Mindset]

Originally Posted by oxyzen

I dont mind that as long as I get the information I want.

It ruins the experience of browsing a website when you're encountered by syntax and grammar errors, not because you can't get the required information, but more because it symbolises a tardy approach by the advertising team towards marketing a product.

If they can't put their best efforts to marketing the vehicle, including doing a simple spellcheck and proofread, why should I put my best efforts towards knowing more about it?

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

In my opinion, Fiat India has the best website now with a stunning design. A month back, theirs was one of the worst. As for the worst, Tata Motors leads the list. Where ever you click they will open a new window and its quite irritating to browse through.

+ 1.

New FIAT website is one of the best in the indian market - in terms of style and amount of information available. Old one was nowhere near in comparison. Good transformation job, FIAT!

EDIT:

Just see this below line qouted from their website!

Falling in love with the FIAT brand? Would you like to download all the above brochures?

[oxyzen]

Originally Posted by MHG

To the guys who said Ford has the best website, I beg your pardon, but where can I find Bangalore ex-showroom price for the Ford Figo (or any other car) ? They quote the price but only for Delhi.

It is very much there.
Quote - Request a quote - Figo Diesel (4.96-6.17) Ex showroom Bangalore.