According to consolidated statistics from regional car sales reports, the top five auto markets in Southeast Asia in 2025 were Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Indonesia led the pack with 833,692 cars sold, although this marked a 4% decrease from 2024. Despite the drop, the country remains the largest car market in the region.

Malaysia followed closely with 820,752 units sold, a slight 0.5% increase from the previous year. Notably, this strong showing came despite the country having a population of under 40 million - significantly less than Indonesia, Vietnam, or Thailand. The steady growth in car ownership reflects how deeply ingrained cars have become in everyday life for Malaysians.

Thailand, often dubbed Southeast Asia’s auto manufacturing hub, sold 621,166 vehicles in 2025 - a 10% jump from 2024. This is a notable post-pandemic rebound, but Thailand's third-place spot is now being seriously challenged by Vietnam.

According to data from the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), along with VinFast and the Hyundai Thanh Cong joint venture, Vietnam sold a total of 604,134 cars in 2025. This marks a staggering 22.2% growth year-on-year - the fastest in the region. The gap between Vietnam and Thailand has now narrowed to just around 17,000 units, signaling a possible shift in rankings by 2026.

The Philippines secured fifth place with 492,438 vehicles sold in 2025, a 3.74% increase compared to 2024.

Car consumption across Southeast Asia is not only a measure of market scale, but also reflects economic momentum, urbanization rates, and consumer spending power in each country. The leading markets continue to act as key growth engines, attracting global carmakers to invest, build factories, and launch strategic product lines.

Hoang Hiep