National Car Brands Capture 67% of Malaysia’s Automotive Market as Sales Continue to Grow
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s national automotive brands strengthened their dominance in the domestic vehicle market during the first half of 2026, increasing their combined market share to 67 per cent as sales growth outpaced that of non-national manufacturers.
The latest industry figures released by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) show that national marques continued to benefit from resilient consumer demand, new model introductions and growing interest in sport utility vehicles (SUVs), helping lift overall vehicle sales during the first six months of the year.
MAA president Mohd. Shamsor Mohd. Zain said national automotive brands sold a combined 256,304 vehicles between January and June 2026, representing an increase of nine per cent or 20,343 units compared with 235,961 units recorded during the corresponding period last year.
The stronger performance enabled national manufacturers to expand their market share from 63 per cent in the first half of 2025 to 67 per cent this year.
In contrast, non-national automotive brands recorded weaker performance during the same period, with total sales declining to 129,049 units.
As a result, their market share fell to 33 per cent from 37 per cent a year earlier.
According to Mohd. Shamsor, the continued momentum in vehicle demand suggests the industry’s outlook remains positive for the remainder of the year.
Malaysia’s overall automotive industry also recorded moderate growth during the first half of 2026.
The Total Industry Volume (TIV), which measures total vehicle sales, reached 385,353 units, representing an increase of three per cent or 11,717 vehicles compared with 373,636 units during the same period in 2025.
While passenger vehicle sales continued to support overall market expansion, the commercial vehicle segment experienced more challenging conditions.
Sales of commercial vehicles declined 11 per cent to 23,718 units, largely due to a 19 per cent drop in pickup truck sales.
On the manufacturing side, Total Industry Production (TIP) rose by 1.2 per cent to 356,946 units compared with 352,626 units produced during the first half of last year.
Passenger vehicle production increased by one per cent to 336,031 units, while commercial vehicle production registered stronger growth, rising 11 per cent to 20,915 units.
Mohd. Shamsor attributed the industry’s improved performance to several key market trends.
Among the most significant was continued consumer demand for sport utility vehicles, with SUV sales increasing by 19 per cent during the period.
He said the launch of new vehicle models by automotive manufacturers, including Proton’s entry into the electric vehicle (EV) segment, also contributed positively to market performance by attracting fresh consumer interest.
The latest figures suggest Malaysia’s automotive industry continues to demonstrate resilience despite evolving market conditions, with national brands strengthening their competitive position while manufacturers increasingly diversify their product offerings through SUVs and electrified vehicles to meet changing consumer preferences.
