Breaking down Malaysia’s automotive trends 2025: Top Cars, Brands, and EVs

Malaysia’s Road Transport Department (JPJ) has released the data on total vehicle sales in the country in 2025. As in 2024, the market crossed the 800k mark last year as well, with total sales reaching 820,752 new cars, representing a 0.5% increase compared to 2024’s 816,747. 

Here, we break down the total sales figure into passenger and commercial vehicle categories -

Passenger vehicles	759,098 units (1.6% y-o-y growth)
Commercial vehicles	61,654 units (11.4 % y-o-y decline)
Total sales	820,752 units (0.5% y-o-y growth)

The above table highlights that the passenger vehicle segment contributes a significant portion of the overall sales. The passenger vehicle segment experienced a year-on-year growth of 1.6% while the commercial segment saw a decline of 11.4 %.

According to the Malaysian Automotive Association, the continuing growth of the passenger vehicle segment is attributed to the following factors -

• Robust economic growth (GDP +4.7% in the first three quarters)
• Strong domestic demand in ICE and pure electric vehicles
• Strong order backlogs 
• Aggressive promotions
• Recovering exports
• Favourable financing and socio-political stability
• Reduced unemployment rate 

Let’s dive deeper into the world of passenger cars in Malaysia and learn about the top-performing brands, models, and the fastest-growing EV landscape.

Best-selling car brands in Malaysia 2025

The data above reveals the following insights - 

• Perodua continues to be Malaysia’s best-selling car brand in 2025, capturing a significant share of total car sales. It sold a total of 359,904 units last year with an approximate market share of 47.5%, thanks to its reliable and fuel-efficient models. The automaker witnessed a growth of 0.5% growth as compared to 358,102 units registered in 2024. 
• The second-best-selling car brand in Malaysia is Proton, with a total sales of 151,561 units, representing a year-on-year growth of 3.3%. These two national brands hold a combined market share of 62.3% of the total industry volume and 67.4% of the passenger vehicle segment.
• Coming to non-national brands, Toyota and Honda remain strong players in the local automotive arena.
• Omoda | Jaecoo has emerged as a strong contender with a significant growth of 153%, driven by the strong reception of the Jaecoo J7.

Best-selling cars in Malaysia 2025

The data above reveals the following insights - 

• As Perodua rules the Malaysian automotive industry, 5 out of the 10 best-selling cars in the country are from Perodua. We have the Bezza in the no.1 position with a total sales of 100,488 units, followed by the Axia and Myvi with 84,291 units and 72,724 units, respectively.
• In the fourth position, there is Proton Saga with 70,903 units, and then the fifth and sixth positions are again held by Perodua cars - Alza (45,534 units) and Ativa (38,609 units).
• As the country’s third best-selling brand, Toyota has the Vios and Hilux in the best-selling cars list.
• Honda won the hearts of Malaysians with the City sedan and City Hatchback.

Electric vehicle sales in Malaysia 2025

Malaysia's EV market has been growing at a fast rate, driven by successful new launches, increasing consumer confidence, and government incentives (announced in 2022). A total of 30,848 electric cars were sold in the country in 2025, representing a 109% year-on-year growth compared to 14,766 units registered in 2024.

Let’s have a look at the top-selling EV brands and EVs driving the growth of Malaysia’s electric vehicle market -

Best-selling EV brands in Malaysia 2025

The data above reveals the following insights - 

• The world’s best-selling EV brand, BYD, dominates the electric car market in Malaysia as well, with a total annual sales of 14,407 units in 2025. The EV giant expanded its local lineup last year, with the launch of two new models - Seal 6 and Atto 2.  
• Proton follows BYD with 8,890 units, and the credit goes to the great reception of the brand’s first-ever EV, the e.MAS 7. The automaker introduced the e.MAS 5 this year as Malaysia’s first affordable EV.
• In the third spot, we have Tesla with 7,282 units, leveraging its Model Y and Model 3 to capture a substantial market share.
• Two new names appearing on the list are Zeekr and Xpeng, both of which have been winning over consumers with their striking models. 
• Among premium brands, BMW is a strong contender, followed by Denza. BYD’s premium sub-brand Denza entered the local EV scene in early 2025 with the launch of the Denza D9 luxury MPV. 
• Chery’s sub-brand iCAUR is also gaining traction in the local EV space. The automaker introduced two models in 2025 - iCAUR 03 and iCAUR V23. 

Best-selling EVs in Malaysia 2025

The data above reveals the following insights - 

• Launched in December 2024, the Proton e.MAS 7 is Malaysia’s No 1 EV with total sales of 8,677 units last year. 
• Five out of the ten best-selling EVs in Malaysia are from BYD, including Sealion 7, Atto 3, Atto 2, M6 and Seal 6. 
• Both Tesla EVs, the Model Y and Model 3, also remained in demand, taking up the third and fifth positions, respectively.
• Other notable performers include the Zeekr 7X and Denza D9.

Summing up

To sum up, Perodua remains the undisputed king of the Malaysian automotive industry in 2025, with Proton, Toyota, and Honda maintaining their strong positions. Meanwhile, Chinese brands like Omoda | Jaecoo and Chery are steadily gaining momentum with their stylish, feature-rich and price-competitive models. On the EV front, Proton, BYD and Tesla continue to lead the charge.  

Also read: 10 Most searched cars on Zigwheels Malaysia in 2025