Vehicle sales figures shot through the roof last month compared to that in May, when the government announced that the goods and services tax (GST) rate would be set at 0% until the return of SST, resulting in customers holding back on purchases for the rest of that month.
With consumers taking advantage of the ‘tax holiday’ as well as Hari Raya festive season promotional campaigns and offers, a total of 64,502 units were registered last month, up 50% from the 42,983 units managed in May. The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) said the sales mark for the month was the second highest monthly TIV ever in local automotive history.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how most brands performed in June. As the chart shows, every passenger car player – with the exception of market leader Perodua, which registered a -10.8% drop – had a green arrow last month.
As mentioned, positive growth for every company, including Honda (+41.9%), Proton (+50.9%) and Nissan (+47.6%), but in some cases the percentage increase was quite staggering, as shown by gains made by Volkswagen (+676.8%) and Renault (+1,100%).
Other brands that did very well in a month of sterling sales included Toyota (+466.5%), Mazda (+145.8%), Mitsubishi (+380.6%), Subaru (+436.8%) and Hyundai (+258.7%).
Toyota’s performance meant that it outsold Honda last month (11,482 units to 11,418), but it still has a way to go before it can catch up in overall numbers – in terms of year-to-date figures, it’s at 31,709 units to Honda’s 51,354 units.
Sales of premium vehicles also increased – there’s really nothing better than paying less tax, and it doesn’t matter which part of the spectrum you’re in. Mercedes (+141.2%) and BMW (155.6%) continued on their merry way, but other brands had plenty to smile about.
Porsche (+477.8%) and Audi (+483.3%) vehicle sales went from single-digit to double-digits last month, and Volvo (+625.9%) sold six times the number of cars it did in May. The largest percentage gain in the premium segment was managed by Lexus (+3,166.7%), sales moving from six units in May to nearly 200 units last month.
Click on the chart below to view a larger version.
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AI-generated Summary ✨
The comments reflect a strong positive sentiment toward Toyota and Perodua's sales surge in Malaysia for June 2018, attributing the spike to tax holidays and consumer trust in Japanese brands. Many highlight Toyota’s growth of over 466%, emphasizing its popularity, quality, and widespread acceptance, with some suggesting the sales figures are impressive despite negative publicity. Perodua’s sales also increased but are limited by stock availability. Several commenters compare brands, criticize competitors like Honda and Audi, and applaud the long-term reliability of Japanese vehicles. Concerns about stock shortages at Honda and Perodua, reliance on Toyota engines, and the effect of tax changes on sales are common themes. Overall, there is a consensus that Malaysian consumers favor Japanese brands, particularly Toyota and Perodua, driven by perceived quality and price advantages.