Model Overview

At TrueCar, I designed the Model Overview - a research and discovery experience that provides valuable content to shoppers early on in their car buying journey.

62% of TrueCar visitors are undecided when it comes to the make and model of their next vehicle purchase.

Problem

TrueCar did not have a robust research and review experience to help shoppers decide which make/model/trim to purchase. This caused some visitors to bounce to other sites for their research, and others to submit low quality leads since they were not far enough along in the car buying journey.

Hypothesis

Providing TrueCar shoppers who are undecided on a car with high quality shopping data, will:

• Increase engagement and return visitation among shoppers early in the car buying process
• Drive more visitors to the site via SEO
• Increase close rate and dealer satisfaction

My Role

As the Lead UX Designer, I worked closely with product, key stakeholders, and engineers in an agile team environment. I conducted competitive research, extensive usability tests, feature prioritization card sorts, and designed responsive, high-fidelity mockups for mobile, desktop and tablet devices.

UX Solution

The solution was an engaging, informative page with relevant model information and entry points into new and used inventory. Eye-catching OEM imagery and a comprehensive feature comparison table were two of the most valued aspects by users.

MVP (2019)

In Production (2022)

Feature Evolution

Since initial launch, the team has designed many new enhancements and feature updates to maximize the value of this page. Currently, the key features include:

• Trim Comparison
• Pricing Data and Loan/Lease Payment Estimates
• Enhanced Photo Gallery with Exterior and Interior OEM imagery, 360° Spins, and Videos
• Relative Best Ranked Vehicle module
• Editorial Content from Industry Experts
• Owner Ratings & Reviews 

Growth in Organic Traffic & Engagement

After the Model Overview launched to 100% of traffic, it began to to generate 15K unique visits per month, and had an average NPS score of 21. Today, it reaches about 70K unique visits per month, and NPS is up 10 points (to 31) which is very significant.

Just in the past 6 months alone, the organic traffic has increased +652% (+57.4K) while session durations have grown +26% (+36s per session). This can be attributed to the new editorial content (huge SEO driver) and product evolutions.

Opportunities

Based on findings from a site intercept test, we have identified a few areas for improvement. Users want to see more detailed pricing information, vehicle comparisons (ability to compare models, not just at the trim level), available local inventory, deals and incentives, and expert reviews.