Howards Group has retained first place among AM100 dealer groups in Reputation’s 2026 UK Automotive Industry Rankings.
The dealer group achieved a Reputation Score of 876, up from 863 last year, and had eight dealerships among the highest-rated in the UK.
Chorley Group took second place in the AM100 ranking, followed by Drift Bridge Group, which climbed from 85th to third. Vospers moved from 16th to fourth, while Partridge of Hampshire rose from 44th to 10th.
The rankings use Reputation’s proprietary AI-driven tools to assess how customers experience, discuss and rate dealerships and OEMs online.
Howards tops AM100 ranking again
Chris Lee, managing director of Howards Motor Group, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be named the top dealer group in the Reputation rankings for the third year running. Raising our Reputation Score to 876, up from 863 last year, and having eight of our sites among the highest-rated dealerships in the UK, shows the commitment of our people and the consistency of the experience we deliver across every brand and every location.
“We’re delighted to see our teams’ hard work recognised, but staying at the top means never standing still. We’ll keep raising the bar on customer experience and help set the standard for the industry, with people at the centre of everything we do.”
Porsche topped the manufacturer ranking, followed by Kia and Omoda & Jaecoo. Porsche Centre Teesside was the highest-ranked individual dealership, ahead of Meadens Christchurch and Chery Preston Bowker. Škoda was the biggest-moving manufacturer, rising from 16th to seventh.
The accompanying Half-Star Gap report analysed 276,061 public reviews covering 5,203 UK manufacturer and dealership locations between January 1 and July 1, 2026.
Chinese brands consistently good
The report found that UK car buyers are happier with newer, lower-priced Chinese car brands than with German and British luxury brands. On average, they give Chinese dealerships 4.78 out of 5 stars, compared with about 4.45 for luxury brands. That half-star difference is what gives the report its name.
Luxury brands also have far more unhappy customers. About one in ten of their reviews is a one-star review, the worst possible rating, compared with about one in 25 for Chinese brands.
“The problem is inconsistency. A luxury brand’s best and worst dealerships can be more than a full star apart, while Chinese brands score consistently well at every dealership,” said the report authors.
Broken promises drive complaints
The analysis identified communication before a dealership visit as a significant weakness. Showroom interactions achieved sentiment scores ranging from 85 to 93 out of 100, while email and post scored 41.
Language referring to what customers had been “told” appeared in 28.8% of negative reviews, indicating that unmet expectations and broken promises were a common cause of dissatisfaction.
Dealers responded to 91.4% of five-star reviews but only 83.6% of one-star feedback. Reputation found that 3,605 negative reviews received no response during the six-month study period.
Joe Burton, chief executive of Reputation, said: “Car buyers rarely complain about the car. They complain when what they were told doesn’t match what happened, whether it’s a repair that runs late or a call that’s never returned.”
Reviews carrying two stars or fewer represented only 8% of those analysed but accounted for 23.5% of all review text, reflecting the greater length and detail of dissatisfied customers’ feedback.
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