Proton's April 2024 sales surge 17.1% with robust export growth - S70 leads C-segment market for four consecutive months

KUALA LUMPUR:  Malaysia’s national carmaker, Proton has reported a robust growth in sales, marking a 17.1% increase over the same period last year with 11,025 vehicles (domestic and export) sold in April 2024 compared to 9,415 units in April 2023.

This uptick also reflects a strong start for the year, with 50,175 units sold from January to April 2024, surpassing last year’s 49,702 units. The total industry volume (TIV) for the Malaysian automotive market has also seen growth, with an estimated 59,100 units sold in the same period, totaling 261,345 units for the year.

PROTON's market share stood at 18.7% in April, maintaining its position as the second top national automotive seller with a year-to-date market share of 19.2%. Export sales have significantly contributed to this success, recording a 38.5% increase from 603 units to 835 units year-to-date in April.

In the highly competitive B-segment SUV category, the Proton X50 has reclaimed its position as Malaysia’s favourite, with 1,642 units sold in April. The Proton S70 continues to dominate the C-segment sedan market, leading for four consecutive months with 1,635 units sold in April, bringing its total for 2024 to 7,463 units.

According to Proton, the S70’s popularity is driven by its modern design, seamless connectivity, and a suite of advanced safety features, underscored by a 5-star ASEAN NCAP rating.

The Proton Saga remains PROTON’s best-selling model with 5,031 units sold in April and a year-to-date increase of 8.8%, reaching 23,278 units. Other models like the Proton X70, Proton Persona, and the company’s flagship SUV, the Proton X90, have also shown strong performances. The Proton Iriz, a B-segment hatchback, added 424 units to its April sales, totaling 1,958 units for the year.

Roslan Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of Proton Edar, commented, "“The slowdown in automotive sales in April, where TIV shrank by 16.8% compared to March 2024, can be attributed to the long holiday period as OEMs, dealerships and other members of the local automotive ecosystem took time off to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri. However, the sustained demand for Proton models is further bolstered by ongoing efforts in quality improvement with better Global Customer Product Audit (GCPA) scores since 2019, instilling greater confidence among drivers."

On the export front, the Proton Saga led with 427 units sold year-to-date, an increase of 16% over the previous year. The Proton X50 and the Proton S70 also showed promising numbers in export markets. Notably, the S70 has made significant inroads in Brunei, selling 89 units in the first four months of the year.

“Export sales remains a vital pillar to PROTON’s long-term goals and with the Proton S70 ramping up its sales in the domestic as well as export market, we are confident of achieving sustainable exports sales growth this year and raise the contribution of export sales to our annual sales volume. This year, we have added Trinidad and Tobago to our export portfolio and reestablished our foothold in Bangladesh. PROTON is confident of the market rebounding in the short to medium term as there is still a lot of demand from car buyers and therefore, it is crucial for us to continue to do our best, ensuring excellence in every endeavour undertaken,” added Roslan
Abdullah, highlighting the company’s commitment to excellence and global expansion.

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