Square Deal Motors (SDM) Mazda Falkirk has been crowned as the Japanese car brand’s UK Dealer of the Year after gaining praise for achieving strong customer loyalty through high levels of service.

The car retailer beat competition from 122 other franchisees to finish top of the Mazda Dealer League 2020/2021 and Mazda UK sales director Peter Allibon said the brand was pleased to recognise a retail partner which had developed an “outstanding reputation across Central Scotland”.

Mazda’s annual Dealer League assesses businesses on a number of merits including overall dealership performance, customer loyalty and customer satisfaction levels for both sales and service.

Describing what it meant to secure top spot in a period heavily-impacted by COVID-19, SDM company director, Lisa Aitken, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be recognised as the leading Mazda dealer in the UK.

“Our dedicated team at SDM have worked extremely hard throughout the past year despite the challenges presented and we are pleased this has been recognised at the highest level.”

Aitken added: “This number one award is reflective of an amazing collaborative team effort and our gratitude goes out as well to our loyal customers who have helped us achieve this fantastic success.

“We are excited to build upon our achievement by continuing to offer outstanding customer service and drive passion and enthusiasm for Mazda throughout our dealership.”

SDM was established as a Mazda dealership in 1984, making it the third longest serving Mazda dealership in Scotland.

Also a Toyota and Hyundai franchisee, the family-run business is located on Middlefield Road, Falkirk.

Mazda said that SDM had proved committed to the Mazda Your Way home test drive and vehicle delivery programme.

Allibon said: “Congratulations to the team at SDM Mazda for finishing as our number one Mazda dealer in the network; it’s a fantastic achievement and a testament to how the dealership has adapted throughout the pandemic.

“Delivering a great customer experience is at the heart of everything we do, and SDM Mazda’s outstanding reputation across Central Scotland speaks for itself.”

Allibon added: “Our dedicated dealer network has played an instrumental role in the achievements of the brand in the UK over the last year. I can’t thank the network enough, particularly our top performing dealers such as SDM Mazda for their continued hard work, commitment and passion for Mazda.”

In May last year, prior to the end of the UK’s first COVID-19 lockdown period, Allibon told AM that the outcome of 2020 registrations were based on ‘major assumptions’.

Mazda ultimately saw its 2020 registrations decline 43.34% to 22,742 (2019: 40,148) in a market down 29.4% overall.

Year to date to the end of May its new car registrations, which include those of its debut EV, the MX-30, total 10,156, up 39.47% in a market up 42.45%.