NFDA survey suggests steady progress

The latest National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) has reported growing satisfaction levels between dealers and manufacturers.

It’s latest Dealer Attitude Survey, based on 2,321 responses from 32 franchised networks, revealed higher average scores in 47 of the 56 questions posed.

Higher ratings were recorded around manufacturer relationships, apprenticeship programmes, vehicle supply, and electric vehicles.

Most significantly, the question, ‘How would you rate your manufacturer overall?’ saw the average rating rise to a score of 6.6.

Topping the polls were MINI and Kia with overall ratings of 9.23, while Jaguar was at the other end of the scale with a rating of just 2.9. Jeep was the most improved manufacturer its overall score jumping by 3.8 point.

Sue Robinson, chief executive of NFDA, said: “The Winter 2024 NFDA Dealer Attitude Survey paints a clear picture highlighting both strides forward and hurdles to overcome for manufacturers in their relationships with their respective dealers.

“There are encouraging takeaways with 47 questions out of 56 seeing a general upward trend in average score. There are also areas where there is still room for improvement, notably manufacturers addressing concerns highlighted by dealers regarding electric vehicles.”