Nothing either saves time or wastes it like the internet. A well-designed fleet website packed with useful content gives decision-makers all the facts and figures needed to make informed choices. The worst sites lead users into a text-heavy cul-de-sac of bland marketing speak without the data or features to be a valuable business tool.
BusinessCar’s annual survey of the top 20 manufacturer websites is recognised as the only independent and influential analysis of how they are serving the business car market. To reflect the way the internet is evolving, our survey is also changing this year. There’s now a specific rating for each manufacturer’s use of social media, across platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Youtube.
For the first time we’re also scoring mobile sites by testing all 20 on a tablet and a smartphone. We want to see sites that can be used while out and about, especially if the mobile website still has some corporate content. We’ve also introduced a separate score for apps, with high scores reserved for practical business tools rather than glorified brochures.
Even the best sites can’t answer every query, so we’ve scored the availability of live chat, call back, email and telephone contact options. There’s extra credit for sites that give direct contact numbers and email addresses for the most important fleet contacts, and for prompt responses to emails. We also rate each site’s dealer finder tool.
There’s no excuse for getting the basics wrong, so we’re continuing to score every site for ease of use. Design is also rated. We’re looking for style that complements substance, not flashy graphics and confusing menus.
Being able to look up the P11D of every model doesn’t seem too much to ask, but it’s surprising how many sites make this impossible. Our resident tax expert Comcar (www.comcar.co.uk), the people behind BusinessCar’s own online tax calculator, have checked the detail and accuracy of each tax calculator, and there’s a bonus section for worthwhile extras such as shortlist tools.
Audi 82%
Ease of use 4/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 4/5
Live chat, email and telephone 4/5
Social media 5/5
P11D prices and data 4/5
Mobile/tablet websites 5/5
Apps 5/5
Tax calculator 1/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, shortlist tool, lists of models by CO2 output, explanatory videos, ‘Audi Direct’ section for small businesses, Progress (PDF magazine) 5/5
If you like cool, clean design that stays just the right side of austere, you’ll like Audi’s site. It’s easy to find your way around, too, with a P11D price list just two clicks from the home page. Audi has embraced social media, with a fleet-specific Twitter account, an active Facebook page and a Youtube channel with plenty to distract you on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. There’s fleet-specific content to view through a smartphone, but errors in the tax calculator detract from an otherwise impressive package.
www.audi.co.uk/content/audi/fleet-sales.html
BMW 66%
Ease of use 4/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 4/5
Live chat, email and telephone 2/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 3/5
Mobile/tablet websites 4/5
Apps 3/5
Tax calculator 1/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, car comparison tool (vs competition), fleet manager’s guides (whole-life costs, winter motoring, etc), separate site for fleets below 50, Corporate News (PDF magazine) 4/5
Like Audi, BMW is let down by a poor tax calculator, which shows out-of-date list prices and cannot deal with electric cars – ironic when the new i3 features so heavily throughout the site. BMW offers a number of apps for Apple and Android devices, but although being able to turn on the heated seats remotely through your phone is useful, there are more valuable apps for business drivers. This year the address provided for our email enquiry was incorrect and the message bounced back unanswered.
Citroen 74%
Ease of use 4/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 5/5
Live chat, email and telephone 4/5
Social media 5/5
P11D prices and data 4/5
Mobile/tablet websites 3/5
Apps 3/5
Tax calculator 2/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, car comparison tool, My Citroen (personalised content) 3/5
If only more websites included a P11D price list just one click from the home page. This is just one example of the clever thinking that has gone into this site, which combines eye-catching design with ease of use. Citroen has all the usual social media bases covered, but also invites corporate customers to connect through LinkedIn. The car comparison tool is very detailed and our email had a response in just over half an hour, but the tax calculator is too basic to compete with the best.
www.citroen.co.uk/fleet-and-business
Fiat 60%
Ease of use 4/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 5/5
Live chat, email and telephone 2/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 2/5
Mobile/tablet websites 4/5
Apps 3/5
Tax calculator 0/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, contract hire offers, myFiat card (for rewards at Fiat dealer) 2/5
Fiat’s website has always been one of the most stylish, but now it’s easy to use, too. However, once through to the pages for business customers there’s not a lot of content. The list of specialist fleet sales dealers is useful, but we couldn’t find any P11D values or BIK bandings in the price lists and there’s no tax calculator. On the plus side, live chat is an option if you want to speak to someone. We opted for email instead and our query went unanswered.
Ford 74%
Ease of use 4/5
Design 3/5
Find a dealer 4/5
Live chat, email and telephone 3/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 3/5
Mobile/tablet websites 4/5
Apps 4/5
Tax calculator 4/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, whole-life cost calculator, fleet disposals guide, company car tax guide, 2013 budget guide, news 4/5
It took just over two days, but Ford responded to our email, which didn’t happen in 2011 or 2012. Otherwise, the firm’s offering is much the same as last year’s. The homepage is colourful, but the design feels rather basic once you’re into the ‘fleet’ section. The Ford Accident Management App should help take the stress out of a prang, while the whole-life cost calculator and advice guides are all useful content. The experts at Comcar rate the tax calculator as up with the best.
Honda 82%
Ease of use 5/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 5/5
Live chat, email and telephone 4/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 5/5
Mobile/tablet websites 4/5
Apps 4/5
Tax calculator 2/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, shortlist tool, car comparison tool, press reviews, owner reviews, e-newsletter 4/5
As last year, Honda’s website is great in just about every way except for the tax calculator. What it does it does well, but it’s just too basic compared with those on the Peugeot or Vauxhall sites. On the other hand, finding the P11D of any given model could hardly be easier, and the BIK percentages and monthly tax bills are also given. We had a response to our email within a day, the dealer finder lets you search for corporate specialists, and the car comparison tool is detailed and flexible.
www.honda.co.uk/corporatesales
Hyundai 74%
Ease of use 4/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 4/5
Live chat, email and telephone 3/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 4/5
Mobile/tablet websites 5/5
Apps 2/5
Tax calculator 3/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, shortlist tool, contract hire offers, whole-life cost calculator for fleets, Reevoo customer reviews 4/5
Last year’s most improved website suffers more than most under our upgraded scoring system but this is still a solid showing. The most striking feature is the whole-life cost calculator for fleet managers, which works out the cost of running a fleet of Hyundais. It’s a sophisticated tool, unlike the BIK tax calculator, which is quite basic. The mobile site is one of few that has a fleet section and it includes the car chooser tool from the main website. Our email query had a reply within one working day.
www.hyundai.co.uk/fleet
Kia 74%
Ease of use 4/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 4/5
Live chat, email and telephone 3/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 3/5
Mobile/tablet websites 4/5
Apps 2/5
Tax calculator 5/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, shortlist tool, engine selector (suggests greener alternatives), contract hire quotes and offers, Eureka (PDF magazine) 4/5
Kia’s is certainly one of the better looking websites, although the white background of the latest site makes it feel more sober and grown-up than before. There are some useful features, including a shortlist tool that pins down suitable models based on variables such as the P11D price, BIK banding and fuel economy. What’s more, the tax calculator is downright brilliant. However, a business-friendly app or two would take Kia closer to the front runners.
Land Rover 46% ** MUST TRY HARDER**
Ease of use 2/5
Design 3/5
Find a dealer 3/5
Live chat, email and telephone 3/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 2/5
Mobile/tablet websites 4/5
Apps 1/5
Tax calculator 0/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, blue light sales, international sales 1/5
Land Rover’s website is far off the pace. No other firm makes you work so hard to find the fleet sales section, and when you do navigate your way there you’ll find little more than a sales pitch. The site claims a tax calculator is ‘coming soon’, but there wasn’t one last year either so we’re not holding our breath. An enquiry form that doesn’t allow you to fully explain your query only adds to our frustration.
www.landrover.com/gb/en/lr/corporate-sales
Mercedes-Benz 74%
Ease of use 4/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 4/5
Live chat, email and telephone 3/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 4/5
Mobile/tablet websites 2/5
Apps 5/5
Tax calculator 4/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, car comparisons, model chooser (under maintenance), My Mercedes (personalised content) 3/5
The dark, sombre design makes a welcome change from the whites and greys of many sites. There’s plenty of useful content, too, including a detailed and error-free tax calculator. The costs comparison tool for Blue Efficiency cars is handy, although it would be better still if the rival models chosen weren’t dictated for you. The Mile Tracker that app logs journeys and sends expense reports is genuinely useful.
www.mercedes-benz.co.uk/corporatesales
Mini 66%
Ease of use 4/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 4/5
Live chat, email and telephone 3/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 4/5
Mobile/tablet websites 2/5
Apps 2/5
Tax calculator 3/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, shortlist tool, separate site for fleets below 50 3/5
Mini’s fleet team scores over its colleagues at BMW by responding to our email query, although it did take just over two working days. Although Comcar noticed errors in the fuel benefit sums, the website also has a better tax calculator than BMW’s. It takes a bit of searching to track down price lists, but they include P11D values and BIK bandings. However, it’s a shame there’s no mobile version of the website as the standard site is all but unusable on a smartphone.
Nissan 62%
Ease of use 2/5
Design 3/5
Find a dealer 3/5
Live chat, email and telephone 5/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 1/5
Mobile/tablet websites 4/5
Apps 2/5
Tax calculator 4/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, business offers, service booking, cash or car comparison, engine selector (shows greener choices) 3/5
Nissan’s website is a frustrating mix of the very good and very bad. For a start, it takes detective work to find the corporate sales area, and the price lists don’t include a P11D value, the BIK percentage or even the CO2 emissions figure (unless you flick on a few pages to the tech specs). That said, Comcar found the tax calculator comprehensive and accurate, and an email query we sent over the weekend had a reply at 9.06am on Monday morning.
Peugeot 80% ** BEST TAX CALCULATOR **
Ease of use 5/5
Design 5/5
Find a dealer 4/5
Live chat, email and telephone 5/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 2/5
Mobile/tablet websites 4/5
Apps 2/5
Tax calculator 5/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, shortlist tool, e-newsletter, PDF tax guides, My Peugeot (personalised content) 4/5
Peugeot continues to show the rest how it’s done with its tax calculator, allowing comparisons between cars as well as showing figures for the 45% tax rate and giving both monthly and per annum bills. The rest of the site is very good indeed, with idiot-proof navigation and stylish design. There are plenty of useful extra features including a shortlisting tool, and an email sent on Saturday evening had a reply at 9.01am on Monday. But why no P11D values in the price lists, Peugeot?
www.peugeot.co.uk/#business-vans
Renault 68%
Ease of use 4/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 4/5
Live chat, email and telephone 2/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 3/5
Mobile/tablet websites 4/5
Apps 3/5
Tax calculator 2/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, shortlist tool, contract hire offers e-news., Renault Business mag, My Renault (personalised content & forum), Renault TV 4/5
We’re still waiting for a response to our email, the tax calculator is basic (if error-free) and there are no P11D values in the price lists. Otherwise there’s a lot to like about Renault’s website, including a useful archive of old prices, a downloadable business magazine and an easy-to-use dealer finder. The shortlist tool could be improved if the P11D value and BIK banding were among the search options. It’s easy to find contact details for the business team, and the number to call is a freephone line.
www.renault.co.uk/business
Seat 80%
Ease of use 4/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 5/5
Live chat, email and telephone 5/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 4/5
Mobile/tablet websites 4/5
Apps 3/5
Tax calculator 4/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, PDF guides to company car tax, VED and 2013 budget 3/5
Good looks combine with ease of use in this site. It has a list of fleet specialist dealers as well as a dealer finder, and the P11D pricing, missing last year, returns. There’s also a list of models divided into sub-100g/km, sub-120g/km and sub-160g/km, but it’d be more useful if the sections matched the current write-down allowance thresholds. Seat delivered the fastest email response this year, replying in just three minutes.
Skoda 72%
Ease of use 4/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 5/5
Live chat, email and telephone 4/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 4/5
Mobile/tablet websites 2/5
Apps 2/5
Tax calculator 4/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, contract hire and Motability offers, useful links 3/5
The site looks smart and modern, and is easy to use. There’s lots of useful content, too, including an error-free tax calculator. The dealer finder allows you to search for fleet specialists, and contact details are given for all the area sales managers. It’s easy enough to find P11Ds on the site and in downloadable brochures. However, a mobile site and a useful app for fleet drivers would help the site challenge the best.
Toyota 74%
Ease of use 4/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 5/5
Live chat, email and telephone 4/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 3/5
Mobile/tablet websites 2/5
Apps 4/5
Tax calculator 3/5
Extras: Car builder, shortlist tool, test drive requests, comparison tool (up to five rivals), sample contract hire prices, Brilliant for Business (PDF magazine) 4/5
Toyota is one of a growing number of brands to offer a live chat option. We emailed Toyota instead, and had a reply to our query in just over 24 hours. Comcar rates the tax calculator as the most improved, although it’s irritating that you need to book an appointment with a dealer to take advantage of the advanced fleet cost comparison tool. There’s a single price list covering the whole range and giving BIK bandings, but it’s frustrating that it doesn’t include P11D values.
Vauxhall 96% **WINNER**
Ease of use 5/5
Design 5/5
Find a dealer 5/5
Live chat, email and telephone 5/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 5/5
Mobile/tablet websites 5/5
Apps 5/5
Tax calculator 4/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, whole fleet emissions calculator, fleet glossary, cars listed by CO2, leasing rate database, archived price lists, e-zine, Vauxhall Driver’s Centre (personalised content and special offers) 5/5
Vauxhall comes up trumps for the third year running. The list of useful extras goes on and on, but the basics are right as well. Checking a P11D is simple (even the writing down allowance percentage is listed) and the site looks good without compromising ease of use. The mobile site is one of few to have a section for company car drivers, and the Roadtrip app for mileage expenses is one of the most useful we can think of.
www.vauxhall.co.uk/fleet
Volkswagen 78%
Ease of use 4/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 5/5
Live chat, email and telephone 3/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 4/5
Mobile/tablet websites 5/5
Apps 3/5
Tax calculator 3/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, service booking, comparison tool, down-loadable guides, sample whole-life costs, RV comparisons, contract hire offers 4/5
The comparison tool is the highlight of VW’s site. Select the VW you want and the tool shows how it stacks up against four rivals. It suggests cars to compare but also allows the user to pick their own. There are plenty of other useful extras, including 10 guides for fleet managers. We like VW’s car builder app, but an app for keeping track of travel expenses would be more useful. The tax calculator is basic but accurate.
Volvo 82% **MOST IMPROVED**
Ease of use 4/5
Design 4/5
Find a dealer 5/5
Live chat, email and telephone 5/5
Social media 4/5
P11D prices and data 3/5
Mobile/tablet websites 5/5
Apps 3/5
Tax calculator 3/5
Extras: Car builder, test drive requests, comparison tool, contract hire/leasing offers, user reviews, green and business magazines, model range comparison PDF 5/5
Volvo makes it easy to get in touch with the fleet team, with individual email addresses and phone numbers, as well as an alphabetical list of Volvo Business Centres. What’s more we had a response to our email in just 12 minutes. The site has plenty of useful extras, including a car comparison tool that lets you find data for your current car by entering the reg number. There are also links to Volvo’s Global Fleet Sales website.
www.volvocars.co.uk/business
