BANGKOK/KUALA LUMPUR : Malaysia has overtaken Thailand to become South-East Asia's second-largest auto market, after Indonesia, a major shift in a region that has become a key battleground for Asian automakers, Japan’s Nikkei Asia online newspaper reported.
According to the Malaysian Automotive Association, auto sales increased 5 per cent in the first quarter from a year earlier to 202,245 vehicles. This followed an 11 per cent increase in 2023 to a record 799,731 vehicles. Figures in the Philippines increased 13 per cent in the first quarter, the highest among the five countries, after inflation eased to around 4 per cent in late 2023 and as consumer spending remained strong.