ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s vehicle registrations dropped in October, with both motor cars and SUV/crossovers slowing down, while commercial vehicles continued to pick up pace, an analysis of vehicle registry data by J B Securities, Colombo-based brokerage, shows.
Total registrations including motor cycles, dropped to 47,685 in October 2025, from 48,708 in September.
Motor car registrations fell from a peak of 3,934 in September to 3,612 while SUV/crossovers fell to 5,075 from 5,813.
Sri Lanka had seen registrations of motor cars and SUVs of around 5,000 to 7,000 a month, before an economic crisis triggered by aggressive rate cuts backed by inflationary open market operations and import controls, which reduced taxes on top of an indirect tax cut.
In September, car and SUVs reached 9,756 unit from 6,137 a month earlier.
In October, the total dropped to 8,687 with a broad slowdown across brand new and used-unregistered vehicles.
BYD numbers also dropped sharply with Sri Lanka Customs detaining vehicles over a dispute over motors.
BYD registrations dropped to 531 units in October from 1,531 units in September.
However an entry level small car from BAW has pick up to be a top seller in the segment with its E-7 seeing 263 registrations.
Van registrations rose to 716 units in October, up from 551, mini-trucks rose to 200 from 14, lite trucks dropped to 104 from 112, but was above the August number of 66.
Medium truck registrations went up to 209 from 148, heavy trucks rose to 227 from 221, buses slowed to 107, from 120 but was above the August number of 66.
Large tractors soared to 1,031 from 701, with TAFE leading the charge while hand tractor registrations rose to 128 from 85.
Vikyno, a Vietnamese brand, led the subcategory with 52 units, JB Securities said.
Three wheelers fell back to 2,541 unit from 3,015, but remained above the August number of 2,497.
Before the crisis from aggressive macro-economic policy about 10,000 three-wheeler were registered.
Motorbike registrations were 32,768, up from 32,626 which is around the pre-crisis levels. (Colombo/Nov16/2025)
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