Malaysia’s new vehicle market expanded by over 19% year-on-year to 69,609 units in September 2026, up from 58,413 units in the same month last year, according to registration data released by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA).
The vehicle market has strengthened significantly in recent months, driven by strong demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and supported by a pick-up in economic activity in recent months. The latest government data show GDP growth accelerating to 5.8% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, up from 5.4% in the first quarter.
In the first nine months of 2026, the vehicle market expanded by 4% to 602,633 units, from 579,336 units in the same period last year, driven by a 5% rise in passenger vehicle sales to 564,919 units, while commercial vehicle sales declined by 13% to 37,714 units. Overall vehicle production in the country increased by 2% to 562,207 units in this period, from 552,129 units a year earlier.
Separate industry data show that sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) doubled to 53,540 units in the first nine months of the year, led by Proton with 24,860 sales, followed by BYD-Denza with 8,520 units and Chery with 3,890 units.
Market leader Perodua’s sales fell by almost 5% to 247,400 units year-to-date, with the Bezza being its best-selling model with 73,480 units sold. The company recently launched the new Toyota Yaris Cross-based Traz compact SUV and the company’s first BEV model, the QV-E.
Proton reported a 41% jump in global vehicle sales to 160,886 units in the first nine months of the year, including 7,370 shipments to overseas markets. The Saga was by far its best-selling model with almost 68,237 sales, followed by the Geely-based S70 sedan with 20,709 units and the X50 compact SUV with 20,163 units.
Toyota’s local sales declined by around 9% to 83,550units year-to-date, with popular models such as the Hilux pickup truck and the Vios compact sedan providing support.
The MAA recently raised its full-year 2026 total market forecast to 800,000 units, up from its previous forecast of 790,000 units, following the market’s strong performance in June and July. GlobalData is forecasting a 1% increase in light vehicle sales to 837,000 units this year, up from a record 827,000 units last year, with volumes expected to decline slightly to 826,000 units in 2027.
