COE Results 22 April 2026 — Cat A closed at $123,010. Image: Little Big Red Dot.
The second COE bidding exercise of April 2026 wrapped up on Wednesday, 22 April 2026 at 4:00 PM, and the numbers leave little doubt about where Singapore's car market is heading — up, up and away. Premiums surged across the board, with Category A closing at an eye-watering $123,010, climbing above Category B for only the second time this year. For anyone still hoping for a COE breather in 2026, this round is a stark reminder that Singapore's certificates of entitlement remain one of the costliest line items in car ownership anywhere on the planet.
Here's a full breakdown of the latest bidding results, how they compare with the previous round, and what this could mean for the next COE exercise on 6 May 2026.
COE Results — 22 April 2026 (2nd Bidding of April)
| Category | Description | 2nd Bid Apr 2026 | 1st Bid Apr 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cat A | Cars up to 1,600cc & 130bhp; EVs up to 110kW | $123,010 | $118,000 | +$5,010 |
| Cat B | Cars above 1,600cc or 130bhp; EVs above 110kW | $121,001 | $121,000 | +$1 |
| Cat C | Goods vehicles & buses | $83,501 | $80,001 | +$3,500 |
| Cat D | Motorcycles | $9,290 | $10,000 | −$710 |
| Cat E | Open category | $125,002 | $121,001 | +$4,001 |
Source: LTA Open Bidding, 22 April 2026.
Cat A Steals the Spotlight — Again
The headline story is Category A, which blew past Cat B for the second time in 2026. Traditionally, Cat B (the bigger, more powerful segment) sits higher than Cat A, so when the mass-market category overtakes the premium category, something unusual is happening with demand, quota, or both.
In the first bidding exercise of April, Cat A was already 101% oversubscribed. There were 1,145 unsuccessful bids heading into this round — meaning a full tank of buyers who had money ready, missed out, and came back hungrier. Combine that with a modest quota and you get the $5,010 jump we saw this week. That pushed Cat A to its highest point so far this year.
For context, back in the second bidding of March 2026, Cat A closed at $111,890. In under two months, we have added more than $11,000 to the cost of a mainstream car certificate — before you even look at the car, COE OMV, registration fees or road tax.
Cat B Stays Flat — But Still Punishing
Category B barely moved, inching up just $1 to $121,001. That sounds like good news, but the reality is Cat B has been stuck in a "high plateau" around the $115,000–$125,000 band for most of 2026. Buyers of larger sedans, SUVs and performance EVs are paying a premium that would have been unthinkable five years ago.
Commercial Vehicles and Motorcycles
Cat C (goods vehicles and buses) jumped another $3,500 to $83,501, continuing a steady climb that is going to show up in delivery charges, freight costs and eventually grocery bills. SMEs relying on fleet vehicles should budget for higher amortisation costs in their next financial year.
Cat D (motorcycles) was the only bright spot, easing $710 to $9,290. Motorbike COE remains by far the cheapest option on the grid, which explains why two-wheeler registrations have been picking up quietly over the past 12 months.
Cat E (Open) closed at $125,002, the highest of all five categories. Dealers typically use Cat E to place buyers of large vehicles or EVs who did not want to wait for Cat B, so Cat E tends to trade at a small premium to Cat B. This round, the gap widened to roughly $4,000.
What's Driving Prices Up?
Three factors are squeezing the market right now:
1. Tight supply. The COE quota has been gradually rising as more cars deregister ahead of the 10-year mark, but the increase has not kept pace with pent-up demand.
2. EV adoption push. As more buyers switch from ICE vehicles to EVs, many end up competing in Cat A (for smaller EVs with motors up to 110kW) or Cat B (for the larger, faster ones). That concentrates demand into those two categories.
3. Dealer incentives running dry. Early 2026 saw several distributors absorbing COE costs to move stock. Now that inventories are thinner, dealers are passing more of the COE pain to consumers, which has the knock-on effect of emboldening higher COE bids.
Our View: Will COE Prices Go Up or Down in the Next Round?
The next bidding exercise runs from 4 May 2026 (12pm) with results out on 6 May 2026 at 4pm. Our call: expect range-bound movement with a slight upward bias.
Here's the reasoning: Cat A has climbed for three consecutive rounds and usually sees a corrective dip after such sharp rises, as some buyers pause to see if prices will soften. However, the 1,145 unsuccessful Cat A bids from this round will roll into May, so any correction is likely to be shallow — maybe $2,000 to $4,000 down, not a meaningful drop.
Cat B is more likely to edge up by $2,000 to $5,000 as Cat A buyers "upgrade" to Cat B in frustration, a phenomenon we have seen several times in 2026. Cat C should keep climbing given ongoing commercial fleet renewals. Cat D could dip a little further, and Cat E will likely track Cat B with its usual premium.
In short, barring a shock from LTA (such as a quota increase announcement), do not expect meaningful relief for car buyers in May.
What Should Buyers Do?
If you are shopping for a car right now, consider the following:
Check the renewal option. If your current car is approaching the 10-year mark and still mechanically sound, renewing the COE at the Prevailing Quota Premium (PQP) could be cheaper than buying a new one at today's COE.
Look at used cars. Used parallel-import vehicles or pre-owned cars with 5–7 years left on the COE can be sensible alternatives, especially if you are planning to sell the car within 5 years.
Time your bid. If you can live without the car for two months, waiting out the May round may yield a small saving if Cat A softens. But do not wait forever — COE trends in 2026 have consistently surprised on the upside.
Consider a motorcycle. For single-person commutes, Cat D at $9,290 is a reminder that two wheels are still Singapore's best-value mobility option.
When Is the Next COE Bidding Exercise?
The next COE bidding exercise (1st Bidding of May 2026) opens on Monday, 4 May 2026 at 12:00 PM and closes on Wednesday, 6 May 2026 at 4:00 PM. You can find the full 2026 schedule on the LTA OneMotoring COE Open Bidding page.
For Little Big Red Dot's deeper dives into Singapore's car market, check out our Tech & Auto section, where we track every COE round, new car launches and EV policy updates.
Data sources: LTA OneMotoring, Motorist Singapore, Toyota Singapore.
