Dec 2025 Vehicle Sales: Petrol Up 24.5%, xEV Hits Record 12.4%

Malaysia’s car market closed Dec 2025 on a strong note with 96,970 new vehicles registered, based on data from data.gov.my.

This marks a sharp 24.5% increase from Nov’s 77,876 units, driven by year-end deliveries and final registrations ahead of the new year. With this surge, cumulative registrations for 2025 comfortably pushed past the 800,000-unit milestone (870,327-units), reinforcing the market’s resilience despite broader cost pressures.

Petrol vehicles continued to anchor overall demand, accounting for 78,616 registrations, or 81.1% of all vehicles sold in Dec. While their market share eased slightly compared to earlier months, petrol models remain the backbone of Malaysia’s automotive market, supported by strong demand in the A and B segments.

Perodua once again dominated the petrol charts. The Bezza led with 9,213 units, followed closely by the Myvi (8,238), Proton Saga (7,253), Axia (7,218) and Ativa (6,662). Together, these five models underlined the continued strength of affordable, high-volume nameplates as buyers prioritised value and practicality.

Diesel registrations rose notably to 6,339 units, making up 6.5% of Dec sales. The Toyota Hilux remained firmly in command with 4,163 units, capturing nearly two-thirds of the diesel segment. It was followed by the Isuzu D-Max (772), Mitsubishi Triton (438), Ford Ranger (229) and Toyota Fortuner (228), with the top five accounting for the vast majority of diesel demand.

Electric vehicles (EVs) also maintained strong momentum, posting 8,123 registrations, equivalent to 8.4% of the total market. This represents a clear month-on-month jump in both volume and share, reflecting aggressive year-end pushes by brands and buyers locking in purchases ahead of policy uncertainty.

Local and global brands continued to drive EV growth. The Proton e.MAS 7 topped the segment with 937 units, narrowly ahead of the Tesla Model Y (911) and Model 3 (903). The BYD Sealion (885) and Zeekr 7X (679) rounded out the top five, collectively accounting for a significant portion of total EV registrations for the month.

Hybrid vehicles also recorded a solid finish to the year, with 3,892 units registered, representing 4.0% of Dec sales. The Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid remained the standout performer at 1,166 units, well ahead of the GWM Haval H6 Hybrid (610) and Chery Tiggo (369). Honda’s HR-V (351) and CR-V (182) completed the top five, highlighting steady interest in electrified options that do not rely on charging infrastructure.

Taken together, xEVs (EVs + hybrids) accounted for 12.4% of total registrations in Dec, the highest monthly share recorded in 2025. This reflects a gradual but clear shift toward electrified vehicles, supported by a broader range of models and the final push ahead of incentive expiry.

Even so, industry players caution that EV adoption remains below earlier projections as tax exemptions come to an end. Looking ahead to 2026, momentum is expected to tilt toward hybrid, PHEV and EREV offerings, with Proton and several Chinese brands actively preparing expanded line-ups that prioritise ease of ownership and longer driving range.