Malaysia 2004-2005: Perodua Kancil ends Proton Wira domination

January 28, 2006
Matt Gasnier

Perodua Kancil

In 2004, new car sales in Malaysia leap up 15.2% year-on-year to break a new annual volume record at 487.313 units. After falling apart in 2003 (-26.8%), Proton stops the rot with a 7.2% uptick to 34.6% share, widening the gap with Perodua (-1.8%) at 25%, but adding up to 59.6% national share vs. 66.5% in 2003 and 77.9% in 2002. Toyota (+28.5%) breaks the 10% share barrier in Malaysia for the first time since 1991, followed by Hyundai (+77.4%), Honda (+45.5%), Kia (+58%) and Nissan (+35.1%), all vastly outpacing the market. Chevrolet (+524.3%) becomes the only Western brand in the Top 10 at #9.

Over in the models ranking, the Perodua Kancil (-5%) puts an end to a decade of domination by the Proton Wira (-25.6%) even though it sees its share thaw from 14.5% to 12%. The Proton Iswara (ex-Saga) soars 31.2% and invites itself in 2nd place. The Proton Waja (-10.7%), Perodua Kelisa (-1.2%), Kenari (+30.7%) and the new Proton Gen-2 – launched in Q3 but already above 20.000 sales – ensure the Top 7 is 100% Malaysian. The Toyota Vios (+89.9%) becomes the most popular foreign nameplate ahead of the Hyundai Atoz (+18%) and Kia Carnival (+176.8%).

Proton Gen-2

In 2005, sales soar 12.9% to 550.184 units, for the first time crossing the half million annual mark. Proton (-1.1%) resumes its fall, losing over 4 percentage points of share on 2004 to 30.3% whereas competitor Perodua (+14.7%) edges up to 25.4% (not a record). Toyota (+76%) surges to 16.5% share, its highest in at least 16 years, widening the gap with the rest of the foreigner assault: Kia (+36.3%), Honda (+10.5%), Hyundai (-16.5%) and Nissan (+10.8%). Ford (+8.8%) is back above Chevrolet (-20.3%) as the only Westerner in the Top 10 at #10.

Model-wise, the Perodua Kancil (-9.1%) repeats at #1 but continues to see its market share freefall: this time below the 10% mark at 9.6%. It is the first time since the launch of the Proton brand in 1985 that the best-selling model in Malaysia holds less than 10% of the market. The Proton Wira (-1.8%) and Waja (+4.2%) both advance one spot to rank #2 and #3 respectively, taking advantage of the demise of the Proton Iswara (-33.8%). Meanwhile, the Toyota Avanza (+577.2%) ends its first full year of sales at #4, the highest ranking held by a foreign nameplate since the Honda Accord in 1994. The rest of the Top 9 is 100% Malaysian, making it 8 in 9, including at #6 the Perodua Myvi, a rebadged Daihatsu Sirion launched in May 2005 which already sold over 34.000 units this year.

Perodua Kancil