Celebrating again for a fifth time, Kia Motors (UK) Ltd. has repeated its top spot win being awarded ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ at the prestigious Car Dealer Power Awards. 

• The award, which comes only weeks after an impressive NFDA dealer attitude survey result, further proves Kia’s strong and mutually beneficial relationship with its 187 strong dealer network.

  Winning initially in 2014, 2016 through to 2018 and now again 2020, this long running achievement for Kia is a testament to its fair and inclusive franchise framework. Adding to the authenticity of the accolade is its voting procedure, which is done anonymously by dealers themselves, voting on a variety of categories such as how the manufacturer supports dealer partners, bonus structure and forward planning.

  Other areas which Kia brought home best-in-class scores from its dealers were for marketing, brand awareness, online offering and ROI. The revered Kia Approved Used cars scheme also scored well, coming noticeably ahead of rivals following the detailed judging by the Car Dealer panel. Comparing the final scores Kia came in at a clear first place, by achieving an overall score of 94.9% across all 13 categories.

  Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the usually well-attended awards were held digitally where the accolade was presented to Paul Philpott, President and CEO of Kia Motors (UK) Ltd, who commented “We are thrilled to win this award because it is voted for by our dealers. To win for the fifth time in recent years shows our dealers remain confident and happy to be our partners. The results we achieve and the awards we win would not be possible without them and the strong relationships we have built together – they are crucial to our success. During such a challenging year, this award is therefore for everyone in the Kia dealer network who has worked so hard in these challenging times to ensure success, and to keep the brand and the franchise moving forward.”

  James Baggott, founder of Car Dealer Magazine and CEO of its parent company, Baize Group, said: “To win this now five times really is an incredible feat, and Kia should be very proud to be in this situation. Whilst the quality of the vehicles and their industry-leading seven-year warranty aid their continued success, this award shows that the manufacturer is 100 per cent committed to maintaining great relationships with its dealers. Kia really go above and beyond the call of duty for its dealers.”