Indonesia’s automotive sector concluded 2025 with a powerful surge, as Gaikindo reported robust December wholesale figures that propelled annual sales past revised targets. This late-year rally, fueled by promotional incentives and strategic pre-emptive buying, sets a dynamic stage for the industry, marking significant shifts in market share and the dramatic arrival of new players on the competitive landscape.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian car market witnessed a remarkable acceleration in December 2025. Gaikindo’s data reveals wholesale car sales reaching approximately 94,000 units<\/em>, marking an impressive 18% year-on-year increase<\/strong> and a substantial 27% month-on-month jump. This late-stage burst proved pivotal, pushing total wholesale sales for 2025 to roughly 804,000 units<\/em>. While this represented a 7% decline from the previous year, it still comfortably exceeded Gaikindo’s revised target<\/strong> of 780,000 units by 3%.<\/p>\n Jongkie Sugiarto, Chairman I of Gaikindo, attributed this stellar December performance to a confluence of factors. Consumers capitalized on enticing year-end promotional discounts<\/strong>, which traditionally stimulate demand. More critically, the impending cessation of Completely Built-Up (CBU) electric vehicle (EV) import duty incentives<\/strong> on January 1, 2026, created a powerful pull for buyers eager to secure favorable pricing before the window closed. This regulatory deadline acted as a catalyst, sparking a wave of pre-purchase activity across the Indonesian automotive landscape.<\/p>\n A significant disruption in December’s sales chart came from the “Others” category, which saw an extraordinary leap to approximately 16,400 units<\/em>. This figure stands in stark contrast to the mere 5,000 units recorded in both December 2024 and November 2025. The primary engine behind this seismic shift was the Vietnamese automaker, Vinfast<\/a>, which logged an impressive 7,800 wholesale units<\/strong>. This singular achievement propelled Vinfast into the coveted top 5 best-selling brands<\/strong> for December 2025, a truly remarkable feat for a relatively new entrant.<\/p>\n To put Vinfast’s December performance into perspective, its full-year 2025 sales tallied around 10,000 units. This means nearly 80% of its annual sales occurred in the final month<\/strong> of the year. Kariyanto Hardjosoemanto, CEO of Vinfast Indonesia, confirmed these sales encompass both individual consumer purchases and a substantial distribution to fleet operators. Market observers widely speculate that a significant portion of this massive volume is linked to the aggressive expansion plans of Vietnam’s Xanh SM taxi service, which aimed to deploy a 10,000-strong fleet in Indonesia by 2025<\/a>, challenging established ride-hailing giants.<\/p>\nVinfast’s Meteoric Rise: A New Contender in the Top 5<\/h2>\n
Beneath the Surface: Robust Underlying Recovery Continues<\/h2>\n