Toyota Digital Platform

Lead Product and UX design for vehicle configurator, chat/search and search inventory tools on Toyota.com.

Building a Better Buying Experience

TOYOTA’S ALL NEW BUILD & PRICE

In a landscape increasingly defined by personalized experiences, the automotive industry lags. Toyota's legacy configurator was a functional tool but failed to ignite excitement or effectively translate online engagement into sales. This case study details a comprehensive redesign that transformed the Toyota.com Vehicle Configurator from a transactional checklist into an immersive, personalized journey, resulting in 1-4 dealer leads, a 50% increase in engagement, a 46% boost in completed configurations, and a significant uplift in brand perception.

Build it

Legacy Build and Price: The Challenge of Choice

Configuring a new vehicle is a pivotal moment in the car-buying process. It’s where dreams take shape, and aspirations are materialized. Yet, for many users, this experience is marred by complexity, overwhelming choices, and a lack of genuine connection.

Old Experience

The Vision: A Personalized Automotive Journey

Our mission was to transcend the limitations of a traditional configurator and create an engaging, personalized journey that empowers users to design their perfect Toyota while fostering a deeper connection with the brand.

New Experience

Orchestrating the transformation

Our mission wasn't just to redesign a tool; it was to rediscover the joy of creating a personal automotive vision. We needed to understand not just what users wanted, but why. What desires lay hidden beneath the surface of spec sheets and trim levels? 

The Design Process: A Symphony of Research, Ideation, and Iteration

Knowing that the build and price experience drives a significant portion of Toyota.com traffic – nearly a third – we were laser-focused on delivering something truly exceptional. Our design philosophy centered around immersive, interactive content and an intuitive flow, ensuring a seamless transition from model selection to trim and ultimately, to the final configuration. We wanted users to easily understand and appreciate their choices at every step.

Transforming the configuration experience.

To fully immerse customers in the vehicle building experience, we employed a storytelling approach that guides them through a carefully curated journey. Starting with model selection, users progress to trim selection and ultimately enter the full configurator environment. Key features such as high-resolution 360° vehicle views, interactive color palettes, and expansive imagery for packages create a compelling and immersive visual experience. Furthermore, we modularized the configuration process into digestible chunks, reducing cognitive load and allowing users to focus on individual decisions. Finally, the integration of real-time pricing and availability information ensures transparency and provides a seamless, informed path to purchase.

  • Previous - MODEL SELECTION

    Old Experience

    A sea of text, numbers and thumbnails, non-personable, overwhelming and confusing.

  • Previous - TRIM SELECT

    Old Experience

    Selecting the grade as part of the configurator process.

  • New - MODEL SELECTION

    Updated Experience

    A visually engaging interface with lifestyle images, concise descriptions, and an interactive flip interaction to view more details.

  • New - TRIM SELECT

    Updated Experience

    Selecting the grade as its own separate page proceeding the configurator. Ability to filter by cab & bed, highlighted features, and fuel type.

A Personalized, Engaging, and Conversion-Focused Configurator Experience

VEHICLE CONFIGURATOR

VEHICLE SUMMARY PAGE

Our primary goal was to create a more intuitive and engaging experience that guides users seamlessly through the configuration process while clearly communicating the value and choices available.

Key Design Decisions & Improvements:

  • Streamlined Navigation: The tabbed navigation ("Color," "Powertrain," "Packages," etc.) remains, ensuring users can easily jump between sections. However, the new design elevates this navigation with a clearer visual hierarchy and improved tap targets.

  • Contextual Model Information: The summary page now prominently displays the selected model and trim (e.g., "2023 RAV4 Hybrid XLE Premium") alongside a clear total price breakdown, constantly reinforcing the customer's configuration. This constant visibility drives engagement and facilitates informed decision-making.

  • Actionable Information: We integrated key user actions directly into the summary page, including "View Inventory" and "Request a Quote," providing immediate pathways for conversion.

  • Modular Information Architecture: The summary section adopts a modular approach. The prominent "Edit" links alongside each section enable swift adjustments and customizations, fostering a highly flexible and user-controlled experience.

  • Visual Hierarchy and Enhanced Imagery: Typography and spacing were carefully considered to improve readability and visual appeal. While the original configurator provided vehicle imagery, the new version incorporates higher-resolution visuals and additional perspectives to create a richer and more immersive experience.

Finally, we rigorously optimized the experience for mobile devices, prioritizing large touch targets and a consistent, delightful experience regardless of platform, recognizing the importance of on-the-go exploration for our users. Ultimately, we aimed to craft a build and price tool that was not just functional, but engaging and truly personable for every customer.

Highlights

The Dynamic Discovery System

A key goal of the new Vehicle Configurator was to prioritize intuitive user journeys and product discovery. Previously, users struggled to differentiate trim levels during selection, causing confusion and delays. To address this in the updated platform, we developed the Dynamic Discovery System, a filtering system designed to transform trim selection and empower confident customization. It features intuitive starting points, smart progressive disclosure, and highlighted feature categories for real-time updates.

As the lead designer, I spearheaded the Dynamic Discovery System, focusing on a seamless user-centered experience. This allows shoppers to start with their priorities, clearly understand trim values, and refine selections naturally. Proven effective, the system earned stakeholder praise and is now being implemented across Toyota.com and adopted by Lexus, demonstrating its scalability and the impact of design leadership on the Toyota digital experience.

Changing Lanes

Conflict Resolution

A pivotal element in achieving a best-in-class configurator experience was transforming the conflict resolution process, a key stakeholder request. Previous versions suffered from disruptive modals, overwhelming information, lack of guidance, and potential abandonment – pain points especially prominent in complex builds. Recognizing that users crave confidence, not just choices, I personally led the design of the Guided Modal Experience. This innovative solution, leveraging a stepped approach within the modal itself, prioritizes clarity, context, guidance, visualization, and user empowerment. By breaking down complex scenarios with up to 58 possibilities into manageable steps, it reduces confusion, minimizes disruptions, and ultimately ensures users feel confident they will receive the ideal vehicle configuration. I was ultimately responsible for designing this successful solution to the configurator experience.

Impact

Driving Results that Exceed Expectations

50% Increase in Qualified Leads

Enhanced user engagement and a streamlined configuration process translated into a substantial increase in lead generation. 1 in 4 go to Search Inventory after completing their build.

50% Uplift in Time on Site

The immersive and engaging experience kept users on the site longer, fostering a deeper connection with the brand.

46% Boost in Configuration Rates

Reduced cognitive overload and a more intuitive interface led to a significant increase in users successfully completing the configuration process.

Chris Reese (Desktop User)

“I think the tool is really intuitive. I did not know an experience like this could be available to me.”

Tyler Long (Mobile User)

“The tool is really simple.”

Lessons Learned & Future Iterations

This project yielded valuable insights that will inform future design initiatives at Toyota:

  • Personalization is Paramount: Personalized experiences are no longer a luxury; they are a necessity.

  • Visual Storytelling Resonates: Immersive visuals and compelling storytelling can significantly enhance user engagement and drive conversions.

  • Data-Driven Design is Essential: Rigorous data analysis and A/B testing are crucial for optimizing the user experience and achieving business goals.

  • Continual Refinement: Design is never truly finished. We will continue to iterate on the configurator based on user feedback and evolving business needs.

  • Deeper Integration with Dealerships: Seamless integration with dealerships (scheduling test drives, connecting with sales representatives) will further enhance the customer journey.

Setting a new standard

The redesigned Toyota.com Vehicle Configurator represents a paradigm shift in the automotive industry, transforming a transactional tool into a personalized, engaging, and highly effective platform for driving leads and fostering brand loyalty. This project demonstrates the power of user-centered design to create meaningful experiences that not only meet business objectives but also delight and empower users. This configurator is a step in turning a commodity product into a brand experience.

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