SL sees 360,000 vehicles registered in first year after five-year hiatus

Sri Lanka had 48,525 vehicles registered in December 2025, up from 43,810 units in November, reflecting an year-end pop in the numbers, bringing the full-year vehicles registered to 360,117, in its first year of reopening imports after a five-year hiatus.

The category-wise breakdown showed that 5,007 units of motor cars had been registered in December, up from 3,691 units in November, a monthly report by JB Securities said.

Out of that, brand-new car registrations were 1,150, up from 781 in November, led by BYD with 408 units, followed by BAW with 283 units. Total BYD registrations however rose to 850 units in December, from 287 units in November, with the model Dolphin at 264 units, Atto 2 at 123 and Atto 1 at 145 units being registered.

Toyota ranked at number three, with 191 units, primarily driven by the Wigo type, with 185 units.

Meanwhile, pre-owned motor car registrations were at 3,857 units in December, up from 2,910 in November. Premium passenger vehicle registrations rose to 187 units, up from 145 units in November.

Notable individual registrations included one Porsche Macan, one Jaguar F-Pace SUV, one Bentley Bentayga SUV and one Rolls-Royce Ghost.

“These purchases represent very large tax contributions to the Treasury. Given that premium vehicles sit at the top end of the import tax structure, they are not a misuse of scarce foreign exchange. 

On the contrary, they reduce fiscal dissaving, due to the large amount of taxation paid, which has been the primary driver of large current account deficits in the past, given that the current account deficits reflect negative savings–investment balances in the economy,” JB Securities Managing Director Murtaza Jafferjee said.

There were 3,220 electric vehicles registered in December, marginally higher from 3,158 units in November.

It appears that the initial enthusiasm for electric vehicles has waned somewhat.

Meanwhile, were 3,007 three-wheelers registered, up from 2,423 units in November and 30,415 two-wheelers, up from 29,961 units in November.