Indonesia’s dynamic automotive market presented a nuanced picture in September 2025. While overall car sales faced lingering year-on-year headwinds, a significant sequential recovery was evident, largely propelled by market leader Astra International. Concurrently, the motorcycle sector demonstrated robust year-on-year growth, signaling a potential uplift in consumer confidence and a strong rebound in this vital economic segment.

Navigating the Lanes: Car Sales Show Mixed Signals

The Indonesian automotive industry recorded 62,071 wholesale car units sold in September 2025, according to Gaikindo. This figure represents a 15% year-on-year (YoY) decline but a positive 0.5% month-on-month (MoM) increase, suggesting a modest sequential recovery after earlier dips. Cumulatively, for the first nine months of 2025 (9M25), total wholesale car sales reached 561,820 units, marking an 11% YoY contraction. This places the industry at 62-75% of Gaikindo’s ambitious full-year target of 750,000-900,000 units, lagging slightly behind the 73% realization observed in 9M24 against its respective annual target.



Source: Bisnis.com

Astra International ($ASII) Steers Ahead

Amidst a challenging market, Astra International ($ASII) demonstrated notable resilience and outperformed its competitors. In September 2025, ASII’s wholesale sales saw a 16% YoY decrease, but critically, surged by 10% MoM. This contrasts sharply with non-ASII brands, which collectively experienced a 14% YoY decline and a 9% MoM dip, highlighting ASII’s superior momentum.



This strong monthly rebound was primarily fueled by robust performances from its key segments: Toyota+Lexus and Daihatsu. Toyota+Lexus sales climbed 13% MoM, once again surpassing the 20,000-unit mark after hovering in the 18,000-19,000 range for the preceding three months. Daihatsu also contributed positively with an 8% MoM increase. Consequently, ASII’s market share expanded to a robust 54% in September 2025, recovering impressively from the relatively lower 50-52% seen between June and August 2025. This market share expansion underscores ASII’s strategic positioning and brand strength.

Competitor Challenges: A BYD Bellwether?

On the competitive front, the performance of BYD+Denza warrants attention. In September 2025, their wholesale figures stood at just 1,315 units, representing a significant 37% YoY and 54% MoM decline. This marks their first monthly sales below 2,000 units since January 2025, potentially signaling intensified competition or shifts in consumer preference within the electric vehicle segment, which ASII is also keenly eyeing.

Motorcycle Market Roars Back with Renewed Momentum

Parallel to the car market, the Indonesian motorcycle sector delivered a more uniformly positive narrative. The Indonesian Motorcycle Industry Association (AISI) reported 567,173 domestic motorcycle sales in September 2025, marking a healthy 7.3% YoY increase, despite a slight 1.9% MoM dip. This robust year-on-year growth is particularly significant as it represents the first month since the start of 2025 to achieve over 5% YoY expansion.



Source: AISI



Year-to-date, 9M25 domestic motorcycle sales reached approximately 4.8 million units, a marginal 0.7% YoY decrease. This achievement puts the industry at 72-76% of AISI’s 2025 target of 6.4-6.7 million units, nearly on par with the 77% realization rate observed in 9M24. The strong September performance suggests renewed consumer confidence, perhaps buoyed by stable economic conditions and continued demand for personal mobility, which remains a cornerstone of the Indonesian economy.

Broader Market Indicators: A Glimpse Beyond Auto Sales

Beyond the automotive sector, broader financial metrics painted a mixed but generally stable picture for Indonesia, providing context for investor sentiment:

• The IHSG climbed 0.08% to 8,258.


• Foreign Flow registered a positive inflow of Rp 728.6 billion.


• The USD/IDR exchange rate saw a slight appreciation for the Rupiah, moving 0.05% to 16,553.


• Gold prices advanced 0.94% to 4,010, reflecting global safe-haven demand or inflation expectations.


• Oil futures pulled back 0.84% to $64.7.


• Coal prices edged up 0.37% to $107.7.


• CPO (Crude Palm Oil) dipped 0.98% to $4,546.


• Nickel saw a gain of 0.95% to $15,492.

These indicators collectively suggest an economy in flux but with underlying stability. While commodity price movements reflect global dynamics, the positive foreign flow and a resilient Rupiah provide a steady backdrop for domestic industries like automotive, which are crucial barometers of household spending and investment.