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News

Britain’s Dealer Happiness Index: Who’s Winning, Who’s Losing, and Who Should Be Worried

If you really want the truth about a car brand, don’t ask the marketing department. Don’t ask the influencers. And definitely don’t ask the guy in the pub who once drove a diesel Passat “that pulled like a train.”

Ask the people who live and die by the product: the franchised dealers.

This year, Britain’s retail networks have spoken—loudly, candidly, and sometimes with a tone that suggests they’d rather be anywhere else. Their collective verdict paints a surprisingly dramatic picture of who’s thriving, who’s stumbling, and who might need to start thinking about pulling the eject handle.

The Big Winners: Lexus Leads, Kia Surges, BYD Impresses

According to the dealer rankings, Lexus, Kia, BYD, Omoda, Suzuki, and BMW top the leaderboard in that exact order. It’s a group that blends dependable luxury (Lexus), relentlessly consistent value (Kia), and China’s fast-moving electric juggernaut (BYD) with newer disruptors like Omoda.

These are the brands whose dealers sleep easier at night. They like the product. They like the margins. They like the customers walking through the door. And, crucially, they like the support they get from HQ.

The Basement Dwellers: DS Hits Rock Bottom

At the sharp end of misery, the worst-performing brands are Alfa Romeo, Fiat, SEAT, Abarth, Citroën, and at the absolute bottom—DS.

Dealer grumbling here covers everything from profit margins to warranties to product perception. The French premium experiment seems to be running out of goodwill. One could imagine Stellantis executives staring at these results and wondering how much longer DS can cling to the UK market.

Margin Madness: Kia, Mercedes, and Toyota Score; Land Rover Stumbles

Profit margins are the lifeblood of a dealer’s survival. According to the survey:

  • Best new-vehicle margins: Kia, Mercedes, Toyota
  • Worst: Audi, Ford, and dead-last Land Rover

Yes, you read that right—Audi dealers, purveyors of high-priced premium metal, say their profits are among the weakest in the country. That’s like a Michelin-star chef complaining the kitchen ran out of salt.

Something’s not adding up behind the four rings.

Product Value: Omoda and Dacia Thrill, Audi and DS Deflate

“Value” is often code for “Customers leave happy and we don’t have to beg them to buy.” Dealers claim:

  • Most satisfied with product value: Omoda, Kia, Dacia
  • Least satisfied: DS, SEAT, Audi

Again, Audi finds itself on the wrong side of dealer sentiment. The brand moves high volumes and commands premium prices, yet retailers insist the value proposition isn’t landing. Whether that’s pricing, equipment, or perceived quality, the frontline feedback is unambiguous.

EV Satisfaction: BYD, Kia, Renault Shine; Nissan Tanks

This may be the most startling result of all.

  • Strongest approval for EV lineup: BYD, Kia, Renault
  • Weakest: SEAT, Nissan, Mazda

Nissan’s inclusion here is perplexing. This is the brand that practically invented the mainstream EV with the Leaf, pioneered affordable electrification, and is gearing up for a new British-built Leaf and Juke. And yet its retailers sound more apprehensive than enthusiastic.

BYD, meanwhile, earns praise not only for its EVs but also for the frequency of its new model introductions. In dealer-speak, that’s code for “We always have something fresh to sell.”

Support Matters: Lexus Dominates, Citroën Falters

Dealers say Lexus is unbeatable in tech support and parts availability—a reputation the brand has quietly cultivated for decades.
At the other end, Citroën sits last, a position no network wants to see next to its name.

Group Patterns: VW Group Chaos, Stellantis Struggles

There’s a pattern emerging that’s difficult to ignore:

  • VW and Skoda: Doing well
  • Audi, Cupra, SEAT: Lagging badly

This internal inconsistency mirrors the chaos of the wider Stellantis empire, where:

  • Jeep, Peugeot, Vauxhall dealers: Generally content
  • Fiat, Citroën, DS, Abarth: Deeply unhappy

For DS and Abarth in particular, the writing on the wall is getting hard to miss. The UK market may simply not be buying the dream.

So What Does This Mean for Buyers?

Behind every score is a signal: how easy a brand is to own, how well-supported its cars are, and how stable the buying experience will be over time.

If you want predictable satisfaction and a well-oiled dealership experience, Lexus, Kia, and BYD look like the safest bets.

If you prefer to avoid frustration, shrinking dealer faith, or slow support networks… well, the bottom of the list makes its own argument.

The dealers have spoken. Now it’s your move.

Source: Auto Express

NEW CARS

MG 2: The UK-Designed EV Aiming Squarely at the Renault 5 — and at Europe’s Streets

MG is gearing up for a return to its roots with a small, stylish, and value-driven electric hatchback designed specifically for European tastes. Set to launch by 2027 and priced from under £25,000, the upcoming MG 2 is positioned as the brand’s answer to the reborn Renault 5—and possibly one of the most important models in MG’s modern lineup.

The MG 2 will slot beneath the MG 4 EV, forming the entry point into what will soon be a seven-strong electric lineup for the brand. And if MG’s leadership is to be believed, this won’t simply be a budget EV chasing the lowest price tag. Instead, the company sees it as the next big battleground in the electric market.

MG’s Strategy: Value, Not “Cheapest”

Speaking to Autocar, MG Motor UK boss David Allison made it clear that the brand isn’t chasing Dacia Spring–level sticker shocks or the aggressively priced entrants from Leapmotor. “Our ethos has always been about value,” Allison said. “It has not necessarily been about being the cheapest; it has been about providing the most we can for the best value for money.”

If the MG 2 follows the pattern set by the ZS—Qashqai-sized crossover, Juke-like pricing—then expect the 2 to offer more space, range, and tech than you’d expect at this price point. MG wants to occupy the sweet spot where affordability meets substance.

Platform, Power, and Positioning

Technical data remains under wraps, but sources indicate the MG 2 will ride on the same SAIC Modular Scalable Platform (MSP) that underpins the MG 4. That means flexible battery packaging, modern motor technology, and a strong chance of multiple range options.

MG is openly benchmarking the Renault 5, which runs a 150-hp motor and up to 250 miles of range from a 52-kWh battery. While MG hasn’t committed to specific figures, the implication is that the 2 will need to be competitive on both performance and usability if it’s going to win European buyers.

Designed in Britain for Europe’s Streets

One of the most interesting elements of the MG 2 is where it’s being developed. The design work—already in “fairly advanced” concept stages—is happening in MG’s London design studio, while engineering refinement will run through the brand’s Longbridge facility.

According to Allison, a European-centric design isn’t optional—it’s essential. “A four-metre electric car with European styling just won’t really work in China or several Asian markets,” he explained. That’s why MG sees this model not as a global EV, but as a car built specifically for European urban environments, where compact dimensions and tight-road agility matter.

The Renault 5 Effect

The strong early interest in the Renault 5 proved to MG that the small affordable EV market is not only real—it’s exploding. Allison admits the Renault has “made the job much more important,” accelerating MG’s urgency to enter the segment. As Europe’s EV market matures, downsizing isn’t just sensible—it’s inevitable.

A Gateway for New Markets

MG also sees the 2 as a strategic tool for unlocking markets where EV adoption is sluggish. Italy is one example Allison cites, where EV share hovers below 4%. Narrow city streets and limited parking have made small EVs a natural fit—but few manufacturers currently offer them at accessible prices.

When someone launches an affordable sub-4-meter EV suited to Italy’s roads, MG believes demand will surge. “It’s a space we absolutely should be in,” Allison said. He’s confident the MG 2 could be a breakthrough car for multiple European regions.

2027: The Next Big Step

With prototypes reportedly close to testing and development work well underway, a 2027 arrival looks likely. If MG delivers on its promise—sub-£25k pricing, grown-up features, and a genuinely European design—the MG 2 could become one of the most relevant small EVs of the decade.

MG is betting big on the idea that the next EV revolution won’t come from luxury crossovers or ultra-cheap commuters, but from well-rounded, compact, versatile electric hatchbacks designed for real European roads. The MG 2 aims to be exactly that.

Source: MG Motor

News

Mitsubishi Plots a Comeback in the UK—And It’s Aimed Straight at the Heart of the Family EV Market

Mitsubishi is officially staging a return to the UK, four years after quietly exiting a market where it once enjoyed a loyal—and vocal—fan base. The Japanese brand has confirmed that sales will resume in summer 2026, with International Motors handling imports. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because the group already oversees UK operations for GWM, Isuzu, Subaru, and Xpeng, meaning Mitsubishi will slot into a portfolio that already spans everything from plug-in crossovers to rugged pickups.

What Mitsubishi hasn’t confirmed, however, is which models will make the trans-Channel crossing. But the shortlist isn’t hard to guess.

The Eclipse Cross is the most likely headliner. Now effectively a rebadged—but distinctly restyled—Renault Scenic EV, it taps directly into the UK’s booming electric crossover segment. Sharing underpinnings with Renault might raise eyebrows among brand purists, but the formula worked well enough for Nissan and Renault over the years. And if Mitsubishi can add its historically competent AWD tuning to the mix, the result could be a surprisingly compelling family EV with real dealer-lot appeal.

Also expected: the new Outlander Plug-in Hybrid. Its predecessor was a powerhouse in the UK PHEV charts—at one point practically defining the segment. The latest generation promises sharper styling, more electric range, and updated four-wheel-drive tech. If Mitsubishi wants to regain market share fast, bringing back its former bestseller seems like the lowest-hanging fruit imaginable.

Mitsubishi Europe CEO Frank Krol struck an optimistic tone, saying the brand’s new wave of models “represent the very best of Mitsubishi Motors’ core technologies in performance, four-wheel drive and much more.” Krol added that the company sees the UK as a “market where our brand continues to have a deep emotional connection with loyal customers.”

That sentiment is echoed by Sharon Townsend, head of Mitsubishi UK, who said the brand has continued to see “enthusiasm” from former owners even after its departure in 2020—enthusiasm strong enough to pull Mitsubishi back into the game.

Of course, sales need a place to happen, and Mitsubishi plans to bolster its footprint with new dealerships. These will complement the roughly 100 existing Mitsubishi aftersales garages still operating across the country—one of the reasons the brand’s absence never felt quite absolute.

Mitsubishi isn’t just returning to the UK; it’s preparing a strategically timed reboot aimed squarely at two of the market’s hottest segments. Whether the badge still carries the weight it once did remains to be seen—but with an EV crossover and a PHEV icon likely leading the charge, the brand’s 2026 comeback could be more than a nostalgia play. It might just be Mitsubishi’s second wind.

Source: Mitsubishi