Currently, the best-selling Chinese brand car in the Malaysian market is Chery, with annual sales reaching 4,493 units in 2023 and further increasing to 6,898 units in the first half of 2024. Among these, the OMODA 5 became the only Chinese model to enter the TOP 30 best-selling models. BYD specializes in new energy vehicles, with sales of 3,728 units in 2023 and electric vehicle sales reaching 4,368 units in the first half of 2024. Its models such as the Seal and Atto 3 have performed prominently in the electric vehicle segment. Although the overall market share of Chinese brands remains below 2%, they are gradually gaining favor among young consumers, particularly the Chinese community, which shows higher purchase intention, thanks to their advantages in intelligent features and new energy technologies. It is worth noting that the Malaysian automotive market is still dominated by local brands Proton and Perodua, along with Japanese cars, with fuel-powered vehicles accounting for as much as 88% of the market. However, the penetration rate of electric vehicles has risen rapidly from 0.36% in 2022 to 2.6% in the first half of 2024, providing Chinese brands with opportunities for differentiated competition.
