Honda is losing the confidence of its dealers, according to a national survey.

The National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) has revealed its Dealer Attitude Survey for summer 2014, which examines how dealers regard their manufacturers.

The report found Honda had the most disillusioned network.

A number of questions were sent out to dealers belonging to 29 different manufacturers, with 56 per cent of Honda’s network of 176 dealers responding.

When asked how dealers would rate their manufacturer out of 10, Honda recorded the lowest score of 4.6. The average was 6.6, with a high of 8.8 for Land Rover.

In the winter 2013 survey, Honda was given 5.6.

NFDA director Sue Robinson said: “This is a whole point lower than for the winter 2013 survey and suggest dealers have some significant concerns with their manufacturer in this network.”

Honda, which manufactures several models at its Highworth Road plant, suffered poor scores on many of the questions put to its dealers.

When asked how satisfied Honda’s dealers were with the current bonus and rebate rates on new car sales, they scored 4.5, well-below the 6.1 average for other manufacturers.

The Japanese firm also scored poorly when it came to how realistic its target aspirations were, with a score of just 3.4, two points below the 5.4 average.

The report said: “These scores suggest that dealers feel that manufacturers are aspiring to greater market share than consumer demand or the franchise model range allows currently.”

Honda was only rated better than one rival, Toyota, when it came to dealer satisfaction over profit returns. It was given a rating of 4.2, next to an overall average of 6.1 for all 29 manufacturers.

Honda also bombed on dealer satisfaction with its procedures and controls on their business, with a score of 4.9, beating only Skoda and far below the average score of 6.4.

Honda’s head of car, Leon Brannan, said: “The last few years have been very tough for the business and we appreciate it has been difficult for dealers.

“However, within the next 12 months, Honda will introduce an unprecedented number of new models to UK showrooms.

“There will be a new supercar – the NSX, new small SUV – the HR-V, revisions to the Swindon-built CRV, Civic and Civic Tourer.

“A new Jazz as well as the car that everyone talks about, the Swindon built Civic Type R, too. There is such a bright future for everyone involved with Honda.”