Not Joking! This Car Sold 4,128 Units - Beats Innova, Does MBG Bring Profits?
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The competitive landscape of Indonesia’s best-selling cars shifted once again in March 2026. This time, dominance was seized by light commercial vehicles, reflecting the strength of domestic business sector activities.
Daihatsu’s flagship Gran Max model rocketed to the top position with wholesale sales reaching 4,128 units. This figure placed it far ahead of other models that had previously dominated the market.
This surge also displaced the Toyota Kijang Innova, which had to settle for second place with 3,656 units. Meanwhile, a surprise came from the Jaecoo J5, which broke into the top three with 2,959 units.
The Gran Max’s achievement is attributed to the high demand for operational vehicles in the business sector. Both the minibus and blind van variants have become primary choices to support distribution and logistics activities.
On the other hand, other commercial vehicles continue to dominate the list. The Daihatsu Gran Max Pick Up occupied fourth place with 2,919 units, followed by the Suzuki Carry Pick Up with 2,739 units.
The passenger car segment still shows appeal, though less dominant than commercial vehicles. The Toyota Avanza recorded 2,366 units, while the Toyota Veloz Hybrid booked 2,325 units.
Several other models also held on in the top ten, such as the Toyota Rush with 2,252 units and the Toyota Calya with 2,067 units. The last position was filled by the Daihatsu Sigra with 1,769 units.
Gran Max sales are said to have started showing increases from the second half of last year. This trend continued into early 2026, in line with rising economic activities and projects across various sectors.
“Currently, at Daihatsu, we actually can’t break it down like that. Because right now, we have growth, especially for the Gran Max from before Q3 compared to Q4 last year,” said Customer Relation Division Head of PT Astra International Tbk - Daihatsu Sales Operation, Tri Mulyono, on Thursday (16/4/2026).
She revealed that the sales increase was quite significant during that period, both for the pick-up and blind van variants.
On the other hand, although there are indications of links to government programmes such as Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG), the company admits it cannot yet confirm its specific contribution.
“But to be honest, we can’t identify whether this is indeed triggered by MBG,” she said.
This phenomenon shows that demand for commercial vehicles remains the backbone of the national automotive market amid constantly changing economic dynamics.
Here is the list of the top 10 best-selling cars in Indonesia for March 2026:
Daihatsu Gran Max - 4,128 units
Toyota Kijang Innova - 3,656 units
Jaecoo J5 - 2,959 units
Daihatsu Gran Max Pick Up - 2,919 units
Suzuki Carry Pick Up - 2,739 units
Toyota Avanza - 2,366 units
Toyota Veloz Hybrid - 2,325 units
Toyota Rush - 2,252 units
Toyota Calya - 2,067 units
Daihatsu Sigra - 1,769 units.