Each year, Kerrigan Advisors conducts what it calls the Kerrigan Dealer Survey, which polls hundreds of automotive dealerships in the U.S. to determine a variety of factors – including how many “trust” the brands whose vehicles they sell. In that regard, Ford ranked at the very bottom as nearly half of its dealers said that they don’t trust the automaker in 2023, but The Blue Oval rebounded in a major way in the 2024 Kerrigan Dealer Survey, posting the highest increase of any brand as 11 percent of Ford dealers said they have a high level of trust in the automaker, while 52 percent have a moderate level of trust, and 37 percent expressed that they have no trust. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case with Lincoln dealers.
The 2024 version of the Kerrigan Dealer Survey was just released, and after polling more than 630 retailers, it found that just three percent of Lincoln dealers have a high level of trust in the luxury brand, compared to 44 percent who said they have a moderate level of trust, and 53 percent that stated they have no trust. That latter figure ranks Lincoln behind all of its peers except for Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram, or Stellantis, which had 72 percent of dealers express zero trust in the company. Toyota ranked first yet again as 83 percent of its dealers have a high level of trust in that company, which is roughly 3.5 times higher than the mean of 24 percent.
As for why so few Lincoln dealers have a high level of trust in the brand, there are a few potential factors. For starters, after requiring Lincoln dealers to dole out substantial investments to upgrade their showrooms back in 2019, the automaker began working to cut its existing dealer network in half in early 2024. Then, last last January, Lincoln opted to put its EV sales program on hold – later nixing it altogether amid major dealer backlash – and a couple of months later, President Dianne Craig admitted that the brand is no longer “focused” on EVs at all after previously planning to vastly expand its lineup in that regard.
Comments
I wouldn’t TRUST any of them as far as I could Throw them!!!!! None of EM!!! Not even Lamborghini!!! Or Ferrari, Or Aston Martin. None of them!!!!
Clearly nothing has changed at Lincoln. Over thirty-five years ago when I was on Ford of Canada Dealer Council we told the Lincoln guys that we needed a bigger and better motor than the anemic five liter to compete with Caddy’s powerful Northstar 32 valve unit. They told us that Lincoln customers were not interested in that type of power. D’oh!!!
Jim Farley and Bill Ford proven to be in over their heads. Their decision making has cost Ford (and Lincoln) dearly. No wonder their dealers don’t trust them. Quality used to be Job 1. Now it’s just a lot of lip service. Ford Blue? Split the dealers into BEV and ICE? I think the Ford running the Lions should be the Ford running the company. Farley and Billy should be shown the door!
why wont they build a awd sedan for ford or lincoln us seniors are tired of trying to climb into a suv bring back the ford windstar or mercury v\mini van
Give us a Lincoln LS built off S650
I’ve been reading comments. If you feel you have to climb into an SUV you aren’t looking around enough. And yes, Lincoln customers ARE looking for both power And luxury. So, hopefully the last 35 years have caught up to what we really are looking for. Vrooom! (and compliments on our purchases) I love drawing some eyeballs on what I drive.
Bring back a proper Lincoln LS v-8 based on S650 please.
Ford should just bury Lincolin , it’s over for Lincoln and it’s Fords fault.
Given Lincoln’s lineup of 4 boxy boring Milk Trucks and terrible quality control, it’s no wonder most Lincoln dealers don’t trust Ford. Unless Dianne Craig and Failure Farley are fired immediately, Lincoln will be China only by 2030.