Car buyers on Autotrader recognise more than 1,700 retailers as Highly Rated for customer service
Autotrader, the UK’s largest automotive platform for new and used cars, is helping more than 1,700 retailers showcase their consistently high customer review ratings, with the launch of Autotrader Highly Rated 2026.
Throughout the year, retailers across the UK have been working hard to collect and respond to customer reviews on Autotrader. This year, more than 1,700 retailers have achieved Highly Rated status after receiving consistently strong review ratings from consumers and demonstrating good review management practices.
Highly Rated winners will receive a collection of exclusive Highly Rated assets, including stickers and digital logos to promote their excellence across their physical and digital showrooms. What’s more, retailers meeting the criteria will also have a Highly Rated logo added to their Autotrader profile page and Retailer Store for maximum visibility.
Reviews are crucial to building confidence with buyers, and the Highly Rated badge helps retailers stand out in today’s increasingly competitive market. In recent Autotrader user testing, 60% of participants said that they use reviews to determine the quality of customer service they can expect[1].
To qualify for Highly Rated accreditation, retailers must have met the following criteria over the last 12 months[2]:
For retailers, trust has never been more important. Buyers want reassurance that they’re choosing a business that will deliver a great experience, and customer reviews are one of the clearest ways of providing that confidence. That’s why Highly Rated is such a valuable recognition. It gives retailers a visible and trusted way to showcase the service they’re already delivering, not just on their own channels, but at the point where millions of car buyers are searching for their next vehicle on Autotrader.
“This year’s winners should be incredibly proud. Achieving Highly Rated status means they’ve consistently delivered for their customers, collected strong reviews and engaged with feedback in the right way. It’s a brilliant achievement and a clear signal to buyers that they’re dealing with a retailer committed to excellent customer service.”
The Highly Rated store returns
This year, Autotrader is bringing back its exclusive Highly Rated merchandise store, giving all winners the opportunity to promote their achievement with a range of exclusive merchandise. Each winner will be able to redeem their exclusive sticker pack and spend their voucher on additional award materials to proudly display in their dealership.
To help retailers reach even more potential customers, Autotrader is encouraging winners to share their success on social media. Three winners will receive a £500 donation to a charity of their choice.
To enter, retailers should post a photo or video on LinkedIn or Instagram of their Highly Rated 2026 in their showroom. Entries across multiple platforms are permitted, and retailers should tag Autotrader Insight on LinkedIn and Instagram (@AutotraderInsight), using the hashtag #athighlyrated2026.
Retailers will be entered once into the prize draw per social media platform if they share their own photo, or twice if they share a video featuring their award materials. The prize draw will run between 10am on Monday 20th July 2026 and 23:59pm on Monday 10th August 2026.
For full Terms & Conditions, please visit: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/partners/retailer/terms-and-conditions/highly-rated-prizedraw-terms
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