Q2 2025 Google Review League insights: Who’s climbing, who’s coasting, and what it means for your dealership
The Q2 results are in – and it’s clear that reputation management remains a key battleground for franchise dealerships. With over 4,000 dealerships tracked, this quarter’s Google Review League data doesn’t just show who’s winning – it reveals the evolving standards of customer experience across the industry.
In this insights post, we’re diving into the stand-out performers, brand-level trends, and reputation benchmarks that smart dealerships can use to stay ahead. Plus, we’ll give you a reason to mark your calendar for October – when Q3 results drop.
View the Q2 2025 Google Review League Results
Top 5 dealerships: Reputation done right
These five dealerships didn’t just perform well – they set the standard with flawless ratings and hundreds of Google reviews:
- Henrys Suzuki Glasgow – 5.0 ★ | 1,180 lifetime reviews
Toomey Hyundai Basildon – 5.0 ★ | 649 lifetime reviews
Startin Dacia Worcester – 5.0 ★ | 481 lifetime reviews
Gravells Kia Hereford – 5.0 ★ | 382 lifetime reviews
Arnold Clark Dundee Kia – 5.0 ★ | 267 lifetime reviews
These are more than just ratings – they represent teams that are winning trust, converting customers, and mastering the art of digital word-of-mouth.
Top 5 manufacturers: Brand-wide excellence
If you’re part of one of these networks, it’s time to shout about it. These manufacturers led the field on average Google star rating across their UK network:
Dacia – ★ 4.79 stars
Aston Martin – ★ 4.75 stars
MG – ★ 4.74 stars
DS Automobiles – ★ 4.70 stars
Lexus – ★ 4.69 stars
Franchise leaders from these brands should be doubling down on what’s working – while others should be looking at what sets these networks apart.
Who slipped? Bottom 5 manufacturers by rating
At the other end of the spectrum, these manufacturers have work to do:
Land Rover – ★ 4.12 stars
Smart – ★ 4.15 stars
Jaguar – ★ 4.16 stars
Mercedes-Benz – ★ 4.23 stars
BMW – ★ 4.24 stars
In today’s landscape, even small drops in average rating can hurt trust, visibility, and conversion. This is a wake-up call to refocus on post-sale service, transparency, and the review journey.
The big movers: Who climbed the league?
Listers Volvo Leamington Spa took the spotlight by leaping 88 places in the league rankings – the biggest jump across the entire Q2 report.
Old Position: 2446
New Position: 1506
Heritage of Yeovil Volkswagen earned the title of “most improved rating”, showing that consistent effort to turn around perception pays off in black-and-white metrics.
Old Rating: 4.1 ★
New Rating: 4.4 ★
Improvement: +0.3 ★
If they can do it, so can you – and the data proves it.
Reputation benchmarks to measure up to
Here’s what the national data tells us about how franchise dealerships are performing overall:
43.7% of UK franchise dealerships are in the top-tier with a 4.5+ star rating
49.9% fall between 4.0 – 4.5 stars
Just 6.4% sit below 4.0 stars – a small but crucial minority at risk of eroding trust
On average, dealerships received 20 new Google reviews in Q2, bringing the lifetime average to 492 reviews per site. That’s your benchmark – how do you compare?
Brand-Level breakdown: Who’s winning the review volume race?
Hyundai, Kia, and Smart Car lead the field – with each averaging nearly 40 reviews per site during the quarter. Meanwhile, premium and low-volume brands like Bentley, McLaren, and DS Automobiles saw fewer than 10 on average.
This matters, because review volume feeds into visibility, local SEO performance, and customer trust.
Use this data to benchmark your dealership:
Are you outperforming your brand’s national average?
Do you rank in the top third of the chart?
Is your review request process consistent and effective?
Brands leading the volume race are doing more than delivering great service – they’re actively driving reviews. This data makes it easy to set internal goals and track your standing as the market evolves.
Takeaway for dealership leaders
Whether you’re Head of Business, Group Marketing Manager or Aftersales Director, here’s what you should be asking:
Are we actively encouraging new reviews each week?
How do our ratings stack up against our brand’s national average?
What’s our review response time and tone?
Are we tracking changes in sentiment – and acting on them?
This isn’t just about stars – it’s about strategy. Dealerships that treat reviews as a live performance metric are turning Google into their best conversion tool.
Coming in October: Q3 Review League
The next review league results drop in October 2025, and we’ll be back with even deeper intelligence – including seasonal shifts, volume trends, and which brands make the biggest Q3 comeback. But before then, September’s new registration plate offers a golden window to boost your Google reputation.
Make the most of every handover:
Ask every customer collecting a new vehicle for a review
Follow up with automated review requests via email or SMS
Train your team to mention reviews as part of the handover process
If just half your new reg customers leave feedback, you’ll not only boost your visibility and rankings – you’ll climb the leaderboard ahead of Q3’s results.
Looking to improve your car dealership’s Google Rating?
Reputation management is more important than ever, and dealerships that actively engage with customer feedback and optimise their online presence will continue to thrive. To support this, we’re launching our brand-new, automotive-focused reputation platform, Customer Connect. The platform has been designed to help dealerships monitor, manage, and enhance their online reputation more efficiently than ever before.
Want to improve your rating? Get in touch with our team today!
