COE premium spike points to more hikes this year, warn industry observers

They tie this to reduced quota and increased time for returning de-registrations to the market

Derryn Wong
Published Wed, Aug 19, 2026 · 07:00 PM
    • Car dealers say that Category A’s result, which saw an increase despite flat demand, is reflective of the current state of the market.
    • Car dealers say that Category A’s result, which saw an increase despite flat demand, is reflective of the current state of the market. PHOTO: DERRYN WONG, BT

    [SINGAPORE] After the latest round of Certificate of Entitlement (COE) bidding on Wednesday (Aug 19), automotive industry observers said they do not expect passenger car premiums to fall significantly in the coming weeks.

    Nicholas Wong, chief executive officer of authorised Honda dealer Kah Motor, said: “COE premiums are not going to drop in the coming months, because the supply will continue to be in shortfall of demand.”

    In the latest round of COE bidding, August’s second, premiums for all passenger car categories rose.