KIA was the top-rated brand overall in the Winter 2022/23 edition of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) Dealer Attitude Survey.
It has managed to dislodge Lexus from the top spot.
Kia’s average score of 8.7 out of 10, was a 0.3-point improvement over the previous NFDA survey. Kia came top in five key questions, including the all-important question “How would you rate your manufacturer overall”, and the brand saw an improved score across all but one of the 19 survey questions.
On the other hand, brands contemplating going the agency route are clearly troubling their dealers.
Asked to rate their manufacturer overall, Vauxhall, Jaguar and Citroen propped up the bottom of the table.
However, dealers from Mercedes – which has gone agency since the start of this year – expressed satisfaction on profit return. Overall Mercedes was rated fourth, suggesting that the Mercedes approach to agency and its dealers is working, although after two disappointing months of sales it will be interesting to see if this level of satisfaction is maintained.
The Dealer Attitude Survey remains a crucial barometer for the UK automotive industry. Manufacturers and dealers must 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.
Top 10 NFDA dealer satisfaction brands winter 2022/23
1 Kia
2 Lexus
3 MINI
4 Mercedes-Benz
5 BMW
6 MG
7 Toyota
8 Suzuki
9 Mazda
10 Nissan
We have worked very closely with our dealer partners for many years and always strive to achieve the best for both our customers and our dealers. Seeing our dealers’ views represented in the NFDA survey is such a valuable asset and one that helps us plan further improvements to our products and services. It is rewarding to see our efforts result in Kia being positioned as the no.1 brand in the UK.
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Ralph Morton is the leading journalist in the leasing broker sector and editor of Broker News, the website which provides information and news for BVRLA-registered leasing brokers. He also writes extensively on the fleet and leasing market in both the UK and Europe.
