Despite a sharp industry-wide slowdown in June, national carmaker Proton has emerged with an impressive showing in the first half of 2025, registering increased market share and strong segment leadership across its product lineup. As Total Industry Volume (TIV) in Malaysia dipped by 21% in June to an estimated 53,500 units, Proton managed to buck the trend, closing the month with 11,069 units sold—contributing to a robust year-to-date (YTD) total of 72,156 units, the second-highest in the industry.

Proton’s market share for June surged to 20.7%, a 1.1% increase over May and 1.2% higher than its 2025 YTD average of 19.5%. These figures underscore the brand’s resilience and momentum, even in the face of external challenges such as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the expanded scope of the Sales and Service Tax (SST), both of which have dampened consumer sentiment.

Leading the charge once again is the Proton X50, the brand’s best-selling B-segment SUV. Since its launch in October 2020, the X50 has sold over 140,000 units domestically and internationally. In June alone, 1,657 units were sold, including 353 units exported—making up nearly half of Proton’s export volume for the month. This brings the X50’s YTD sales to 11,361 units, up 11.3% over the same period in 2024.

Proton is set to capitalize on this success with the launch of the all-new Proton X50 later this July. Featuring bold new styling, a redesigned interior, the latest 1.5L i-GT engine, and enhanced ADAS 2.0 safety suite, the model is already available for pre-launch bookings. A promotional campaign launched on 5 July has kicked off a series of events leading to the anticipated debut.

In addition to the X50, two other Proton models led their respective segments in June:

  • Proton X90 (D-segment SUV): 174 units sold
  • Proton S70 (C-segment sedan): 1,402 units sold

Meanwhile, the Proton Saga remained a strong performer with 5,206 units sold. The Persona and Iriz contributed 1,171 and 288 units respectively, ranking third and fourth in their segments.

A standout growth performer was the Proton X70, which recorded a 46.3% year-on-year increase in the first half of 2025. With 533 units sold in June and a YTD total of 4,354 units, the upgraded 2025 model appears to be resonating strongly with C-segment SUV buyers.

Beyond domestic ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) sales, Proton’s export and EV strategies are emerging as key growth drivers. June exports totaled 414 units, a 56.8% increase over June 2024, raising YTD export sales to 2,250 units—a 39.9% improvement.

A major contributor to this growth is the Proton e.MAS 7, the company’s flagship EV. With 4,253 units sold in the first half of 2025 across domestic and export markets, the e.MAS 7 now commands a 24% share of Malaysia’s EV market. The model’s strong performance is expected to continue as it enters more international markets and as additional e.MAS variants are introduced.

“The bulk of Proton’s current sales volume is taken up by domestic ICE vehicles, but export and EV sales have tremendous future growth potential,” said Zhang Qiang, Deputy CEO of Proton Edar. “With new models arriving in our showrooms and a full slate of events planned for the second half of the year, we expect to further strengthen our position in both the domestic and global markets.”