Archive
This post is archived and may contain outdated information. It has been set to 'noindex' and should stop showing up in search results.
This post is archived and may contain outdated information. It has been set to 'noindex' and should stop showing up in search results.
Automaker website load times January 2010
Feb 6, 2010Web and InternetComments (0)
When searching for new vehicle specifications, photos, and other information, most people turn to the manufacturer's official website first. These websites all list the most commonly desired information and media, and are generally a good place to start.
I performed a timed tests for all of the major vehicle manufacturer's websites. I timed how long it takes until the vehicle model list is available and clickable, and the total time for all elements to load. These times were all taken more than once to assure some degree of accuracy.
I used a clean browser (emptied cache) with the manufacturer's URL typed into the address bar for each run, and a hand-held stop watch. For the browser and connection, I used IE 7 and DSL, which is on the slower end but for which these websites still need to work well with.
The first number is the time it takes before the vehicle selector is available, since this is the most important part of the website. All the images do not need to be loaded, just as long as an adequately loaded list of vehicles is available and clickable. The second time is the time for the site to finish loading all its major components. In some cases there may be an extra script running in the background (maybe a tracking script), and I did not include the time it took for those to complete in the overall time.
Here are the results in seconds:
And the results in a nice bar graph:
Here are the results ordered by fastest to slowest:
Some automakers, namely GM and its various brands, need to pick up the slack. Not everyone has a fast cable Internet connection, and long load times can really put potential customers off. Other automakers, such as Honda and its Acura brand, had extremely fast loading websites.
I performed a timed tests for all of the major vehicle manufacturer's websites. I timed how long it takes until the vehicle model list is available and clickable, and the total time for all elements to load. These times were all taken more than once to assure some degree of accuracy.
I used a clean browser (emptied cache) with the manufacturer's URL typed into the address bar for each run, and a hand-held stop watch. For the browser and connection, I used IE 7 and DSL, which is on the slower end but for which these websites still need to work well with.
The first number is the time it takes before the vehicle selector is available, since this is the most important part of the website. All the images do not need to be loaded, just as long as an adequately loaded list of vehicles is available and clickable. The second time is the time for the site to finish loading all its major components. In some cases there may be an extra script running in the background (maybe a tracking script), and I did not include the time it took for those to complete in the overall time.
Here are the results in seconds:
| Automaker | Selector | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Acura | 2.9 | 4.5 |
| Audi | 7.2 | 7.2 |
| BMW | 16.6 | 22.0 |
| Buick | 20.7 | 22.3 |
| Cadillac | 31.8 | 50.8 |
| Chevrolet | 17.6 | 37.8 |
| Chrysler | 12.2 | 14.0 |
| Dodge | 10.6 | 12.8 |
| Ford | 7.7 | 7.7 |
| GMC | 37.5 | 95.5 |
| Honda | 2.8 | 4.5 |
| Hyundai | 11.6 | 11.6 |
| Hummer | 26.1 | 30.6 |
| Jaguar | 15.5 | 18.6 |
| Jeep | 14.0 | 14.0 |
| Kia | 9.7 | 12.6 |
| Lexus | 17.6 | 17.6 |
| Lincoln | 10.1 | 14.6 |
| Mazda | 3.4 | 7.8 |
| Mercedes-Benz | 17.2 | 17.2 |
| Mercury | 4.0 | 8.1 |
| Mini | 12.9 | 17.6 |
| Mitsubishi | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Nissan | 8.5 | 9.8 |
| Pontiac | 8.1 | 13.2 |
| Porsche | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Saab | 85.1 | 85.1 |
| Saturn | 16.5 | 28.2 |
| Scion | 22.2 | 22.2 |
| Subaru | 4.4 | 8.6 |
| Toyota | 7.4 | 8.3 |
| Volkswagen | 5.2 | 9.3 |
And the results in a nice bar graph:
Here are the results ordered by fastest to slowest:
Some automakers, namely GM and its various brands, need to pick up the slack. Not everyone has a fast cable Internet connection, and long load times can really put potential customers off. Other automakers, such as Honda and its Acura brand, had extremely fast loading websites.