Jakarta. Holding company Astra Group controlled 55 percent of Indonesia's overall car wholesales in 2022 which topped 1 million and returned to the pre-Covid-19 pandemic levels.

According to the Indonesian Automotive Industry Association, or Gaikindo, national car sales jumped by 18 percent to 1.05 million last year compared to the figures a year earlier.

Astra Group, which manages the local arms of Japanese auto giants Toyota, Daihatsu, UD Trucks, and Isuzu, as well as France's Peugeot, recorded sales of 574,198 units -- an increase of 17.3 percent on a year-on-year basis.

“Both Astra and the industry saw the strongest growth in car sales since the pandemic began in 2020. The growth reflects improving economy in Indonesia and stronger people's purchase power,” Astra's Head of Corporate Communications Boy Kelana Soebroto said in a statement on Saturday.

The launch of new models and favorable government policies also contributed to stronger annual sales, he added.

Toyota, together with luxury brand Lexus, maintained its dominance in the Indonesian auto market by selling 332,443 units, as sister company Daihatsu stayed second with 202,665 units.

Mitsubishi was ranked third with sales totaling 136,637 units last year, trailed by Honda (131,280), Suzuki (90,408), and Isuzu (36,643).

South Korean car maker Hyundai is the best non-Japanese brand in Indonesia as it managed to sell 31,408 units, while China's Wuling sold nearly 30,000 units.

The data suggest a steady recovery in national car sales, which plunged to around 578,000 units in the wake of the pandemic in 2020, from more than 1 million units in the previous year.

Car sales picked up growth in 2021 to exceed 863,000 units thanks to the government's massive tax subsidies.