LTA figures show 4 brands lead Singapore car market in 2026
Ten car brands in Singapore registered fewer than one car per month on average during the first nine months of 2026, according to Land Transport Authority figures.
Category A COE prices for smaller cars and electric vehicles hit $132,004 on October 21, driving the retail price of a mainstream Toyota Corolla Altis up to $230,000 before discounts.
Four Brands Lead Singapore Car Registrations
Data released by the Land Transport Authority show that BYD, Toyota, Tesla and Mercedes-Benz led all registrations from January to September 2026. These four marques accounted for 52.8%, or 21,643 units, of the 40,986 total new car registrations. The remaining 47.2% of the market was split among 53 other brands with official agents in Singapore.
While low registration totals are expected for ultra-luxury and niche sports car labels such as Aston Martin and Lamborghini, the sluggish movement extends into the mass market. French brand Peugeot, American manufacturer Ford, and Korean brand KGM each managed only three car registrations in the first nine months of the year. Chinese electric vehicle brand Skyworth recorded six units over the same period.
Other brands recorded zero registrations. Renault and Mitsubishi logged no new car registrations from 2024 through September 2026. Seres, a Chinese brand introduced in 2024, registered eight cars in 2025 but none during the first nine months of 2026.
Dealer Strategies for Low-Volume Franchises
Singapore’s overcrowded car market has seen official representation expand from 49 brands in 2024 to 57 brands in 2025. In 2025, 10 brands registered fewer than 12 cars each, following seven brands below that threshold in 2024.
Industry stakeholders maintain diverse business interests to absorb the carrying costs of underperforming franchises. A Wearnes Automotive spokesperson noted that the multi-franchise dealership continues to sell Renault commercial vehicles and provide repairs and maintenance for existing Renault owners while waiting for the manufacturer to allocate new passenger models.
Seres is distributed by the 80-year-old Hong Seh Group, which also handles commercial vehicle lines such as Riddara, Farizon, and DFSK. Motorway Group distributes KGM, formerly known as Ssangyong, alongside vehicle financing, retail, leasing, and an authorized BYD distributorship through its subsidiary Motor-East. Think One Group distributes Skyworth alongside Yutong buses. Cycle & Carriage took over Peugeot in 2025, pairing it in showrooms with Citroen and Leapmotor under the Stellantis umbrella.
Automotive consultant Say Kwee Neng said that a healthy after-sales operation covering servicing, repairs, and parts generation can keep a dealership viable despite low initial registration volumes. Established brands hold a distinct advantage because their larger existing fleet sizes generate steady workshop traffic.
LTA records indicate that at the close of 2025, Renault and Peugeot each had more than 3,000 vehicles on the road in Singapore, while Mitsubishi maintained a fleet exceeding 16,000 units.
Incoming Competition Amid Elevated Costs
As high car prices persist alongside elevated COE premiums—up from $193,888 in October 2025 for models like the Corolla Altis—industry sources indicate as many as six new automotive brands plan to enter the Singapore market in the coming months.