Malaysia

Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) announced that new car sales of 52,414 units in February decreased by 19.6% over the same month in 2025. PV (passenger vehicles) sales decreased 20.7% to 48,748 units. CV (commercial vehicles) sales decreased 1.9% to 3,666 units.

New car sales for the first two months of 2026 increased 0.8% from the same period in 2025 to 116,712 units.

The number of Malaysian car production for February decreased 19.2% over the previous year to 49,741 units. New car production for the first two months of 2026 decreased 6.6% from the same period in 2025 to 110,607 units.

Passenger car sales fell by 20% due to the reduced number of business days caused by the Lunar New Year holiday. For the month of March 2026, MAA expects sales to pick up in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri and the promotions being offered by car companies.

(Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA)'s press release and multiples sources on March 18)

On March 18, 2026, the Omoda C9 PHEV was launched in Malaysia, priced at MYR 208,800 (OTR, excluding insurance). The model arrived as a limited 50 fully imported (CBU) units, followed by locally assembled (CKD) production units in Shah Alam.

The C9 PHEV uses a Super Hybrid System with a 3-speed dedicated hybrid transmission (DHT), allowing the engine to assist at lower speeds. It combines a 1.5L turbo engine with dual front motors and a rear motor, delivering AWD and a total output of 537 PS and 650 Nm. It accelerates from 0–100 km/h in 4.9 seconds, with a top speed of 180 km/h.

A 34.46 kWh LFP battery provides up to 145 km WLTP EV range, while a 70-liter fuel tank extends total range to 1,100 km. Charging supports up to 70 kW DC (30–80% in 25 minutes), 6.6 kW AC (30–100% in around 5.5 hours), and 2.7 kW AC (10–100% in around 12 hours).

The vehicle offers 6 drive modes (Eco, Normal, Sand, Off-Road, Snow, Sport), three regenerative braking levels, and selectable EV/HEV operation.

(From Omoda | Jaecoo Malaysia social media updates and an article of Paul Tan on March 18, 2026)

On March 11, 2026, Proton introduced the updated 2026 Proton X90 in Malaysia, featuring a revised powertrain and simplified lineup.
The SUV adopts a 1.5-liter i-GT turbocharged four-cylinder engine, replacing the previous 1.5-liter three-cylinder with a 48V mild-hybrid system.

Output is reduced to 181 PS and 290 Nm, paired with a 7-speed DCT and delivering fuel consumption of around 6.9 L/100 km. The model retains a rear multi-link suspension, selectable drive modes, and an electronic parking brake with auto hold.

The lineup is reduced from four to three variants (Lite, Prime, Prime X), with seven-seat (2-3-2) and six-seat (2-2-2) configurations.

Exterior updates are minimal, including roof rails (75 kg capacity) and a shift to 18-inch wheels across the range. Prices are reduced by up to MYR 30,000, alongside the removal of selected features, including ADAS, to improve affordability. Pricing starts from MYR 99,800 (including a MYR 7,000 rebate).

Since its 2023 launch, the X90 has recorded over 10,000 deliveries in Malaysia.

(From Proton press release and an article of Paul Tan on March 11, 2026)