Malaysia Full Year 2014: Perodua leads in record year – now with Top 100 models (BSCB exclusive)

January 28, 2015
Matt Gasnier

Perodua Axia – Perodua holds just under 30% of its home market in 2014.

* See the Top 50 All-brands and Top 100 models by clicking on the title *

The Malaysian new car market is up 1.6% year-on-year to lodge a third consecutive record year at 666,465 registrations. By segment, while passenger cars improve 2.4% on 2013, MPV sales decline by 0.7% but SUV sales are up 8.1%. Perodua remains the most popular manufacturer at home for the 9th consecutive year, never failing to grab the top spot after it first overtook the other local manufacturer Proton in 2005. It sales however dipped by a minuscule 0.3% on a record 2013 figure to 195,579 sales and might have broken another record were it be not handicapped by severe flooding on the East Coast causing a major disruption to retail businesses. Nevertheless Perodua predicts it will become the first Malaysian manufacturer to sell over 200,000 annual units in 2015, aiming at growing by 6.5% to 208,000 sales.

The Honda City more than doubles its Malaysian sales in 2014 (Thai model shown).

Perodua’s pole position was helped by the continued success of the MyVi, the best-seller in Malaysia for the 9th year in a row despite sales down 13% to 82.465, and the launch of the new Axia replacing the Viva as the company’s cheapest model, receiving a whopping 45,000 orders by the end of the year and landing directly at #7 in the 2014 ranking. Proton is down a harsh 17% on 2013 to #2 and 115,783 sales and 17.8% share vs. 21.2% a year ago, not helped by the all-new Iriz whose production has not reached its maximum yet, meaning the number of units delivered was not substantial this year even though orders were here (it finished at #18). Proton was even outsold by Toyota for the first time ever over the last two months of the year.

The Perodua Myvi is the best-selling model in Malaysia in 2014.

Toyota (+12%) and Honda (+50%) deliver stunning results, the latter helped by the success of the new City (+109% to #5), a hit from the day it was launched. Mitsubishi (+16%), Ford (+31%), Mazda (+24%), Kia (+38%), Mercedes (+28%) and Subaru (+52%) also deliver great results in the Top 25.

Model-wise, below the Myvi, the Proton Saga is down 18% at #2 while the Perodua Alza is up 14% and one spot on 2013 to jump onto the podium in third position. The Toyota Vios (+54%) and Honda City (+109%) are the best-selling foreign models, both fitting inside the Top 5. The success story of 2014, the Perodua Axia, lands directly at #7, only 68 units below the Perodua Viva it replaces. Notice also the Nissan Almera at #9, the Honda Jazz up 4-fold on 2013 to #12, the Honda Accord up 159% to #13, Toyota Corolla up 148% to #15, Ford Ranger up 4-fold to #16 and the all-new Proton Iriz landing at #18.

The Proton Iriz ranks #18 for its first appearance in an annual Malaysian ranking.