Visitors to manufacturer websites who use shopping tools such as a payment calculator or interior/exterior view tend to be more satisfied with their car-shopping experience, according to the summer edition of the J.D. Power 2016 Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study.

The study, in its 17th year, measures the usefulness of automakers' websites during the new-vehicle shopping process by looking at four key areas. In order of importance, they are: information/content, appearance, speed and navigation. Satisfaction is calculated on a 1,000-point scale. Overall customer satisfaction with OEM websites is 807 points.

Almost all new-vehicle buyers spend time on manufacturer websites, and, according to the study, consumer satisfaction with those websites depends mostly on the quality of the content.

More than half (57 percent) of shoppers who are delighted with their website experience (overall satisfaction scores of 901 and above) indicate they are more likely to test drive a vehicle after visiting the site. In comparison, only 16 percent of those who are disappointed with their experience (scores of 500 or below) indicate they're more likely to test drive a vehicle.

“The content on manufacturer websites must embody three key attributes: It must be easy to access. It must provide sufficient detail to answer shoppers’ questions. And it must help tell the brand story,” Arianne Walker, senior director of marketing analytics at J.D. Power, said in a news release. “There’s a direct connection between manufacturers that utilize their digital showroom effectively and satisfied shoppers who then become buyers.”

J.D. Power noted that automakers should be mindful of the kind of content that shoppers are using, and they need to continually monitor and improve that content to keep up with shoppers’ changing expectations and needs.

A number of specific shopping tools positively affect satisfaction with manufacturers’ websites, including use of the configurator; compare tool; exterior 360 view; interior 360 view; offers/incentives; and payment calculator. Many of these tools also are positively correlated with vehicle purchase, according to the J.D. Power Online-to-Offline (O2O) analytics benchmarks.

"Gen Y shoppers — soon to be the largest group of new-vehicle shoppers — use these tools at higher rates than Boomers, signifying that manufacturers must continue to invest in and improve website tools in response to shifts in the car-buying population,” Walker said.

Key findings from the 2016 summer study include:

—Positive experience drives improved brand image perception: The study finds that, through pre/post brand perception measurements as 40 percent of shoppers have an improved impression of the brand after their website experience. A positive website experience helps drive key brand qualities. Even shoppers’ perceptions that are difficult to change, such as reputation and reliability, improve after they experience a brand’s website.

—Gen Y shoppers like it more: These shoppers tend to show a more positive perception of a brand after the website visit compared with Boomers.

—Ranking the three highest-performing Sites: Land Rover (834) ranks highest in overall manufacturer website satisfaction, followed by Jaguar (833) and Mercedes-Benz (831).

The 2016 Manufacturer Website Evaluation Study Summer is based on responses from more than 9,500 new-vehicle shoppers who indicate they will be in the market for a new vehicle within the next 24 months. The study was conducted May 3-17.

Manufacturer Website Ranking (based on a 1,000-point scale)

Land Rover: 834

Jaguar: 833

Mercedes-Benz: 831

BMW: 828

Fiat: 826

Cadillac: 825

Infiniti: 825

Jeep: 821

Acura: 819

Audi: 817

Mitsubishi: 815

Porsche: 815

Ram: 815

Lexus: 814

Lincoln: 811

Smart: 810

MINI: 808

Industry Average: 807

Volkswagen: 805

Hyundai: 804

Dodge: 802

Chrysler: 798

Volvo: 797

GMC: 794

Honda: 794

Nissan: 793

Mazda: 791

Toyota: 784

Chevrolet: 783

Ford: 782

Subaru: 782

Kia: 781

Buick: 779