With time rapidly running out for you to have your say in the 2026 Car Dealer Power Awards, suppliers from across the motor trade are urging dealers to make their voices heard.

Voting for the prestigious industry awards closes on June 11, with results decided entirely by the people that matter most – dealers themselves.

For many suppliers, that independence is exactly what makes the awards so valuable.

Gareth Jones, joint managing director of G3, said: ‘Dealer voting is what makes the Car Dealer Power Awards what it is; credible and respected.

‘The results reflect real-world experiences, not marketing messages or corporate narratives.’

The importance of dealer engagement is an opinion shared among previous winners, who say that retailer involvement is what gives Car Dealer Power real authority within the sector.

Zoe Matthews, marketing lead at Dealer Auction, said: ‘Dealer votes matter because they reflect real experiences, not just reputation or noise in the market.

‘The awards give dealers a voice and help highlight the partners genuinely making a difference to their businesses.’

Matt Maley, CEO of Vehicles in Video, added: ‘Dealer participation is key to what makes these awards so relevant.

‘It ensures that the results reflect genuine experience rather than perception, which is important in a sector where practical performance matters.’

From a dealer’s perspective, casting your vote couldn’t be easier. All you have to do is fill in our simple survey, which takes just a matter of minutes.

As an extra bonus for filling out the survey this year, respondents will be in with a chance to win some Apple prizes, with first place getting an Apple Watch Series 11 and two runners-up winning Apple Airpods 4.

For suppliers, the awards are also seen as a way of driving standards higher across the industry.

Dan Horner, managing director of Octane Finance, said: ‘It’s important for dealers to vote because it gives a true reflection as to who is doing well in the marketplace.

‘The awards are very important. They set a benchmark and enable us to continue with new innovative ways of doing business and becoming better.’

• Cast your vote in Car Dealer Power 2026

Ashley Camies, marketing and automation manager at Perfect Placement, said dealer feedback was one of the clearest indicators of supplier performance.

‘The feedback is direct, unfiltered and actually based on real relationships,’ she said.

‘That makes the results meaningful and helps keep standards moving in the right direction.’

The same theme was echoed by Seán Kemple, CEO of motor UK and retail finance Ireland at Close Brothers, who said the awards help to ‘raise standards’.

‘No politics’

Another former winner says that car dealers’ having their say helps to ‘shape the industry’.

Lauren Ambrose, operations director at 67 Degrees, said: ‘Your vote is your voice, it genuinely shapes the industry you operate in.

‘The Car Dealer Power Awards are unique in that there are no panels, no judging criteria, no politics. It’s dealers deciding who’s actually delivering for them.’

Wendy Swaine, head of strategic relationships at Cap HPI, also stressed the importance of dealer input.

‘Voting gives dealers a genuine voice,’ she said. ‘The awards reflect real experiences rather than marketing messages, and voting helps highlight suppliers that dealers trust and rely on.’

Meanwhile, Steven Wild, product manager at Experian Automotive, said dealer feedback is what makes Car Dealer Power so unique.

‘The awards are driven by real user feedback, which makes them a trusted reflection of what is delivering value in the industry,’ he said.

‘Dealer participation ensures they remain relevant, credible, and truly representative of the needs of the industry.’

CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT THE SURVEY 

Mark Docherty, marketing director at Autoglym, described the awards as ‘an annual barometer of performance for the whole UK car dealer network and associated industries’.

He added: ‘This is their chance to celebrate what they like and shine a light on areas that can be improved.’

Adrian Nash, chief product officer at Keyloop, said the awards also help dealers make smarter business decisions.

‘They create a standard for suppliers to aspire to, helping dealers make informed decisions about the partners they might choose to invest in,’ he said.

Prizes will be dished out in 23 supplier categories, including our new ‘Trade Insurance’ prize, which will be presented for the very first time.

We will also be naming the best car manufacturers to represent, as well as the car of the year, but we cannot select the winners without your votes!

Any car dealer can vote in the Car Dealer Power awards, while independents can skip straight to naming the best suppliers to do business with, and it only takes a few minutes.

Car Dealer Power 2026 Supplier Categories