Mazda has been named Manufacturer of the Year at the 2019 Car Dealer Power Awards, which annually recognise the best carmakers and suppliers to do business with. Winners are chosen by the readers of leading automotive dealer title Car Dealer Magazine, with the awards seeing thousands of UK dealers taking part to name the successful brands.
Claiming top honours at last night’s ceremony held at the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Mazda took the title in the 10th year of the Car Dealer Power Awards. Commenting on Mazda’s success Car Dealer founder, James Baggott said: “many congratulations to Mazda, they were the clear winners this year and it is a fantastic achievement for the brand. In the grand scheme of things, Mazda are not the largest manufacturer, but they represent a genuinely unique proposition for new car buyers. Its sharply styled hatchbacks, SUVs and saloons are competitively priced, look great and stand out with high-quality interiors and generous equipment. Plus, in the MX-5, Mazda has a desirable and affordable sports car”.
Adding, “interestingly, Mazda hasn’t jumped on the electric vehicle bandwagon too early and has continued to perfect the internal combustion engine, as demonstrated by its ground-breaking Skyactiv-X spark controlled combustion ignition petrol engine technology. By forging its own path Mazda has managed to stand out from the crowd, and the UK car market is all the better for it. No wonder its dealers are so happy.”
With continued sales success in the UK, 2019 has seen Mazda to end-August increase volume in the current financial year by five per cent against an industry that’s down seven per cent, and in the all-important retail sector Mazda is up 10 per cent. Looking ahead, the rest of this award-winning year is equally exciting for Mazda and its dealers, as this year’s Tokyo Motor Show will see Mazda reveal its first battery electric vehicle, while a more immediate arrival in the companies’ showrooms will be the Skyactiv-X powered Mazda3, which arrives next month. With the Mazda3 Saloon also arriving in October and the new Mazda CX-30 following it in January, the next few months will be exciting for Mazda’s dealers.
Commenting on the Manufacturer of the Year award, Mazda UK Managing Director, Jeremy Thomson, said: “It feels that the UK has never been more divided and this award comes at a very poignant time; as we risk disruption across economic and geographical lines, throughout society and in business, it has never been more important for manufacturers and their dealer networks to work in close partnership. This award reflects the efforts of Mazda and our trusted dealer partners to find ways to connect and discover areas of collaboration and opportunity rather than focus on our differences”.
Adding, “in uncertain times it is only by working together that we can grow the brand, unlock profit potential and set the foundations for a stable and prosperous future, one that delivers an exceptional and premium customer experience to everyone buying and servicing a Mazda.”
