Web watch: we review what’s hot on the net

VAUXHALL’S website recently made the headlines as the most frequently visited automotive portal of 2004, according to research by internet analyst Hitwise.

Figures showed the site’s market share grew by 336% during the year to May.

According to Hitwise, Vauxhall’s site was so popular because of an email campaign, interactive games and promotions. While taking much from the layout and design of the principal domain, the fleet area doesn’t feature interactive games and lacks its charisma. But it does feature useful fleet tools like tax and fuel calculators.

The much-advertised three-day test drive programme, called the Million Mile Test Drive, that began in March is available to fleet customers through the site.

By filling out their details, fleet managers can arrange to try out a new Vauxhall using tick boxes and drop-down menus. The leasing section of the site (located on the left-side menu on the homepage) allows users to request a quotation on a leasing vehicle of their choice. This process also uses the tick boxes and drop-down menus like the three-day test drive page.

By clicking on the ‘view the range’ link, users can look at special offers for cars and vans available to lease. Models are displayed in a table format including full prices, pictures and contract hire terms.

Although it is possible to find lots more information on the models (Zafira, Astra etc) through www.vauxhall.co.uk, there isn’t enough of it in the fleet area. Some direct links would have been good.

Users should have all the information they need to make a purchasing decision to hand rather than having to go searching for it.

Although as a whole, Vauxhall.co.uk holds a lot of information and interactive features, the fleet area doesn’t come across as vastly original or innovative. It is possible to navigate through the site with ease and it does hold useful information, but as a stand-alone fleet site it doesn’t get the juices flowing.