PROTON Closed 2024 Strong: Achieved Export Growth And Segment Leadership
PROTON announced a successful closing of its 2024 year. With a vehicle sales total of 152,352 units (domestic and export), the company maintains its 2nd-place ranking in the Malaysian automotive market. The year concluded on a high note with 14,601 units sold in December, a 19.7% increase compared to November and the 2nd highest monthly sales of the year, driven by strong export figures of 1,131 units.
This achievement comes amidst a year of intense competition, including the entry of new OEMs and models, alongside Proton’s foray into the EV segment with the launch of the Proton e.MAS 7. PROTON also imports and distributes smart Automobile models through its PRO-NET subsidiary. In 2024, 622 units of smart #1 and #3 were sold in 2024, bringing the total number of vehicles sold to 152,974 units. 
The estimated Total Industry Volume (TIV) for 2024 is 813,521 vehicles, a 2nd consecutive record-setting year for Malaysian automotive sales. PROTON’s market share for the year is estimated at 18.7%, which means this is the 6th consecutive year that it has secured the 2nd position in the overall sales standings.
Saga Leads The Charge; X50, X90 & S70 Dominate Segments
The iconic Proton Saga remained the brand’s top-selling model in 2024, with 72,769 units sold, representing a 3.7% increase compared to 2023. The Saga, which achieved over 2 million sales in June 2024 (a first for a Malaysian vehicle), continues its strong performance as it approaches its 40th anniversary. 
PROTON’s C-segment sedan, the S70, also enjoyed a successful first full year of sales, delivering 19,182 units and becoming the most popular in its category. December sales increased 27.2% month-on-month to 1,670 units. Customer surveys cited attractive aesthetics, performance, and overall value as reasons for the car’s popularity.
In the meantime, the updated 2024 Proton X50, launched in June 2024, continued its dominance in the B-segment SUV market, recording sales of 23,647 units for the year. December sales increased 36.8% month-on-month to 2,614 units. The 2025 Proton X70, launched in August, was also a popular choice, selling 8,992 units in 2024 and with December sales jumping 36.7% to 1,456 units mainly due to year-end promotions.
The Proton X90 completed its first full year as the sales leader in the D-segment SUV category with 3,553 units sold. The Proton Persona and Iriz also experienced a sales upswing in December, with the Persona selling 1,528 units and the Iriz moving 351 units, bringing their totals to 18,853 and 5,113 respectively.
“2024 was a remarkable year for PROTON, as we put forth a tremendous effort to navigate intense market competition while achieving significant milestones. With TIV having broken through the 800,000-units barrier for the first time, we are proud to have maintained our position as the second most popular automotive brand in Malaysia, securing a market share of 18.7% while also fulfilling our commitment to introduce our first EV model in 2024,” said Roslan Abdullah, CEO of Proton Edar.
“Looking ahead to 2025, we will build on the continued popularity of the Proton Saga while the impressive sales of our SUV models like the Proton X50 and Proton X70 highlights their appeal to customers looking for intelligent premium models from a brand with proven long-term support for their customers. These are all positives to carry into the new year and we look forward to growing the company in line with our core brand values of innovation, reliability and international,” he added.
Proton Remains Top OEM For Export Sales
PROTON’s export performance was a key highlight in 2024, with sales growing 31% compared to 2023, with vehicles sold in 18 countries. Export volume in December reached 1,113 units due to a surge in orders from Egypt, leading to a total of 4,765 units exported in 2024. Egypt became the top export destination with 1,748 units, followed by Brunei, which saw a record 1,200 units. 
The Saga was the top-selling export model with 2,906 units, contributing 61% to overall export volume. The X50 and S70 also saw strong demand overseas.
“PROTON made significant headway into our export business in 2024 despite challenges faced in some markets. We remain the volume leader for automotive exports from Malaysia and with the commencement of CKD operations in Egypt as well as exporting new models to other markets, we are confident of accelerating export sales growth in the coming years,” said Roslan Abdullah.
