August 2026 Car Sales Hit Record High, Surpassing 83,000 Units

The Indonesian automotive market showed renewed vitality in August 2026, bolstered by the GIIAS 2026 event. Domestic new car sales achieved the highest monthly record of the year, even though vehicle distribution from manufacturers to dealers grew only slightly compared to the previous month.

According to data from the Association of Indonesia Automotive Industries (Gaikindo), wholesale car distribution in August 2026 reached 81,756 units. This figure represents a 0.8% increase compared to July 2026, which stood at 8 มillion 115 units.

While the month-on-month increase was modest, this achievement represents the highest level recorded throughout 2026. Previously, the wholesale record was set in February 2026 with 81,247 units.

Stronger performance was observed in retail sales, or sales from dealers to consumers. In August, retail sales reached 83,422 units, a 7.7% surge compared to July’s 77,460 units. With this achievement, retail sales have breached the 80,000-unit level in a single month for the first time in 2026.

Compared to August last year, the growth was even more substantial. Wholesales jumped 32.4% from 61,771 units in August 2025 to 81,756 units. Meanwhile, retail sales grew by 25.5%, rising from 66,493 units to 83,422 units.

This performance coincided with the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) 2026, which took place from 29 July to 9 August. The automotive exhibition recorded 496,378 visitors over 11 days, a 2.2% increase compared to the previous year. Public interest in testing new vehicles also reportedly increased, with the number of test drive activities during the exhibition rising by more than 30%.

However, Gaikindo has not yet released data regarding sales based on transaction value or the number of vehicles sold per brand during GIIAS 2026. Consequently, it cannot yet be confirmed exactly how much the exhibition contributed directly to the spike in retail sales in August.

Overall, the national automotive market remains on a growth trend throughout the first eight months of 2026. For the January-August 2026 period, wholesales were recorded at 599,491 units, a 20.1% increase compared to the same period last year, which reached 499,315 units.

Meanwhile, retail sales from January to August 2026 reached 594,984 units, up 13.9% from 522,160 units during the same period last year.

Nevertheless, the surge in retail sales in August serves as a positive signal for the industry. After facing demand pressures in several previous periods, the market is beginning to demonstrate its ability to once again record monthly sales exceeding 80,000 units.