Vehicle sales in the country climbed for a second month running as a result of the goods and services tax (GST) rate being set at 0% for three months until SST returns on September 1.
Consumers continued to shop for cars like it was going out of fashion, resulting in 68,465 units being sold in July, an increase of 6% or 3,963 units from the 64,502 units managed in June. The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) reported that July recorded the second highest monthly TIV ever achieved in the history of the local automotive industry, just a shade short of the 69,371 unit record set in December 2015.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how most brands peformed in July. Unlike June, in which just about everything had a green arrow, it was a case of more downs than ups on an individual brand basis, despite the increase in overall numbers.
Perodua was one of the rare brands in which sales dipped in June, but it snapped back in July with a 21.5% increase. Second-placed Honda’s numbers also went up by 12.2%, while Nissan also managed a 9.8% improvement. Of the top players, the highest gain made in July was by Proton, with a 31.2% increase from June.
The rest of the passenger car field saw sales dip in July – for many companies, the movement of ready stock would have surged in June, and with demand rapidly exceeding supply, inventory would have been severely curbed and nowhere close enough to allow the pace to be maintained. Mazda looked like one of these – despite managing 1,200 vehicles in July, sales dipped by 20.7% compared to June. Similarly, Toyota was down by 20.5%.
Sales of premium vehicles also reflected this pattern, and following the spike in June Mercedes (-10.7%), BMW (-14.4%), Volvo (-14.8%), Lexus (-46.4%) saw a dip in monthly numbers. Audi’s sales figures, meanwhile, were not available.
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AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments express surprise and skepticism over the sales figures, with many highlighting Toyota’s reliance on commercial vehicles to boost numbers and pointing out its negative passenger car sales. Proton’s sales showed significant improvement, leading to discussions about its growth amidst a shrinking market share for others. There’s criticism of Honda’s sales performance and customer service, with some attributing its poor sales to high prices and quality issues. Perodua generally maintains its top position, while other brands like Mazda, Nissan, and European brands show mixed results. Some comments speculate about market trends, Chinese control over Proton, and the impact of festive season sales. Overall, sentiment reflects a mix of surprise, skepticism, and competitive rivalry regarding brand sales performance.