Retail Categories

Take a look at our 27 retail categories below.

All categories are free to enter!

Aftersales Excellence Award

The Aftersales Excellence Award acknowledges and rewards the dealer who consistently delivers an outstanding aftersales service. Nominations are invited from departments operating in franchised or independent sites across the UK.

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Bodyshop of the Year

The Bodyshop of the Year Award is open to any franchised or independent company undertaking body repairs.

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Business Manager of the Year

The Business Manager of the Year Award will acknowledge and reward the pivotal role played by business managers in the sales process. Nominations are invited from Business Managers, or their line managers, working in franchised and independent dealerships.

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Customer Care Award

The Customer Care Award is open to all franchised and independent vehicle retailers and recognises efforts to promote customer care which have contributed to a business’ profits and success.

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Dealer Group of the Year

The Dealer Group of the Year Award is for the Motor Trader Top 200 franchised dealer group running four or more sites that has implemented the most successful strategy for developing sales and profitability in the past year.

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Dealer Website of the Year

The Dealer Website of the Year Award is open to franchised and independent retailers. It will identify and reward the best customer facing dealer website in the motor trade.

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Digital Initiative of the Year

The Digital Initiative of the Year award recognises and rewards the best use of digital media by franchised and non-franchised dealers.

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Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Award

The Diversity & Inclusion Award is open to independent and franchised dealerships, and recognises the work or project a retailer has undertaken over the past year to promote equality, inclusion, diversity and fairness in their business.

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Employer of the Year

The Employer of the Year award acknowledges and rewards the dealer groups setting new standards for recruiting, nurturing and retaining employees. Shortlisted groups will need to demonstrate how they are setting industry standards for employee satisfaction and show how this is contributing to their bottom line.

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EV Investment of the Year

The EV Investment of the Year Award is open to independent and franchised dealerships who have made significant investment in EV over the past year.

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EV Retailer of the Year

The EV Retailer of the Year award is open to independent and franchised dealerships and rewards excellence across the whole spectrum of EV business activities, including new and used EV sales, marketing and aftersales.

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Franchised Dealership of the Year

The Franchised Dealership of the Year award is open to individual franchised dealerships and rewards excellence across the whole spectrum of business activities, including new and used car sales, marketing and aftersales.

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Independent Garage of the Year

The Independent Garage of the Year Award recognises best practice, innovation and professionalism in the non-franchised repairer sector. This category is open to individual sites, which can be standalone businesses or part of bigger networks, which can show they have excelled over the course of 2023.

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LCV Franchised Dealer of the Year

Judges will look for evidence of excellent presentation standards. Single-site businesses as well as branches of small, medium or large dealer groups are eligible. Customer testimonials would also support entries.

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Most Improved Dealership of the Year

The Most Improved Dealership of the Year award is open to all franchised and independent car dealerships.

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New Dealership of the Year

The New Dealership of the Year Award is open to all franchised and independent car retailing sites which opened during the 24 month period between June 2021 and June 2023.

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Sales Team of the Year

The Sales Team of the Year Award recognises and rewards the crucial role played by dealership based sales teams.

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Sales Manager of the Year

The Sales Manager of the Year Award highlights the pivotal role played by sales managers in franchised and independent sites.

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Skills & Development Award

The Skills & Development Award is open to all franchised and independent vehicle retailers.

It recognises a commitment to improving skills and development for retailers, leading to outstanding performance and professionalism.

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Social Media Award

The Social Media Award acknowledges and rewards the franchised or independent site that delivers the best social media presence in the UK car retailing sector and has successfully used it to engage customers and drive sales.

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Used Car Dealer Group of the Year

The Used Dealer Group of the Year Award is open to all franchised and independent dealer groups retailing used cars to the public and operating more than one site.

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Used Car Retailer of the Year

The Used Car Retailer of the Year Award is a single site award open to all franchised and independent dealers retailing used cars to the public. The single site can be a solus operation or a dealership within a group.

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Judge's Choice Retail Categories

Carmaker of the Year

The Carmaker of the Year Award will be chosen by the panel of judges and presented to the carmaker who has excelled in terms of producing new models, successfully marketing them and building close relationships with its dealer network.

If you have a suggestion for an entry into this category, please email john.kirwan@emap.com

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New Car of the Year

The New Car of the Year Award is open to all new models on sale in UK dealerships between June 2021 and December 2023. It is judged by our expert panel of judges.

If you have a suggestion for an entry into this category, please email john.kirwan@emap.com.

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Outstanding Achievement Award

The Outstanding Achievement Award will go to the person who in the view of the Motor Trader Awards judging panel has most notably raised the profile and enhanced the reputation of the UK motor trade. 

If you have a suggestion for an entry into this category, please email john.kirwan@emap.com.

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Used Car of the Year: Premium

The Motor Trader Used Car of the Year: Premium Award, acknowledges the vehicle that has excelled in terms of its desirability and premium among the dealers selling it and the customers who bought it. The winner is selected by a panel of used car industry professionals.

If you have a suggestion for an entry into this category, please email john.kirwan@emap.com.

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Used Car of the Year: Volume

The Motor Trader Used Car of the Year Award: Volume, acknowledges the vehicle that has excelled in terms of its desirability and volume among the dealers selling it and the customers who bought it. The winner is selected by a panel of used car industry professionals.

If you have a suggestion for an entry into this category, please email john.kirwan@emap.com.

This category is now closed