Reinventing Vehicle Research for the Modern Luxury Shopper

Modernizing Infiniti's Vehicle Research Section (VRS)

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When Infiniti set out to modernize its Vehicle Research Section (VRS), the goal was clear: create a faster, smarter, and more intuitive research experience for today’s car shoppers. 

 

Customers needed a way to easily compare trims, explore features, and access shopping tools—all without feeling overwhelmed by complexity. As the UX lead for this initiative, I helped redefine how users discover, differentiate, and decide on their next Infiniti, designing a modular, future-ready platform that balances exploration with action.

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Project Goals

• Modernize the visual and functional design to meet contemporary customer expectations.

• Create a logical, guided journey through vehicle models, balancing exploration and shopping readiness.

• Maintain persistent access to key shopping tools (e.g., Build & Price, Request a Brochure, Estimate Payments).

• Support deep linking, SEO standards, and modularity across regions and trims.

• Provide clear comparison tools without overwhelming users with technical data.
   

Discovery & Alignment

• Conducted heuristic evaluations of the current VRS experience.

• Mapped user flows based on primary personas: Newcomers, Researchers, Ready-to-Buy shoppers.

• Aligned stakeholder requirements around SEO needs, shopping tool visibility, and marketing priorities.
   

Architecture Redesign

• Introduced a "Step Up" module to highlight trims and pricing upfront.

• Designed modular, progressive disclosure tools for comparing features and specs.

• Developed expandable/collapsible feature tables and dynamic overlays for rich media (video, gallery).

• Integrated seamless cross-links to Key Features, Gallery, Awards & Reviews, and Offers.
   

Wireframing and Prototyping

• Delivered wireframes for Step Up modules, Trim Comparisons, Regional Base navigation, and accessory galleries.

• Prioritized accessibility best practices, mobile responsiveness, and SEO-compliant structure.
   

Metrics and Tracking Support

• Embedded tracking elements into UX structure to support clickstream analysis, funnel visibility, and deep link performance reporting.

• Ensured alignment with Infiniti’s analytics partners to prepare for A/B and multivariate testing.
   

Key Features

• Top-Level Trim Comparison ("Step Up") for faster differentiation.

• Detailed Spec Comparison Tables with smart filtering ("Show Differences," "Show Similarities").

• Persistent access to Build & Price, Request Brochure, Schedule Test Drive across the experience.

• Expandable content sections to minimize cognitive load.

• Carousel navigation for trims when more than five options are available.

• Integrated visual galleries and awards content tied directly to specific trims and offers.
   

Outcomes

Quantitative Impact:

• 26% increase in Build & Price engagement rates within 60 days post-launch.

• 19% reduction in bounce rates from VRS entry pages.

• 15% lift in completed comparisons (full trim spec comparisons).

• SEO improvements: 22% increase in organic entry traffic to VRS pages.
   

User Feedback from Usability Testing:

• “It’s easier to see what you’re getting when you move up trims. I don’t feel like I’m guessing anymore.”

• “I love how I can open and close what I care about—it doesn't shove everything at me at once.”

• “The Build & Price button is always there when I’m ready. I don’t have to hunt for it.”

Reflection

This project reinforced the importance of balancing depth with simplicity in complex buying journeys. Car buyers—particularly those in the luxury segment—demand both comprehensive information and a sense of effortless progression.

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By structuring the experience around the natural stages of research, from curiosity to commitment, we allowed users to control the depth of their exploration without becoming overwhelmed. Critically, we demonstrated that a modular approach doesn’t sacrifice emotional engagement; it enhances it by making shoppers feel empowered and in control.

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Future enhancements will continue building on this foundation by layering in behavioral personalization and predictive pathways to reduce friction even further.

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Next Steps

Behavioral Personalization:

• Leverage browsing and interaction data to surface more relevant trims, offers, and accessories based on user behavior.

Deeper Analytics Integration:

• Expand clickstream tracking to monitor micro-conversions (e.g., opening spec buckets, saving comparisons) to better understand user intent at different research stages.

Mobile-Centric Optimization:

• Refine tap targets, swipeable carousels, and collapsed spec views specifically for mobile-first users, based on increasing mobile traffic trends.

Integrated Save & Share Functionality:

• Enable users to save and share their configurations or comparisons directly with dealers, supporting a smoother transition from online research to offline purchase.

Progressive Disclosure Enhancements:

• Continue refining disclosure patterns (e.g., dynamically adjusting what’s collapsed/expanded) based on user testing to further minimize cognitive load during complex comparisons.