A Look at Japanese-Korean Brand Sales Following the Entry of Chinese Cars

Meanwhile, Hyundai secured sales of 35,736 units supported by various models including the Ioniq 5 electric car which debuted in 2022.

Kia, targeting a different consumer base than Hyundai, contributed retail sales of 1,579 units in that period.

Moving to 2024, the number of registered brands increased to 42 names. There were new brands like BAIC, Aion, and BYD.

In 2024, overall retail sales dropped to around 800 thousand units. Toyota and Daihatsu also experienced a decline with total retail sales of 293,788 units and 168,263 units respectively.

Photo: Courtesy

BYD, which just debuted and started delivering units to consumers in July, ended 2024 with sales of 13,964 units. Slowly catching up to Hyundai at 22,925 units.

Chery experienced a significant increase from 3,952 units in 2023 to 8,626 units the following year. It should be noted that in that year, Chery launched their first electric car for Indonesian consumers, the Omoda 5.

The peak was in 2025. A number of Chinese brands maintained their sales and began to overtake their rivals.

BYD delivered 44,342 new cars to customers throughout 2025. Meanwhile, its sub-brand, Denza, accounted for 7,324 units.

Not Yet Replacing the Dominance of Japanese Brands

Although there is a visible shift in the competitive landscape, Japanese brands have consistently maintained their sales figures in Indonesia.

Cars with competitive prices and a dealer network spread evenly across various regions of Indonesia provide a sense of security.

Chinese brands are starting to show a positive trend but seem unable to shake the dominance of Japanese manufacturers who have long been established in the country.

However, their growth is quite rapid. In comparison, the total sales of Chinese car brands in 2023 were 32,898 units and rose by 228.6 percent to 108,125 units in 2025.