Malaysia vehicle market slightly higher in August

Vehicle Market Overview - The Malaysian vehicle market saw a slight increase in August 2025, reaching 73,041 units compared to 72,580 units in August 2024, supported by improved inventories, new model launches, and aggressive dealer promotions [1] - In the first eight months of 2025, the vehicle market declined by 4% to 516,862 units from a record high of 537,532 units in the same period last year, with light passenger vehicle sales down by 3% and commercial vehicle sales down by 16% [3] Economic Context - The Malaysian economy expanded by 4.4% year-on-year in Q2 2025, maintaining similar growth from Q1, driven by strong domestic consumption [2] - The central bank cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 2.75% in July 2025, marking its first rate cut since April 2023 [2] Electric Vehicle Segment - Battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales increased by 63% year-to-date to 23,396 units, primarily driven by BYD and its Denza brand, Proton's e.MAS7, and Tesla [4] - Total vehicle production in Malaysia fell by 9% to 493,176 units in the first eight months of 2025 [4] Company Performance - Perodua, the market leader, experienced a 2% decline in sales to 231,700 units year-to-date, slightly outperforming the overall passenger vehicle market [5] - Proton's global sales fell slightly to 100,902 units in the first eight months of 2025, with the Saga being its best-selling model [5] - UMW Toyota reported a 4% decline in sales to 62,246 units, with the Vios as its best-selling model [6]