Motor car registrations increased to 5,007 units in December from 3,691 in November. Brand-new registrations rose to 1,150 units, led by China’s BYD with 408 units, including Dolphin and Atto 1 models. BAW followed with 283 units, while Japan’s Toyota ranked third with 191 units. Malaysia’s Perodua and China’s Wuling also featured prominently. Small vehicles below 1,000cc or under 100kW accounted for nearly 94% of new registrations.
Pre-owned motor car registrations rose to 3,857 units, dominated by Suzuki and Toyota models, with 95% of vehicles imported from Japan.
Premium passenger vehicle registrations increased to 187 units from 145 in November. Germany’s Mercedes-Benz led both new and pre-owned premium segments, alongside Audi, BMW and Lexus. Individual high-end imports included a Porsche Macan, Jaguar F-Pace, Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Ghost.
Hybrid vehicle registrations surged to 3,142 units in December, largely driven by SUV demand, with Honda and Toyota leading volumes. EV registrations reached 3,220 units, supported by strong demand for BYD models and electric two-wheelers. Three-wheeler EV registrations were led by India’s Mahindra Treo model.
Market analysts say the December spike capped a year of sustained recovery, reflecting both pent-up demand and growing consumer appetite for SUVs and electrified mobility.
