Vehicle to population ratio ASEAN 2012-2021, by country

In 2020, Brunei had the highest vehicle to population ratio among Southeast Asian countries, with around 997.8 vehicles per 1,000 population. In contrast, there were approximately 27.9 vehicles per 1,000 population in Cambodia that year.

Main motor vehicles markets in Southeast Asia

Indonesia leads the motor vehicle sales in Southeast Asia with more than one million vehicles sold in a year, closely followed by Thailand. However, in terms of production the opposite is true. Thailand leads the motor vehicle production in the region with under two million vehicles. And Indonesia follows with almost one and a half million vehicles produced in a year. In 2022, Southeast Asian countries were characterized by significant growth in annual motor vehicle sales, led by Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, with over 30 percent increase each.

What purchase aspects do Southeast Asian vehicle buyers value?

Almost half of the consumers in Southeast Asia believe that striking a good deal is an important aspect of the vehicle purchasing experience. When it comes to choosing a car brand, consumers in Southeast Asia appreciate quality, with 71 percent of the consumers treasuring product quality as an important factor driving brand choice. Nevertheless, a shift towards more sustainable preferences is present among the consumers in the region. Even though there are many concerns regarding battery electric vehicles in the region, consumers think that there are several reasons to switch to electric cars as the number of charging stations increases and EV performance equals or surpasses that of combustible-engine or hybrid cars.