since 1976
since 1976
Following 12 pandemic affected months, national car maker PROTON ended 2021 on a high note. By selling 14,147 units in December, total sales for the year closed at 114,708 units (domestic + export), the highest closing figure since 2014. This represents an increase of 4.5% over 2020 and is the third consecutive year of volume growth for the company. The achievement is particularly noteworthy as overall Total Industry Volume (TIV) for Malaysia is estimated to have shrunk by 4.6% to just over 505,000 units.
PROTON’s market share in December is estimated to be 20.6% but for the whole of 2021, market share is estimated to stand at 22.7%. This marks an increase of 2.0% over 2020 as the company continues to strengthen its hold on second place while further closing the gap to the top of the sales rankings.
Proton leads the market in four model segments and export sales
After launching its first SUV in December 2018, the vehicle type has become increasingly important to PROTON’s sales numbers, particularly after the launch of the Proton X50 in October 2020. By selling 45,149 SUVs in 2021, Proton was crowned as the best-selling SUV brand in Malaysia, with the number accounting for nearly 40% of total sales volume.
Individually, the Proton X50 ended the year with 28,774 units, making it the best-selling SUV overall, and posted its best-ever month in December with 4,310 units. This is the second consecutive month the model has achieved more than 4,000 units, pointing towards an uptick in production volume and units being delivered to customers. The Proton X70 garnered 16,375 units in 2021 with a final month figure of 1,616 units. This ensured it led the C- segment SUV class and placed it third in terms of overall SUV sales.
PROTON’s best-seller last year was the Proton Saga, which closed the gap to its main rival to jointly lead the A- segment sedan market. 42,627 units were sold including some that were shipped as CKD packs and assembled in other countries. The enduring popularity of the Saga shows car buyers remain impressed by the performance, safety and value offered by a Malaysian made model that is also finding new fans in export markets.
554 units of the Proton Exora were sold in December, bringing total volume for the class-leading C-segment MPV to 4,035 units. The Proton Persona and Iriz also performed well in December with 2,187 and 884 units respectively as the chip supply issue improved slightly. This brought their total sales for the year to 16,153 and 6,708 units, ensuring they finished third in their segments.
International sales were also a major highlight for the company. With 3,018 units exported in 2021, total volume grew by over 100% leading to Proton being the number one automotive brand for exports last year. With local assembly operations ramping up in overseas markets coupled to a hopeful loosening of trade restrictions, there is optimism the upward trend will continue in coming years.
