Proton wrapped up 2025 with a solid performance, outperforming a softening automotive market and closing the year with 157,976 units sold. December alone contributed 14,655 units, helping the company post an overall growth of 3.3 per cent compared with 2024. This performance is estimated to give Proton a market share of 19.4 per cent, up
Sales momentum throughout the year was supported by strong results across Proton’s model range, steady progress in exports and a series of strategic initiatives that reshaped the company’s manufacturing and technology footprint. The Proton Saga emerged as a standout performer, recording its highest sales since 2011 with 74,013 units year-to-date. October marked a particularly strong month with 8,373 registrations, the highest monthly figure since Proton entered its partnership with Geely, while December sales climbed 15.1 per cent year-on-year to 7,975 units.
The Proton X50 continued to dominate the B-segment SUV space, retaining its position as the segment leader for the fifth consecutive year. Total sales for 2025 reached 28,057 units, representing an 18.6 per cent increase over the previous year, supported by a strong peak of 4,287 units in August, the model’s best showing in almost three years. The Proton X70 maintained its long-running success story, surpassing 112,386 cumulative registrations since its introduction and remaining the most successful C-segment SUV in the country since 2018.
In the passenger car segments, the Proton S70 held on to the top spot in the C-segment sedan category priced below RM100,000 for 15 straight months, while the Proton X90 continued to lead the D-segment SUV class for most of the year and has remained the segment’s top seller since its launch three years ago. On the electrification front, the Proton e.MAS 7 strengthened its position as the country’s best-selling electric vehicle for 2025, leading the EV charts for five consecutive months from June to October.
To support growing demand, Proton expanded its retail footprint to 187 Proton Edar outlets nationwide, including 27 new 3S and 4S centres as well as Sales City Centres. At the same time, the Proton e.MAS network grew into the largest dedicated EV dealership chain in Malaysia, with 48 outlets across the country. Of these, 36 are full 3S centres, 12 are 1S centres and 10 are dedicated body and paint facilities. EV readiness was further strengthened with 44 e.MAS dealerships now equipped with DC fast-charging stations to support a smoother ownership experience for electric vehicle customers.
Export operations also delivered a breakthrough year. Through Proton International Corporation Sdn Bhd, exports reached 6,000 units year-to-date, the highest volume since 2012 and a 26 per cent improvement over 2024. September marked Proton’s official return to Singapore after an 11-year absence, with the launch of its first EV, the Proton e.MAS 7. By the end of the year, 224 units had been exported to the republic.
Egypt emerged as Proton’s largest overseas market with 2,280 units, while exports to Vietnam reached a historic 1,316 units for the Geely brand. December proved to be the strongest export month of the year with 986 units shipped. The Saga, X50 and e.MAS 7 led overseas demand, with the X50 recording its highest-ever annual export volume of 1,747 units, and the Saga achieving its best export performance since 2012 with 3,109 units sent abroad.
A major milestone for the company came on 4 September 2025 with the launch of Malaysia’s first dedicated electric vehicle assembly plant in Tanjong Malim by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Built on a 5.57-acre site within the Automotive High-Tech Valley, the facility began operations with a RM47 million first phase and an initial annual capacity of 20,000 units, scalable to 45,000 units. Under Proton’s CKD strategy, the Proton e.MAS 7 will be the first model assembled there, followed by the e.MAS 5, with the plant also designed to support premium brands under the Geely Group, including Zeekr.
This shift coincided with the end of an era, as Proton concluded 40 years of production in Shah Alam on 30 September 2025. About 1,400 employees successfully transitioned to the Tanjong Malim facility, which now houses the country’s first dedicated EV assembly line. The company’s growing prominence was also highlighted on the diplomatic stage during the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, where the All-New Proton Saga and Proton e.MAS 5 were showcased to Prime Minister Anwar and China’s Premier Li Qiang.
The All-New Saga was presented as the first model fully designed and validated by Malaysian engineers on the Advanced Modular Architecture platform, with Proton retaining full intellectual property rights, while the e.MAS 5 was introduced as the nation’s first affordable electric vehicle in line with national energy transition goals.
Talent development remained a key focus, with the Proton Young Talent programme continuing to build a strong pipeline of future leaders. Around 400 young Malaysians have benefited from the initiative so far, gaining exposure to global R&D programmes in China and taking on key roles within Proton. Innovation was further highlighted during the Proton Technology Showcase 2025, which previewed upcoming technologies including the Proton e.MAS 7 PHEV, a plug-in hybrid offering a total driving range of over 1,400 km, alongside demonstrations of the Global Modular Architecture and AI-enabled connectivity.
Proton’s strong year also delivered tangible benefits to the local automotive ecosystem. The company spent RM3.2 billion on components from Malaysian suppliers in 2025, supporting domestic vendors as they transition towards EV-related manufacturing. At the Global Automotive and Technology Expo 2025, Proton and MARii signed a five-year collaboration to establish the National Automotive Test Centre, with Proton designating its Shah Alam banked oval track as a shared testing facility while jointly funding the development of 200 R&D specialists in new energy vehicles.
Sustainability initiatives rounded out the year, including the launch of the Proton Xchange Programme, a RM4.8 million pilot project aimed at removing unroadworthy vehicles aged 15 years and above from Malaysian roads. The scheme offers RM2,000 in overtrade support and a first-year road tax exemption for owners upgrading to a new Proton, reinforcing the brand’s broader push towards safer and more sustainable mobility.