WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. -

A new study by J.D Power and Associates is the latest to show that smartphones have become a major source of information among in-market car shoppers, making mobile websites more important than ever across the industry.

According to J.D. Power and Associates’ 2012 Automotive Mobile Site Study, the results of which were released today, 31 percent of in-market vehicle shoppers have visited automotive websites via their smartphone in 2012, up from 24 percent in 2011 and 17 percent in 2010.

Sixty-nine percent of these same shoppers access third-party sites and 68 percent access manufacturer sites, and more than half — 53 percent — of these in-market shoppers access automotive content while physically at the dealership.

The J.D. Power and Associates study examined the features and content of OEM mobile websites, and their usefulness in engaging shoppers. The company said the study assists manufacturers in developing mobile sites that meet the needs of an ever-growing population of online shoppers.

Arianne Walker, senior director of media and marketing solutions at J.D. Power and Associates, said, “As shoppers increasingly use their mobile device to gather information during the shopping process and even at the point of purchase, the importance and value of mobile websites to both manufacturers and shoppers alike grow exponentially.”

The top five types of information sought by shoppers via mobile automotive websites are vehicle pricing, at 66 percent; model information, 54 percent; photo galleries, 53 percent; vehicle reviews/ratings, 52 percent; and to compare vehicles, 47 percent.

Brands ranking highest in the study on mobile websites were Acura and Kia, which tied with a score of 794. The Acura mobile site was noted for its performance in information/content, while Kia earned points for its speed and appearance.

Following Acura and Kia in the rankings were Mazda with a score of 789; GMC at 787; and Jaguar and Ram in a tie at 785.

J.D. Power and Associates noted that in the past two years, auto manufacturers have dramatically shifted the design, layout and navigation of their websites to keep up with online shopper usage and mobile device sophistication.

OEM sites currently performing well feature large, dynamic images and links that are suitable for touch-screen use, and host notably more content, the firm said.

Despite the percentage of shoppers using mobile websites during their vehicle shopping process, satisfaction with these sites ranked at 767 on a 1,000-point scale in the study, compared to scores of 818 for desktop/laptop versions and 824 for tablet versions.

“As usage trends continue to shift, mobile website developers are challenged to bring satisfaction up to par with that for other devices,” Walker said. “Many of these challenges involve providing the content that shoppers want without sacrificing speed, consistency and ease of navigation, as well as providing a visually appealing site for smaller screens.”

The J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Automotive Mobile Site Study included 9,131 evaluations of automotive mobile websites from vehicle shoppers who intend to purchase or lease a vehicle within the next two years, the company said, and was fielded in August 2012.