Malaysia 2003: Proton implodes -26.8%, foreigners up 45.7%

Hyundai sales in Malaysia are up 3-fold year-on-year in 2003.

After two consecutive years of record annual volumes, Malaysia takes a breather in 2003 dropping -3.8% to 423.184, still only the 2nd time in history the market is above 400.000 units. 2003 marks the year local carmaker Proton starts to crumble apart: -26.8% to just 37.2% share, the lowest since the late eighties. Far from taking advantage of this painful fall, Perodua (-2.7%) slightly outpaces the market to edge its record share to 29.3%.

As a result, the two national brands now hold 66.5% of their home market vs. 77.9% last year and foreign carmakers see their sales surge 45.7% from 22.1% to 33.5% share. Whereas only 2 foreign brands had managed to hold at least 2% share in Malaysia for the past 4 years, in 2003 they are no less than 8. Toyota (+47.1%) leaps to 9.5% share, followed by Hyundai (+198.7%), Nissan (+13.3%), Honda (+180.6%), Kia (+126.2%) and Daihatsu (+18.4%). For the first time since BSCB started following Malaysia in 1990, there are no Western brands in the Top 10 this year with Ford (-22.8%) kicked down to #11

The models ranking is getting a lot more fragmented, with the Proton Wira (-34%) holding onto the top spot for the 5th consecutive year and the 9th time in the past 10 years but with its lowest-ever market share at 15%. Worse: the Perodua Kancil (-2.1%) is now less than 2.000 sales and 0.5% share behind… In fact the entire Top 7 is unchanged with the Top 6 remaining 100% Malaysian and composed of the Proton Waja (-27.4%), Saga (-10.9%) both just under 10% share, the Perodua Kelisa (-16.9%) and Kenari (+35.6%). The Toyota Unser is the most popular foreign nameplate for the 5th straight year but there are 3 new kids on the block just below: the Hyundai Atoz up 12-fold and 29 spots to #8 for its first full year in market, the new Toyota Vios landing directly at #10 and the Honda City up 11-fold to #11.

Previous year: Malaysia 2002: Proton below 50% share, Perodua hits record 29%, market above 400.000 units for the first time

Full Year 2003 Top 35 All-brands and Top 165 All-models vs. Full 2002 figures below.