Proton reported a 13.6% increase in sales compared to the previous month, selling 12,522 units (domestic and export) in May. This brings the total sales for the first five months of the year to 62,697 units, securing the company’s position as the second-highest in the national automotive sales rankings with an estimated market share of 19%.
The growth in Proton’s sales aligns with the overall trend in the Total Industry Volume (TIV), which is estimated to have grown by 20.7% in May, reaching approximately 70,000 units. The year-to-date (YTD) TIV is estimated at 330,236 units, an 8.8% increase over 2023.
Proton’s efforts to expand its brand in international markets such as Trinidad and Tobago, Bangladesh, and Iraq have been successful, with export sales reaching 509 units in May, marking the highest shipment of 2024. The Proton Saga emerged as the best-selling export model since February, leading the way with 360 units exported in May. This contributed to a cumulative export sales total of 1,344 units since January.
The Proton X90, featuring a mild-hybrid system for improved performance and fuel efficiency, reclaimed its spot as Malaysia’s most popular D-segment SUV, with 364 units sold in May. Sales of the Proton Saga increased by 21.6% to 6,119 units, resulting in YTD sales of 29,397 units, an 8% rise, maintaining its appeal among Malaysian car buyers.
Proton’s C-segment sedan, the Proton S70, also saw a significant sales increase of 23%, with 2,011 units sold in May compared to 1,635 units in April, bringing the total for the first five months of 2024 to 9,474 units. Other models showed strong performances as well: the Proton X70 sold 523 units, the Proton Persona sold 1,645 units (YTD total of 8,444 units), and the Proton Iriz added 452 units, making the total sales to date 2,410 units.
The Proton X50, Malaysia’s award-winning B-segment SUV, achieved 1,407 units in May. With the launch of the revamped 2024 Proton X50 model on June 4, which features numerous upgrades, demand is expected to increase.
“After a quieter month in April due to festive holidays, May saw a return to positive growth with TIV increasing both year-on-year and month-on-month, demonstrating the resilience of the local automotive industry. With the cumulative TIV through May already accounting for 44.6% of the Malaysia Automotive Association (MAA)’s full-year projection of 740,000 units, we believe there is still room for growth in the local automotive market.
ooking ahead to the second half of 2024, Proton will focus on boosting sales through updates to existing models while also beginning to explore the EV market. With the support of our partner, Geely, it’s not a question of if but when Proton will launch our own electric vehicles. Stay tuned for many exciting announcements on the horizon,” said Roslan Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of Proton Edar.
