Franchised car dealers have been rating their manufacturers in the annual survey.
An analysis of the ‘overall average score’ across all questions of the survey (6.4) put Lexus at the top with 9.2 points out of 10, followed by Mercedes (8.4) and Kia (8.4).
The bottom of the table saw Fiat (3.7), Abarth (4.4), and Alfa Romeo (4.7), which is bad news for the parent Stellantis group.
Sue Robinson, ceo of the National Franchised Dealers Association, said, “The Dealer Attitude Survey is a staple benchmark report for the industry, presenting a multifaceted and comprehensive overview of the automotive retail sector, revealing a better understanding as to the relationships between manufacturers and their franchised dealership networks.
“OEMs and retailers continue to operate efficiently under increasingly difficult situations and demanding environments, with semi-conductor shortages and international conflicts as primary contributors to supply issues. The Dealer Attitude Survey explores this business relationship and marks significant improvements across a number of franchise networks from six months ago.”
She concluded, “The NFDA is pleased with a response rate of 66%, just 1% lower than the last edition’s record response, and is evidence that the DAS remains as a crucial barometer for the UK automotive industry.
“It is essential that manufacturers and dealers work in a mutually beneficial way that adheres to consumers’ needs, and explores how they can improve business areas which have received below average scores.”
