TROY, Mich.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Manufacturer websites play a critical role for shoppers at all stages of the decision-making process during the new-vehicle shopping journey, according to the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study℠ — Winter, released today. Among those who already know which vehicle they want, 83% still visit the manufacturer’s website to support their research. Of shoppers who are undecided on a vehicle, 94% visit a manufacturer’s website and have higher engagement as they spend more time browsing and viewing detailed content. Notably, at least 66% of these undecided shoppers say they would consider purchasing the brand featured on the website.
“One in three new-vehicle shoppers begin their journey without a specific brand in mind, yet nearly all of them still visit an OEM website,” said Cory Maxwell, digital experience consultant at J.D. Power. “While those shoppers are highly engaged, we continue to see that about 20 percent of OEM sites prioritize branding over the detailed vehicle information shoppers are actively seeking. At that stage, the brand has already done its job by getting shoppers to the site, so what matters most is helping them evaluate the vehicle.”
The J.D. Power U.S. Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study is a semiannual study that measures customer satisfaction with automotive manufacturer websites while shopping for a new vehicle by examining five key measures (in order of importance): visual appeal; navigation; speed; vehicle research; and research tools.
Study Rankings
Tesla ranks highest among premium manufacturer websites with a score of 777. Cadillac (761) ranks second and Mercedes-Benz (757) ranks third.
GMC ranks highest among mass market manufacturer websites with a score of 717 for a second consecutive study wave. Ford (716) ranks second and Hyundai (715) ranks third.
See the rank charts for each segment at http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2026001.
The U.S. Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study, initially released in 1999, is based on responses from 11,181 new-vehicle shoppers who indicated they will be in the market for a new vehicle within the next 12 months. The study was fielded in October-November 2025.
For more information about the U.S. Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/resource/us-manufacturer-website-evaluation-study
About J.D. Power
J.D. Power is a global leader in automotive data and analytics, and provides industry intelligence, consumer insights and advisory solutions to the automotive industry and selected non-automotive industries. J.D. Power leverages its extensive proprietary datasets and software capabilities combined with advanced analytics and artificial intelligence tools to help its clients optimize business performance.
J.D. Power was founded in 1968 and has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JDPower.com/business. The J.D. Power auto-shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.
