ATLANTA, July 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- AutoTrader.com, the ultimate automotive marketplace, has launched an enhanced mobile site (m.autotrader.com) for the over one million consumers who access the site each month from a mobile device. With more advanced searching, sorting and viewing features, the revamped mobile site delivers an improved experience and helps shoppers perform the tasks they need the most when they're on the go.

"There's a new generation of shoppers among us, and their use of mobile devices is growing quickly," said Jose Puente, director of mobile products at AutoTrader.com. "Mobile shoppers have different needs and expectations when they're using their smart phones than when they're using a computer, and the significant enhancements we made for the new mobile site were designed with those needs and expectations in mind."

Site statistics from AutoTrader.com indicate that mobile usage for car shopping increases on the weekends, when people are less likely to be in front of a computer. These shoppers are further along in the car shopping process, so they are primarily focused on finding specific vehicles and dealers or private sellers near them. Therefore, several of the enhancements to the mobile site centered on improving the search functionality and integrating location-based and map features, among others.

New and improved functionality in the mobile site includes:

• More Search Options. The mobile site now includes more search options, enabling shoppers to include preferences on engine, transmission, seller type, drive, doors, fuel, mileage, exterior color, body style, features and keywords.
• New Sort Options. Now shoppers will be able to sort their search results by a variety of criteria, including price, distance, mileage, year and make/model.
• Location-Based Features. Leveraging the GPS feature inherent in many of today's smart phones, the new mobile site enables shoppers to use their current location rather than entering their zip code for each search. They can also take advantage of a default search radius that adapts to their location.
• Map View for Search Results. Shoppers using their mobile phones can view results in a map layout, so they can easily see which dealers or vehicles are closest to them.
• Access Recent Searches. Shoppers can now easily access their previous searches, as well as vehicles they've recently viewed.
• Share Listings on Facebook. The new mobile site makes it easier than ever for shoppers to share vehicle listings with their friends on Facebook.
• Improved Photo Viewer. Great vehicle pictures help create an emotional connection between shoppers and vehicles they're considering, and with the mobile site's enhanced photo display, great pictures will look even better.

The number of unique visitors accessing AutoTrader.com from a mobile device has increased substantially year-over-year, pointing to the growing trend of increased mobile usage in the car shopping process.  Additionally, AutoTrader.com's mobile site has topped one million unique visitors every month since October 2010.

"We're proud of the growth that we've seen in the usage of our mobile site," Puente continued. "For the millions of shoppers who access AutoTrader.com from mobile devices each year, these new features should be a welcomed addition to their car shopping experiences."

AutoTrader.com launched its first mobile site in April 2010 and followed that launch with the development of two mobile apps: an iPhone app in June 2011 and an Android app in October 2011. Each mobile property has continued to be improved to accommodate the increasing needs of shoppers on the go.

About AutoTrader.com

Created in 1997, Atlanta-based AutoTrader.com is the Internet's ultimate automotive marketplace. As a leading resource for car shoppers and sellers, AutoTrader.com aggregates millions of new, used and certified pre-owned cars from thousands of dealers and private sellers and provides expert articles and reviews. AutoTrader.com, which also operates the AutoTraderClassics.com auto marketing brand, is wholly owned by AutoTrader Group. Additionally, AutoTrader Group owns Kelley Blue Book (kbb.com) as well as three other companies that provide a full suite of software tools that help dealers and manufacturers manage their inventory and advertising online: vAuto, HomeNet Automotive and VinSolutions.  AutoTrader Group is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. Providence Equity Partners is a 25 percent owner of the company and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is also an investor. For more information, please visit www.autotrader.com.

SOURCE AutoTrader.com