J.D. Power Also Helps Auto Shoppers with their Car Research

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., Nov. 17, 2015 -- Auto shoppers looking to research their next new car, truck, SUV, or van online have a new choice among third-party automotive websites. J.D. Power recently launched an all-new consumer auto ratings and research website—www.jdpower.com/cars—that features:

• new car quality ratings
• new car performance & design ratings
• used car dependability/reliability ratings
• new car pricing (MSRP and invoice), fuel economy and vehicle specs
• robust search for new, used, and certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles in local dealer inventory
• convenient get-a-quote options

The new jdpower.com/cars website features the company's proprietary Power Circle Ratings,^TM which are based on independent and unbiased "Voice of the Customer" feedback from millions of verified car owners. Visitors to the site can research car, truck, SUV and van ratings at both the brand (make) and model level, by body style or by J.D. Power study—including initial quality, performance & design, and dependability. This is extremely helpful to consumers, as a high proportion of visitors to the jdpower.com/cars website are in-market car shoppers.

To simplify the car research process for consumers, J.D. Power generates for each new-car model a Power Circle Rating of five, four, three or two circles, with five Power Circles representing a score that is "among the best."

"The J.D. Power consumer website is the only source of consumer ratings based on independent and unbiased feedback from millions of verified owners," said Frances Caille, vice president of strategic marketing at J.D. Power. "Using J.D. Power quality, performance, design and dependability ratings helps consumers make better, more informed decisions when purchasing new and used vehicles."

Fully Responsive Site Design Adapts to Any Platform, Enhancing User Experience
J.D. Power research shows that vehicle buyers are increasingly using mobile devices—smartphones and tablets—during the shopping process. The new J.D. Power cars website features a fully responsive design, adapting to desktop or mobile platforms to provide an optimal user experience, regardless of the device, location or browser. The jdpower.com/cars website is one of the few third-party automotive websites that features this mobile-friendly capability.

"Consumers are using mobile devices, specifically smartphones, in increasing numbers, instead of desktops," said John Kunze, senior director of digital marketing at J.D. Power. "Responsive Web design is device-agnostic, delivering efficient design and content regardless of device type."

New Social Media Plug-Ins Help Engage Site Visitors, Encourage Sharing, and Create Community
The new J.D. Power cars site also gives visitors the ability to "like," comment on and share articles and other content with friends, family and other site visitors through a new, integrated social media commenting and sharing tool. Visitors can also see a listing of the most popular content.

"Using social engagement plug-ins and technology, we transformed the J.D. Power cars website from simply providing ratings, news and insights to a true, Web-based community of car shoppers and enthusiasts who can share thoughts, opinions and ideas, which makes for a more engaging and dynamic Web experience for all," said Jeff Youngs, jdpower.com/cars managing editor.

Car Articles & Advice, AutoMotion Blog Leverage J.D. Power Auto Expertise
In addition to offering car ratings and local dealer inventory, jdpower.com/cars also features a vast inventory of editorial content written by J.D. Power's editorial team, with contributions from auto experts across the company. Topics include car news, new-car previews, car buyer's guides, insights and analyses from J.D. Power studies, tips and advice and other vehicle-related topics, including used cars, finance & insurance, safety and mpg, auto sales and auto shows.

With the launch of the new jdpower.com/cars website, J.D. Power has also re-launched its AutoMotion blog, a forum for both J.D. Power auto editors and site visitors alike to share their opinions on a variety of car-related topics, including new product introductions; vehicle quality, performance & design; expert car reviews, and more.

Cars for Sale Listings Simplify Vehicle-Shopping Process
When site visitors have completed their research using J.D. Power ratings and awards data and narrowed down their list of prospective vehicles, the new jdpower.com/cars website allows users to search local car dealer inventory for new, used and CPO vehicles and to obtain a dealer quote, simplifying the vehicle-shopping experience.

Powered by Vast.com—a leader in online new, used and CPO inventory listings—the car-finder feature allows users to save vehicles and searches, and to filter search results by year, make, model, body style, distance, location, price, mileage, color, fuel economy and more. Each vehicle listing includes photos, dealer contact information and a vehicle history report, if available.