Shropshire-based Mitsubishi and Honda dealer JT Hughes is a relative latecomer to the internet, launching its website last month.

Designers Webcraft and Positive Advertising followed a precise brief from managing director John Hughes who wanted the site to appeal to dealership's local audience.

This has been successfully achieved by prominent placing of local headline news stories, competitions and prizes. It gives the site a strong local theme.

The design is striking because it is so simple. The designers have not felt the need to go overboard with animation or clutter the site with too much unnecessary content. It is also rewarding to navigate - pages load quickly, the icons are clearly positioned and the text is easy to read.

Useful facilities, like a used car locator, allow users to search by make, model and price. Users can also get detailed information on new Mitsubishi and Honda models including prices.

Other features such as arranging finance and booking a test drive online would be good functions if they worked. But many of the links were still blank when the site was reviewed - teething troubles no doubt, but forgivable as the site is still in its early stages.

Users can also join the JT Hughes club, which provides regular e-mail updates on the latest offers and news. It is a clever way of making the site feel personal and it also enables JT Hughes to gather up-to-date information on potential buyers.

This is a well thought out website that is attractive and easy to navigate. The only complaints are that the content is slightly thin on the ground and some of the functions are not fully working.

JT Hughes needs to get the site fully working and think about adding some more useful features like online insurance quotes or part-exchange facility.

Visit the site at www.jthughes.com