Proton recorded 11,269 unit sales in September, combining both domestic and export markets. This brings its year-to-date (YTD) sales volume to 112,758 units. As a result, Proton holds firm in second place in the national automotive sales rankings, with an estimated market share of 20.1% for the month and 19.1% YTD in 2024.
September is traditionally a slower month for the automotive industry, and this year was no different. The total industry volume (TIV) dropped to its lowest point in 17 months, with early estimates indicating 56,067 units sold. This marks a 22.2% decrease from the previous month. Despite this decline, the YTD total for TIV remains 3% ahead of last year, with nearly 590,000 units sold.
Proton’s dominance in the SUV market was evident in September, with the company leading sales in three SUV segments. The newly launched 2025 Proton X70, introduced on August 19, showed impressive results with 1,466 units sold in its first full month. This strong performance allowed the Proton X70 to reclaim its position as the best-selling C-segment SUV, marking its highest sales volume since December 2022.
Proton’s other two SUV models also topped their respective segments. The Proton X50, updated in June, maintained its momentum with 1,771 units sold, securing its leadership in the B-segment SUV category, a title it has held since its launch in 2020. Meanwhile, the Proton X90, the company’s flagship model, regained the top spot in D-segment SUV sales with 217 units sold, bringing its YTD total to 2,724 units.
In addition to its SUV success, Proton’s S70 sedan remains the best-selling C-segment sedan for YTD sales. In September, it added 1,013 units, bringing its total to 14,768 units in its first full year. Although briefly overtaken in monthly sales, the Proton S70 is set to gain further attention with the upcoming launch of the Proton S70 R3, which will compete in the Sepang 1000km endurance race in November.
The Proton Saga continues to be the brand’s top seller, with 5,162 units sold last month, placing it second in the A-segment sedan category. Other Proton models also saw steady performance, with the Proton Persona recording 1,295 sales and the Proton Iriz achieving 345 sales.
Commenting on the market situation, Roslan Abdullah, CEO of Proton Edar, said, “September is traditionally a slow month for the automotive industry, and 2024 was no exception. Fortunately, Proton’s decline in sales volume was less severe than the overall industry, positioning us well for the final quarter.”
He added that Proton is optimistic about the next three months, with plans to boost sales through promotional activities and a nationwide campaign offering lucrative rewards. The company is also focusing on enhancing customer experiences and after-sales service, ahead of the highly anticipated launch of Proton’s first electric vehicle (EV) in December.
