Lexus is the best brand to represent, say dealers.
It has won the annual winter survey of the motor trade by members of the National Franchised Dealers Association.
Lexus beat Mercedes-Benz (9.2) and Kia (9.1), and securing 1st place in the survey with 9.3 points.
The lowest overall manufacturer rating is Seat, scoring 3.4 out of 10 and declining further since the last survey.
The all-dealer average returned a score of 6.9 out of 10, an increase of +0.3 points since the last survey.
Citroen and Land Rover saw the biggest improvement in ratings, with an increase of +1.7 points while Nissan recorded the largest drop in rating, decreasing by -1.95 points.
A newly introduced question on dealers’ ability to meet manufacturer new EV car targets in current market conditions finished in the bottom 5 scoring questions.
The poll continues to serve as a critical barometer in understanding the complex relationship between franchised dealerships and their respective manufacturers.
It has been running since 1989 and presents the most comprehensive overview of dealer sentiments and perspectives on manufacturers that the sector has to offer.
The Winter 2026 edition of the survey was carried out over six weeks. In this edition, the survey garnered responses from 2,511 sites across 34 franchised networks,
