Proton sales up in April in spite of general market slowdown

With a number of Proton models leading in their segments or among the top three, the Malaysian brand’s sales volume crossed the 50,000-unit mark after the first 4 months of the year, with a 17.1% growth in April sales alone which were 11,025 units (including export sales).

19.2% market share after 4 months
Pending release of the official data from the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), Proton estimates that the total industry volume (TIV) for the month of April will be 59,100 units, while the cumulative volume for 4 months could be up to 261,345 units. This would give the Malaysian brand a market share of 18.7% for the month and 19.2% for the first 4 months.

“The slowdown in automotive sales in April, where the TIV shrank by 16.8% compared to March 2024, can be attributed to the long holiday period as automakers, dealerships and other members of the local automotive ecosystem took time off to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri,” said Roslan Abdullah, CEO of Proton Edar.

“However, the sustained demand for Proton models is further bolstered by ongoing efforts in quality improvement with better Global Customer Product Audit scores since 2019, instilling greater confidence among drivers,” he added.

The models which have led their respective segments are the X50 in B-segment SUVs, and the S70 in C-segment sedans which it has led since the beginning of 2024. The brand’s bestseller, however, is still the Saga which saw another 5,031 new units being delivered in April. Year-to-date sales of the model rose 8.8% to 23,278 units as it continues to be an attractive proposition to car buyers with its blend of features, driveability, and value for money.

Export sales also growing
Notably, export sales have played a key role in the company’s performance, having soared 38.5% from 603 units to 835 units year-to-date in April. During the 4-month period, the Saga topped the list of models exported with 427 units, followed by the X50 (176 units) and S70 (89 units) which so far is only sold in Brunei.

“Export sales remain a vital pillar to Proton’s long-term goals and with the Proton S70 ramping up its sales in the domestic as well as export market, we are confident of achieving sustainable exports sales growth this year and raise the contribution of export sales to our annual sales volume” said Encik Roslan Abdullah.

“This year, we have added Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies to our export portfolio and re-established our foothold in Bangladesh,” he said.

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