The sluggish Indonesian auto market got a turning point in August when sales hit the eight- month high with 28,063 units, a leading economic newspaper reported Tuesday.

The figure shows a 28.2 percent rise compared 21,891 units in the preceding month, but remains far below the sales in the same month last year at 50,613 units or a slump of 44.5 percent, reported Bisnis Indonesia .

The average monthly sales have fallen below 25,000 units this year as the impacts from government's decision to more than double fuel prices last October and high interest rate.

Toyota enjoyed a 32 percent surge by booking sales of 10,165 units in August to retain its lead in the Indonesian market.

Mitsubishi, which heavily relies on commercial cars and trucks, was in distant second with 4,477 units, trailed by Suzuki with 4, 241 units, Daihatsu with 3,146 units, Honda with 2,507 units and Isuzu with 1,425 units.

Source: Xinhua