After a very soft month in September, in which car sales plunged following the end of the tax holiday, things expectedly picked up in October as a result of stocks being replenished. The reintroduction of the sales and services tax (SST) didn’t really blunt vehicle purchasing, especially with CKD prices being lower than – or identical to – that with GST.
Sales in October totalled 47,273 units, an increase of 11,032 units or 35% over the 31,241 units recorded in September. Year-on-year, October’s numbers were a shade ahead of that managed during the corresponding month in 2017, being 232 units or 0.5% higher.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how most brands peformed in October. The swell in sales meant that there were plenty of gainers. Market leader Perodua topped that chart for the month, with a 106.2% increase. Second-placed Honda recorded a 46.0% increase, while third-placed Proton saw a relatively small 12.6% hike in sales for the month, with Toyota (+57.8%) and Nissan (+24.8%) rounding off things positively for the top five for the month.
Other gainers were Mazda (+37.4%) and Volkswagen (+50.8%), while brands that saw a drop included Ford (-15.7%), Peugeot (-12.7%) and Subaru (-34.0%).
In the premium segment, Mercedes saw a steep rise (+72.9%), but it ended just below BMW (-7.9%) for the month, while Volvo also had a positive October with a 26.4% gain. Elsewhere, things were not as rosy for MINI (-23.1%) and Lexus (-45.5%). Audi’s sales figures were not reported.
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AI-generated Summary ✨
The comments primarily discuss Malaysian vehicle sales data for October 2018, highlighting Perodua's top position and Proton's improvement, while Toyota's sales decline significantly. Many comments analyze pricing, brand positioning, and market trends, noting Proton's increasing sales compared to Toyota, which seems to be struggling. There's criticism of specific models and brand strategies, especially regarding imports, pricing, and quality perceptions. Off-topic stereotypes and personal opinions are common, but overall, commenters show interest in sales figures, market share shifts, and brand competitiveness, with some predicting future sales and questioning company performance. The overall sentiment reflects surprise and skepticism about certain brands' market performances, with a significant focus on Proton's rising sales and Toyota's declining figures in the Malaysian market.