Research by customer experience benchmarking firm Global Reviews found that websites heavily influence the purchasing decision - 85 per cent of car buyers visit manufacturers' websites before buying a car. Almost 80 per cent use the internet to compare cars from different manufacturers and 20 per cent go online again just before making their final decision.

Global reviews said the findings showed that along with test-drives and showrooms, on-line advertising and searching were now an equally important part of the car-buying process. "It is clear from this research that the vast majority of car buyers depend on websites,” said Global Reviews director, Adam Goodvach. “With so many customers returning to the sites just before making their final decision, car companies are missing a trick if they fail to offer potential buyers the information they are looking for online."