Toyota Overall No.1 Brand In Non-National Category In 2022 Sales

Piston.my

Toyota Overall No.1 Brand In Non-National Category In 2022 Sales In Malaysia

For all the difficulties in getting parts, especially microprocessors, that the auto industry faced in 2022, it was certainly a great year with the Total Industry Volume (TIV) expected to be over 700,000 units when the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) announces the full year sales results soon.

While the two Malaysian carmakers continued to dominate the market, the bestselling non-Malaysian brand was Toyota, with 100,042 vehicles delivered during the year. While some may be confused as we reported on Honda being the No.1 brand, the difference is that Honda was No.1 in passenger vehicle sales alone – excluding pick-up trucks and commercial vehicles which it does not sell.

27% of volume from pick-up trucks
The Toyota brand in Malaysia includes commercial vehicles and pick-up trucks, the latter accounting for 27,198 units or 27.1% of the total Toyota volume. UMW Toyota Motor also imports and distributes Lexus, Toyota’s luxury brand, which added another 993 units to the company’s total volume.

Compared to the total volume of 72,394 units (Toyota + Lexus) in 2021, the increase was 40%. However, it should be remembered that 2021 also had long periods of forced shutdown during which time there was no production and sales were also limited. And while the market steadily recovered during 2022, there were still production disruptions as plants could not complete vehicle assembly due to shortage of some parts.

“We are delighted to have been able to put smiles and deliver happiness to so many of our customers across the nation, and thank each and every one of them for their support,” said UMW Toyota Motor President, Ravindran K.

“I also wish to express our appreciation to all our staff, dealers and business partners who overcame a challenging year. Together, we will continue to keep our customers happy and ensure that quality and service will always remain at the highest levels,” he added.

Segment leadership
2022 saw UMW Toyota Motor post strong sales in the C-Segment SUV category with 17,208 units of the Corolla Cross sold for the year. This included the Corolla Cross Hybrid which is the first model with Toyota’s Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) technology to be assembled in Malaysia.

2021 Toyota Hilux — *Hilux continued to dominate the pick-up truck segment and contributed to 27% of the total sales volume of Toyota.*

As in previous years, the Hilux dominated the pick-up segment by far with 27,198 units sold, while sales of the Hiace (390 units) and Fortuner (3,432 units) were also of significance in their respective segments.

Aftersales is also an important part of the auto business as profits from just the vehicles alone is limited. For this reason, there is great focus on aftersales services and UMW Toyota Motor has its ‘Extra Mile‘ initiatives to ensure the best sales and aftersales services to customers. The company reported that, during 2022, its authorised service outlets handled 1.25 million vehicles nationwide.

The multipath approach
While supporting electrification as a means towards carbon neutrality, vital to address climate change, Toyota also takes a multipath approach where it offers other mobility solutions to customers. This takes into account different conditions in different countries and regions and for Malaysia, HEV technology is considered the practical approach towards electrification for the time being.

*Toyota believes that Hybrid Electric Vehicle technology is more practical for the Malaysian market for now and is assembling HEV models locally.*

“We will continue to evaluate different options and introduce them as appropriate. For now, we believe HEVs are the most suitable for Malaysians and will add a second HEV model in 2023,” said Ravindran K. He added that with HEVs, the reductions in carbon dioxide emissions can start right away.

*Toyota already has battery electric vehicles like the bZ4X for sale in selected markets and when conditions are right, they will also be offered in Malaysia.*

Nevertheless, UMW Toyota Motor also takes a longer-term view and has also been evaluating battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). Toyota and Lexus BEV models are already available and are being considered for introduction in Malaysia soon as the journey to zero emissions continues.

“Rest assured that with our multipath approach, no customer will be left behind as we will always ensure that there is a suitable and accessible mobility solution for everyone,” Mr. Ravindran promised.

Motorsports to continue
While moving into the era of electrification, UMW Toyota Motor will continue to maintain driving fun, with motorsport being by GAZOO Racing Malaysia. The long-running Vios Challenge one-make series and additional events have given owners a chance to enjoy racing. At the same time, motorsports also enable Toyota to make ever-better cars and deliver fun-to-drive experiences.

*Vios Challenge one-make series has run for 5 seasons.*

The GAZOO Racing (GR) brand launched in 2019 offers sporty and high-performance products. The range started with the GR Supra and has since extended to other models, with the Vios GR-S being an exclusive model for the Malaysian market. GR models, along with parts and merchandise, are sold through exclusive GR Garages at selected dealerships.

New Agency Retail Model
UMW Toyota Motor will implement a new agency retail model in 2023 and this has a customer-centric goal to deliver maximum satisfaction. To start with, Toyota and Lexus customers will enjoy a hassle and worry-free vehicle purchasing experience with a new sales process through premier agents that will conduct business with fair and transparent pricing.

“We understand the many frustrations and pain-points of purchasing a new vehicle and have re-designed a sales process that is driven to be more customer centric. Our customers will no longer have to haggle or shop around for the ‘best price’. The vehicle purchase process will become easy and more welcoming,” said Mr. Ravindran, adding that there will also be a shorter vehicle waiting period.

To facilitate optimal customer interactions online, the Toyota Malaysia website has been upgraded with new user-friendly features and a modern interface, enhanced by data-driven personalisation. From the time a customer makes an enquiry online or at the showroom of an authorized dealership, every process in the interaction is focused on meeting the customer’s needs precisely.

With its new tagline, ‘Move Your World’, UMW Toyota Motor will continue to drive a customer-centric car ownership experience and aims to deliver maximum satisfaction in 2023. “Our customers drive how we develop new ways of doing business. We recognise that our customers are continuously evolving and because of this, our business will evolve as well to deliver happiness and mobility for all,” said Mr. Ravindran.

Click here for other news and articles about Toyota.