The 'best of the best' celebrated at the 18th Autotrader Retailer Awards
Friday 17th October 2025, London – The UK’s top automotive retailers gathered at London’s iconic Leadenhall Building (aka The Cheesegrater) yesterday for this year’s Autotrader Retailer Awards. Now in its 18th year, the Awards celebrate the very best in automotive retailing; those brands that are pushing the standard of all aspects of the retailing experience.
With over 100 retailers attending the ceremony, the prestigious central London venue was full of applause as the 29 winners lifted trophies in recognition for their exceptional customer service, digital excellence, innovation, commitment to sustainability, and for successfully adapting to the challenges of today’s fast- moving market. And with less than 1% of Autotrader’s circa 14,000 retailer partners recognised for their retailing excellence, both the winners and finalists have joined one of the industry’s most exclusive clubs.
The top accolade, the Retailer of the Year, was awarded to six businesses in total, representing the very “best of the best” across the car and van markets. STRENUE LTD (under 50 cars), ASK Motors (50-100 cars), and Vertu Motors (over 100 cars) won in the car category, whilst Shallcross Vehicle Solutions (under 20 vans), Roy Wood Transits (20-50 vans), and David Spear Commercials (over 50 vans) lifted trophies in the van category. This year also included the New Car Retailer of the Year, which was won by Hendy Group.
The Awards recognise the top performing automotive retailers across nine different categories, of which four are data-based, assessed either by detailed analysis of millions of Autotrader data points, or in the case of the Customer Experience Award, one of the largest mystery shopping exercises of its type. Circa 1,250 of Autotrader’s best performing car and van retailers were gradually whittled down to just six deserving winners: GBI Cars, Norman Motors (Bournemouth), and Vertu Motors in the car category, along with MD Vehicles, Baxter & Simpson Heritage, and Lookers Motor Group in the van.
This year saw the highest ever number of entries for the five self-nomination categories, which were judged by an independent panel made up of experts from Octopus Energy, Mony Group, Ocado Intelligent Automation, The Automotive 30% Club, and The Carbon Literacy Project.
A ‘true trailblazer’
The fifth self-nomination category is the Woman of the Year Award, which recognises the exceptional women in automotive retail. Introduced last year to support the Automotive 30% Club’s ‘Moonshot’ initiative, it celebrates inspiring and high performing women working within an operational management role. This year’s winner is Michelle Caveney, Brand Director, at JCT600, who Julia Muir, founder of the Automotive 30% Club, described as “a true trailblazer”.
The other finalists were Kirsty Mullen (Managing Director at Garrowhill Car Sales), Louise Baker (Head of Fleet Sales at Johnsons Cars), and Ellen Fitchew (Divisional Head of Aftersales at Vindis Group).
“This year’s entries were uplifting to read and told amazing stories of some of the brilliant automotive retail women who are already in an operational management role, and it was extremely difficult for the judges to select a shortlist. All these women are amazing and delivering incredible results, but Michelle has been delivering outstanding senior leadership performance over decades and was demonstrating operational leadership back in the days when she was the only woman in the room. She is a true trailblazer and absolutely deserving to be named the Autotrader Woman of the Year 2025.”
Julia Muir, founder of the Automotive 30% club
“The Autotrader Retailer Awards are a genuine highlight for us in the calendar as it’s a unique and privileged opportunity for us to recognise and to celebrate the very best in automotive retailing. And that is exactly what every one of this year’s finalists and winners represent. Winning a Retailer Award is tough. Our judging process is completely independent, it’s unbiased, and it’s data and fact based. So, to be a finalist, let alone one of just a small handful of winners, is a huge achievement, and thoroughly well-deserved by all of this year’s exceptional retailers.”
Winners of the 2025 Auto Trader Retailer Awards
As well as trophies, the winners were provided with a host of assets to promote their success to potential car buyers, including window stickers, digital logos, and social media posts.
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