Entry Deadline: Friday 7 August 2026

Enter Now 

Enter this year's awards for the chance to win the industry's most prestigious accolade. Entering the Motor Trader Industry Awards gives you the chance to highlight your achievements and innovation across the industry and the best part is, all categories are free to enter!  

If you have any questions regarding your entry, please contact us.

Retail Categories 

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

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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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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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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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Judges will be looking for Dealer Management Systems (DMS) providers who have launched innovative services and product(s) between January and December 2025.

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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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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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The Diversity & Inclusion Award is open to independent and franchised dealerships.

The Diversity & Inclusion Award 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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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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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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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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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 2025.

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

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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 2023 and June 2025.

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

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

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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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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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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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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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Judges will look for evidence of excellent presentation standards for used EVs.

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Judges Choice Retail Categories 

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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The EV of the Year Award is open to all new models on sale in UK dealerships between January 2024 and March 2025. It is judged by our expert panel of judges. It is open to fully electric BEVs only.

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

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The New Car of the Year Award is open to all new models on sale in UK dealerships between January 2025 and December 2025.  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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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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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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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.

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Rising Star Award 

Rising Stars is open to employees who have joined the sector in the last five years. Entrants must be nominated by their managers using the entry form. We want to hear from staff involved in all areas of car retailing from sales and aftersales to administration and management. Please provide a citation of at least 250 words explaining why they should be considered.
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Supplier Categories 

Open to finance companies providing specialist finance services to franchised dealers

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Open to all IT providers providing specialist IT services to franchised dealers

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Judges will be looking for B2B online auction and bid platforms that allow franchised dealers to buy or sell cars in the trade.

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Judges will be looking for B2C online classified platforms that have launched innovative services and/or cutting-edge products between January and December 2025 for franchised dealers.

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Open to firms providing remarketing services to Franchised Dealers

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Open to all warranty providers delivering coverage for powertrain and interior, plus paint and alloy wheel protection.

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