Malaysia’s Automobile Sales by Segment: Top-selling A / B Segment Performed Well, but SUVs Sharply Declined

The Malaysian automobile market fell 12.4% from the previous year to 529,000 units in 2020.

The top five brands, Perodua, Proton, Honda, Toyota and Nissan, accounted for 87.2% of the entire market with 462,000 units in 2020. The lower compact (A / B) segment, slightly increased compared to the previous year, showing demand for sedans and hatchbacks despite the growing popularity of SUVs. Passenger cars decreased 4.8% to 340,000 units in 2020. The lower compact (A/B) and small (C) segments increased, but all other segments declined double digits. The lower compact (A/B) segment, Malaysia’s best-selling segment, rose 2.5% to 177,000 units. Although the Perodua Myvi, Malaysia’s best-selling model, dropped 19.1% to 66,000 units, the Perodua Bezza, which underwent facelift in January 2020, rose 24.8% to 57,000 units, and the Proton Saga, whose fully-redesigned version was launched in 2019, went up 20.1% to 46,000 units. The compact (B) segment declined 16.5% to 88,000 units. The Proton Persona, which underwent facelift in 2019, and the Toyota Yaris, which was newly launched in 2019, increased 9.0% and 16.3% respectively, but all other models declined double digits.

SUVs dropped 26.7% to 71,000 units. The Proton X50 and Toyota RAV4, which were newly launched in 2020, added around 4,000 units to the total, but all other models, both small SUVs, and medium and large SUVs, decreased double digits, resulting in a significant overall decrease. However, the decrease is thought to be mainly due to the weakening new car effects of the Proton X70 and Perodua Aruz, which were newly introduced in 2018 and 2019. The market is expected to recover and expand in the future. MPVs declined 19.1% to 32,000 units. With the exception of the Proton Exora, which underwent facelift in 2019, most other models, both small, and medium and large MPVs fell double digits.