UMW Toyota Motor Records Strong First Quarter 2021 Sales

UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT), the sole importer, distributor and assembler of Toyota vehicles in Malaysia, recorded strong sales growth in the first quarter of 2021. In the first three months of the year, UMWT sold over 17,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles. This is a year-on-year increase of 62% and approximately a market share of 12.1%.

“Malaysia, has seen strong Toyota sales this year due to improving conditions of the pandemic. With our wider line-up of models and exciting offerings, we are confident that our sales volume will grow steadily this year and certainly exceed the volume recorded in 2020. As always, we thank our loyal customers and also welcome those who are owning a Toyota for the first time,” said Akio Takeyama, Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor.

The best-selling Toyota models were the Toyota Vios and Toyota Hilux which continues to be the market leader, accounting for approximately 56% of the pick-up truck market in the first quarter. The Vios and Vios GR-Sport also achieved positive response with approximately 5,600 numbers sold since their launch. In addition, the Toyota Yaris has consistently been No. 1 in the Non-National hatchback segment with an estimated market share of 73% in 1Q21.

Commenting on the achievement, President, Ravindran K., said: “During the first quarter of 2020, the market was already declining due to the pandemic. This year, it’s a different story; with the situation easing as well as the support by the government through the PENJANA program that exempts sales tax partially or fully until June 30 this year, new vehicle sales have been consistently high. In fact, for Toyota, our momentum started in December when we launched the Toyota GR Yaris and Vios GR-Sport which excited the market and set a positive note to enter 2021,” he added.

Furthermore, the Vios Challenge One-Make Race Series that is now entering its fourth season has left a strong impression on the public with regards to the dynamic side of the brand. Sales of the GR Yaris exceeded expectations. Most of the units allocated for the Malaysian market (out of 25,000 units available worldwide) were booked within a month of launch. The strong response mirrored that in other markets as enthusiasts quickly snapped up the competition-ready hatchback which is a good sign the brand is also attractive to the performance-inclined.

The GR Yaris is one of three models in Toyota’s high-performance GR brand which are available in Malaysia. The other models are the GR Supra and Vios GR-Sport. These models are exclusively sold through dealerships with the GR Garage that is dedicated to the sporty side of the brand.

Toyota seems to be starting 2021 on a good footing this year. The updated versions of the Toyota Innova and Toyota Fortuner were introduced earlier in the year with fresh new styling and extra value-added features and should contribute to its sales volume.

Also, the response to the all-new Toyota Corolla Cross launched in March is encouraging and could give UMWT another staple in its stable. The initial batch of CBU units have been spoken for and the company expects the locally assembled units of the Corolla Cross 1.8G and 1.8V to be available by the fourth quarter of 2021.

Festive Promotions

With the Hari Raya festive season coming soon, UMWT is running the ‘Countless Rewards’ promotions for customers to drive a Toyota for Raya and also to take advantage of the sales tax exemption period before it ends. The sales tax exemption applies to both the fully imported CBU models as well as the locally assembled CKD ones.

Additionally, the EZ Beli financing scheme offers low instalments (depending on the model) while the Toyota Service Savers packages also offers savings. This provides Toyota customers with peace-of-mind vehicle ownership with lowered maintenance cost of their Toyota vehicles.