The ‘best of the best’ celebrated at the 18th Autotrader Retailer Awards
Celebrations, recognition and insights…all with a view of the London skyline
The UK’s top automotive retailers joined us at London’s iconic Leadenhall Building (aka The Cheesegrater) yesterday for this year’s Autotrader Retailer Awards. Now in its 18th year, the Awards celebrate the very best in automotive retailing; those brands that are pushing the standard of all aspects of the car buying experience.
With nearly 150 retailers attending the ceremony located on the 42nd floor, one of London’s most iconic buildings was full of applause as the 29 winners lifted trophies in recognition for their exceptional customer service, digital excellence, innovation, commitment to sustainability, and for successfully adapting to the challenges of today’s fast- moving market. And with less than 1% of our circa 14,000 retailer partners recognised for their retailing excellence, both the winners and finalists have joined one of the industry’s most exclusive clubs.
The top accolade, the Retailer of the Year, was awarded to six businesses in total, representing the very “best of the best” across the car and van markets. STRENUE (under 50 cars), ASK Motors (50-100 cars), and Vertu Motors (over 100 cars) won in the car category, whilst Shallcross Vehicle Solutions (under 20 vans), Roy Wood Transits (20-50 vans), and David Spear Commercials (over 50 vans) lifted trophies in the van category. This year also included the New Car Retailer of the Year, which was won by Hendy Group.
Just one of Vertu Motors’ three awards this year
The Awards recognise the top performing automotive retailers across nine different categories, of which four are data-based, assessed either by detailed analysis of millions of data points, or in the case of the Customer Experience Award, one of the largest mystery shopping exercises of its type. For that category, around 1,250 of our best performing car and van retailers were gradually whittled down to just six deserving winners: GBI Cars, Norman Motors (Bournemouth), and Vertu Motors in the car category, along with MD Vehicles, Baxter & Simpson Heritage, and Lookers Motor Group in the van.
The final data-based category, is the Customer Choice Award, which is based on an in-depth analysis of retailers’ customer reviews on our platform. Winners were determined by the number of reviews praising a retailer for its customer service and car buying experience, as well the quality of its responses to reviews, and their overall review score. This year’s winners were Forte Motors (1-50 cars), Parker Prestige Cars (50-100 cars), and Cars Under 3000 (100+ cars).
This year saw the highest ever number of entries for the five self-nomination categories, which were judged by an independent panel made up of experts from Octopus Energy, Mony Group, Ocado Intelligent Automation, The Automotive 30% Club, and The Carbon Literacy Project.
-The Innovation Award recognises retailers that have successfully implemented a bold innovation that’s markedly improved its business - won by Acklam Cars and Vertu Motors.
- The People & Culture Award identifies businesses that are going above and beyond to provide the very best working culture for its colleagues - won by Car Motion and JCT600.
-The Sustainability Initiative showcases the best examples of businesses taking steps to lower their carbon emissions and helping to combat climate change - won by Volvo Cars Poole.
-The Rising Star Award celebrates those burgeoning businesses destined to set the industry alight. This year’s very deserving winner is Browns of Richmond.
A ‘true trailblazer’
JCT600’s Brand Director, Michelle Caveney receives her Woman of the Year Award, presented by the Automotive 30% Club’s Julia Muir
The fifth self-nomination category is the Woman of the Year Award, which recognises the exceptional women in automotive retail. Introduced last year to support the Automotive 30% Club’s ‘Moonshot’ initiative, it celebrates inspiring and high performing women working within an operational management role. This year’s winner is Michelle Caveney, Brand Director, at JCT600, who Julia Muir, founder of the Automotive 30% Club, described as “a true trailblazer”.
The other finalists were Kirsty Mullen (Managing Director at Garrowhill Car Sales), Louise Baker (Head of Fleet Sales at Johnsons Cars), and Ellen Fitchew (Divisional Head of Aftersales at Vindis Group).
Speaking at the awards, Julia Muir, said: “This year’s entries were uplifting to read and told amazing stories of some of the brilliant automotive retail women who are already in an operational management role, and it was extremely difficult for the judges to select a shortlist. All these women are amazing and delivering incredible results, but Michelle has been delivering outstanding senior leadership performance over decades and was demonstrating operational leadership back in the days when she was the only woman in the room. She is a true trailblazer and absolutely deserving to be named the Autotrader Woman of the Year 2025.”
Pipped to the post
Unfortunately there could only be one winner in each of the categories. The amazing retailers just pipped to the post this year, were:
Retailer of the Year - car: E.A.K. Group, Certa Used Car Sales, Harvey Cooper Cars Ltd, WR Car Sales Ltd, Sandown Group, Howards Motor Group
Retailer of the Year - van: Forte Motors, Landmark 4 x 4, Baxter & Simpson Heritage, First 4 Vans, Vertu Motors plc, Swansway (Volkswagen Van Centre Wrexham)
New Car Retailer of the Year: Vantage Motor Group
The Customer Experience Award - car: Precious Metals, Elms Automotive, Solo Car Sales, NMJ Motorhouse Ltd, Group1, Lexus Stoke
The Customer Experience Award - van: VWF Van Sales, Shallcross Vehicle Solutions, Gateford Motor Company, Midco Commercials, Clark Commercials Aberdeen, JCT600
The Customer Choice Award: W&R Motors Ltd, AB Motors, Anthony Betts Hemel Hempstead, Warwick Hall Cars, Acklam Cars, Ponko
People & Culture Award: eStar Truck & Van, Specto Motors, Redgate Lodge, Car Planet
The Innovation of the Year: Clever Car Collection, Culloden Cars, David Spear Commercials, Car Planet
Sustainability Initiative: Luigi Motors, Redgate Lodge
Rising Star: SOR Motorcycles, Graysmith Autos
Woman of the Year: Kirsty Mullen (Managing Director at Garrowhill Car Sales), Louise Baker (Head of Fleet Sales at Johnsons Cars), and Ellen Fitchew (Divisional Head of Aftersales at Vindis Group)
Now, our Awards are a genuine highlight for us in the calendar as it’s a unique and privileged opportunity to recognise and to celebrate the very best in automotive retailing. And that is exactly what every one of this year’s finalists and winners represent. Winning a Retailer Award is tough. Our judging process is completely independent, it’s unbiased, and it’s data and fact based. So, to be a finalist, let alone one of just a small handful of winners, is a huge achievement, and thoroughly well-deserved by all of this year’s exceptional retailers. So a huge congratulations to all – we’re already looking forward to next year’s Awards.
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Here are a selection of photos from this year’s awards. If you spot yourself or your colleagues, and would like a high resolution version, drop a note in the comments and we’ll send one straight over.
