According to Gasgoo Data, light-duty vehicle registrations in Malaysia reached 74,259 units in September 2026, up 18.6% year on year (down 3.9% month on month). Chinese brands posted a total of 6,342 registrations, with their combined market share edging up to 8.5%.
Jetour topped Chinese brands with 1,830 registrations, ranking fifth overall (up 468.3% year on year), emerging as the fastest-growing brand in the market; Proton's e.MAS 5 (2,490 units) led the BEV market. Malaysia's electrification penetration reached 14.3%, with ICE vehicles still absolutely dominant at 85.7% — Chinese brands are breaking through policy barriers with an "ICE volume growth + CKD localization" approach.
Brand Landscape
Perodua (27,838 units, up 19% year on year) and Proton (18,149 units, up 44.4% year on year) continued to dominate as Malaysia's national duo, followed by Toyota (10,606 units) in third and Honda (4,155 units) in fourth. Jetour (1,830 units) broke into fifth place overall, with OMODA & JAECOO (1,535 units, up 16.9% year on year) in sixth and Tesla (703 units) in ninth.
At the model level, the Proton Saga (8,671 units) led all models, followed by Perodua Bezza (7,779 units) and Axia (7,678 units); Proton's e.MAS 5 (2,490 units) ranked eighth, underscoring its electrification potential, while the Toyota Hilux (2,125 units) was the only non-domestic model in the top ten.
Electrification
Electrification penetration reached 14.3% (BEV 8.1%, hybrid 6.2%), with ICE vehicles still absolutely dominant at 85.7%; BEV share has now overtaken hybrid share. Proton's e.MAS 5, a rebadged Geely Xingyuan, has become Malaysia's national BEV commuter. Policy leans toward protecting local players, and the entry threshold for imported BEVs remains high.
Chinese Automaker Dynamics
Jetour: 1,830 registrations, No. 1 among Chinese brands and fifth overall, as ICE SUV volume surged 468.3% year on year, making it the fastest-growing brand in the market.
OMODA & JAECOO: 1,535 registrations, second among Chinese brands and the year-to-date leader in total Chinese-brand registrations; relatively insulated from BEV policy, up 16.9% year on year.
BYD: Dolphin and Atto 3 variants no longer meet the new threshold for imported BEVs, dragging brand registrations down 40.2% year on year.
Zeekr: Pursuing a premium BEV line and unaffected by the BEV import threshold, Zeekr has officially announced CKD plans for the 7X.
Geely: Exports technology through its joint venture, with the Proton e.MAS 5 and e.MAS 7 together accounting for roughly half of the local BEV market.
Leapmotor: Is shifting its main volume models B10 and C10 to CKD; the base remains low but growth is fast, with 167 registrations this month.
Strategic Outlook
Malaysia's national brands remain absolutely dominant, and the 85.7% ICE base is solid, with electrification still in its infancy. Chinese brands' share stands at 8.5%, and Jetour's 468% surge confirms that "ICE SUVs + high cost-performance" is a viable entry path into the Malaysian market. Under pressure from the BEV import threshold, Chinese brands are shifting toward CKD (local assembly); the "ICE volume + CKD breakthrough + JV enablement" formula is emerging as the best path against the national duo and Japanese incumbents, and the 8.5% share must be converted into a long-term foundation through localized manufacturing.
