Aiming to recognise outstanding performance in efficiency, profitability, transparency and customer experience, this year's winners highlight the evolving standards of an industry increasingly driven by data, technology and trust, says AutoTrader.

At the heart of these awards is AutoTrader's commitment to aim for transparency and measurable success — values now being further amplified through the introduction of AutoTrader Intelligence (AI), the automotive marketplace's new suite of AI-driven tools that aim to promise to redefine how dealers operate and how vehicle buyers shop, says AutoTrader.

"Recognising the country’s top-performing dealerships is about more than celebrating results. It's about supporting the systems and strategies that make that success possible," says George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader South Africa. "With AutoTrader Intelligence, we're giving dealers access to real-time insights and automation that simplify operations and enhance transparency, helping the entire industry move forward together."

Celebrating South Africa’s top performers

This year, EAE Motors claims the AutoTrader Stock Velocity Award, which measures dealership efficiency and liquidity, using a proprietary Velocity score developed by AutoTrader. The score evaluates how quickly vehicles sell and how competitively they are priced against market benchmarks — a true reflection of data-driven success, says AutoTrader.

Among small, independent and historically disadvantaged dealerships, Blue Route Auto and LDC Auto earns recognition in their respective categories for matching, and in some cases exceeding, the performance of the country's largest dealer groups. The former wins the SIBP Stock Velocity Award, and the latter wins the HDP Stock Velocity Award, adds AutoTrader.

The AutoTrader Profitability Award goes to Dadas Motorland, applauding strong pricing strategies and financial foresight that consistently deliver above-market results. EBK Autodealers is awarded Fastest Days to Sell, acknowledging operational mastery in stock turnover and listing management, says AutoTrader.

Topping the leaderboard, Mit Mak Motors Gerrit Maritz secures both the Dealer Reputation Award and the highest honour, AutoTrader Dealer of the Year 2025, in recognition of its leadership in transparency, customer satisfaction and sustainable business excellence, adds AutoTrader.

Data meets human insight

As the awards celebrate dealers who have already mastered operational performance, AutoTrader Intelligence (AI) aims to represent the next chapter — a platform built to help every dealership, big or small, perform at its best, says AutoTrader.

Powered by large language models and live market data, AutoTrader Intelligence aims to combine artificial intelligence with AutoTrader's automotive expertise to simplify decision-making and enhance efficiency, adds AutoTrader.

The Dealer Tools Include:

  • AutoTrader Intelligence: Comments Generator, which instantly creates professional listing descriptions in seconds, aiming to save thousands of hours in admin time.
  • AutoTrader Intelligence: Image Management Tool, which classifies and orders vehicle photos for maximum engagement.
  • AutoTrader Intelligence: Dealer Insights, which tracks real-time market demand, pricing trends and stock performance.

For buyers, AutoTrader Intelligence — Vehicle Highlights and AutoTrader Intelligence — Recommendation Engine use artificial intelligence to analyse thousands of listings, automatically identifying what makes each vehicle stand out, whether it's lower mileage, better fuel economy, or unique features, and suggesting relevant alternatives based on browsing behaviour, says AutoTrader.

Together, these tools aim to create a connected, intelligent ecosystem that empowers dealers to be more agile, profitable and transparent, while giving buyers confidence through clarity and choice, adds AutoTrader.

As AutoTrader continues their aim to innovate, the AutoTrader Dealer Awards hope to serve as a reminder that technology and human understanding are most powerful when they work together — driving an automotive industry that is not only smarter, but more human, concludes AutoTrader.

For more information, visit www.autotrader.co.za. You can also follow AutoTrader South Africa on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Instagram, or on TikTok.

*Image courtesy of contributor