Jakarta. Indonesia’s national car sales continue to rise strongly in the first four months of 2026, driven by growing demand for commercial vehicles and electric cars, while automotive giant Astra International sees its market dominance gradually weaken amid intensifying competition from Chinese brands.

According to data from the Indonesian Automotive Industry Association (Gaikindo) national vehicle sales reached 289,787 units between January and April 2026, indicating a 12% increase compared with the same period last year.

During the same period, Astra recorded sales of 143,365 units, up 4% year-on-year. Despite the growth, the company’s market share fell to around 49%, down from 51% in 2025.

Windy Riswantyo, Astra’s Head of Corporate Communications, said the company’s sales growth was supported by rising demand in the commercial vehicle segment, particularly for the Daihatsu Gran Max.

She added that deliveries of the Toyota Veloz Hybrid, which was launched late last year and began reaching consumers in February 2026, also contributed to the company’s sales performance.

Toyota remained Indonesia’s top-selling automotive brand in April 2026, maintaining its long-standing dominance in the market. The Japanese automaker recorded wholesales — shipments from factories to dealers — of 25,686 units during the month.

Daihatsu ranked second with 13,399 units, followed by Suzuki with 7,160 units and Mitsubishi Motors with 5,183 units.

Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD secured fifth place after recording 4,625 units in wholesales, highlighting the growing influence of EV manufacturers in Southeast Asia’s largest automotive market.

Honda, meanwhile, continued to struggle and fell outside the top five brands, shipping only 2,363 units to dealers in April.

Retail sales data for April showed a similar trend. Toyota led with 23,008 units sold, followed by Daihatsu with 12,300 units. BYD placed third with 6,274 units, ahead of Suzuki at 5,965 units and Mitsubishi at 5,132 units.

Other brands in the top 10 included Honda, Mitsubishi Fuso, Jaecoo, Isuzu, and Wuling.

The Rise of EVs

One of the biggest shifts in Indonesia’s automotive market has been the rapid rise of electric vehicles. EV sales and market share climbed sharply in recent months, with EVs accounting for nearly 15% of total vehicle sales in the first quarter of 2026, up from just 8% during the same period in 2025.

The growing popularity of electric cars has been fueled in part by rising fuel costs and concerns over global oil prices amid tensions in the Middle East.

Tan Kim Piauw, CEO of Indomobil National Motor, said consumers were increasingly attracted to EVs because of lower operating expenses.

“People are experiencing very high fuel costs. When they switch to electric vehicles, the savings are extraordinary,” Tan said in Jakarta on Monday. “Compared with internal combustion engine vehicles, using EVs for daily operations can reduce costs by 80% to 90%.”

Meanwhile, Aion Indonesia CEO Andry Ciu said sales of GAC AION vehicles rose between 20% and 30% in April 2026.

“If government subsidy policies are introduced this month, and if fuel prices rise again, EV sales could increase even further,” Andry said.

Indonesia plans incentives for 100,000 electric cars and motorcycles, including Rp 5 million subsidies for e-bikes and tax cuts for fully electric cars.

He acknowledged that higher fuel prices linked to instability in the Middle East had indirectly benefited electric vehicle sales.

“The shortage and increase in fuel prices are certainly having a positive impact on EV sales,” he said.

BYD and Denza, another Chinese EV brand, sold a combined 19,247 units during the first four months of 2026.

Gaikindo has set a target of 850,000 national vehicle sales for 2026, representing an increase of about 5.8% compared with the 803,687 units sold in 2025.

Here are the best-selling car brands in April 2026 based on retail sales:

1. Toyota – 23,008 units
2. Daihatsu – 12,300 units
3. BYD – 6,274 units
4. Suzuki – 5,965 units
5. Mitsubishi – 5,132 units
6. Honda – 3,515 units
7. Mitsubishi Fuso – 3,452 units
8. Jaecoo – 3,009 units
9. Isuzu – 1,896 units
10. Wuling – 1,578 units.