National brands Perodua and Proton have seen their combined market share rise in the last few years, propped up by continued strong sales by market leader Perodua and the revival of Proton, which reached its nadir of 11% in 2018. With six out of every 10 cars sold last year being a Perodua or Proton, the slice of the pie for non-national marques is shrinking. From a where foreign brands overtook P1-P2 for the first time ever, the trend held firm till 2018 (51%).
However, the rise of Proton in 2019-2020 ate into the non-national share, and 2020’s 38% is the lowest level for NNs since 2003 (34%). Buoyed by an on-form Honda (2014 sales were up 50% year-on-year), foreign brands were looking up. P2 chiefs attributed the shift to market liberalisation and Then, the national brands’ steady decline was entirely down to the poor performance of Proton, which saw sales and share slide from 2011 until the (P2’s share hovered consistently above the 30% mark for a decade beginning 2006, so it was pulling its weight