Hot wheels: Potential car buyers having a closer look at the many models on offer at the StarCarSifu Auto Show 2024 at Sunway Pyramid. — ART CHEN/The Star
PETALING JAYA: With the year-end period being the best window to land the best car deals, various firms have started the “wheels rolling” with mega deals and offers, with some offering huge discounts and other incentives.
Car firms are reporting brisk sales as customers search for more bang for their buck. With the subsidy for RON95 petrol to be revoked for the rich mid next-year, this is also a major factor as customers decide which variant to go for – a combustion engine vehicle or electric vehicle (EV).
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The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) is reporting higher sales for EVs, describing it as “quite substantial”.
MAA chief operating officer Muhammad Fateh Teh Abdullah said the perception that such vehicles were only for the rich was changing among Malaysians, with more going for such vehicles.
He said the trend now was for an EV to be the second car of a household, with the main vehicle still being one with a combustion engine.
“For the main car, many still opt for petrol-based cars for long distance travel,” he told The Star.
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Proton Edar Sdn Bhd vice-president (sales and after sales) Edmund Lim said there was a big sales push in the last quarter as firms did their best to meet annual sales targets.
He said firms were looking to get rid of their current stocks as cars carried over to 2025 will be regarded “old stock” even if it was manufactured in December.
“It has become habitual for customers to wait for year-end sales periods, which explains why December is often the month with the highest sales volume,” he said.
He said Malaysia’s car buying cycle was also subjected to “highs and lows” depending on several factors, adding that customers will have a model or budget in mind as they aimed for the best price.
Lim said data showed that buyers of models like the Proton S70 tended to be younger people who appreciated the driving dynamics along with its sporty styling and comprehensive equipment list.
“There is also enough space for family usage and also enough fun to be had on weekend drives with fellow car enthusiasts,” he added.
He added that married couples with one or two children may prefer the added space and high driving position offered by sports utility vehicles (SUVs).
With regards to sales volume, the best-selling Proton model is the Saga, with over 60,000 units sold both domestically and in export markets so far this year.
“While the Saga does not currently lead its market segment, three other Proton models, the X50, X90 and S70, lead their respective categories for sales.
“The X50 for instance has already sold 125,000 units since it was launched in October 2020, making it the fastest selling SUV in Malaysia,” he added.
Mazda senior sales adviser Annison Francis said year-end buyers were mostly looking for discounts and other promotions, adding that 90% of current customers were well aware of the five-year/100,000 km free maintenance offered.
“Our top selling models currently are the CX5 and CX30, which are more of a gender and generation difference between mature and younger buyers,” he said.
Asked whether the increase in wage or higher income played a factor in the year-end purchases, Annison said it depended on the commitment of the individual.
He said even those with high salaries may have loans that were not approved because of their high commitments.
As for Honda, its spokesperson confirmed that most car buyers were attracted to year-end discounts, with the firm’s November deals offering rewards of up to RM12,000 for selected models.
“Honda models are well suited for customers ranging from young adults, families, executives and professionals. We have good market acceptance for most of our models,” he said, adding that the best selling models are the City, HR-V and CR-V.
