KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 23 (Bernama) -- The UMW Group started 2022 on a strong footing as both UMW Toyota Motor (“UMWT”) and UMW’s associate company, Perodua, registered improved automotive sales in January. The Group delivered 24,972 units in January 2022, 20.4% higher than the 20,740 units sold in January 2021, as it continues to fulfil its encouraging outstanding order book.
UMWT almost doubled its sales in January 2022 with 7,528 units, 95.8% higher than the 3,845 units registered in the corresponding month of 2021. Toyota Vios, Hilux and Yaris continue to be UMWT’s best-selling models in January. Expanding its product offering into the electrified vehicle space, UMWT launched the Toyota Corolla Cross on 14 January 2022, its first locally assembled Hybrid Electric Vehicle (“HEV”) on the Toyota New Global Architecture (“TNGA”) platform. UMWT believes that this will pave the way for the introduction of more HEVs and electric vehicles in Malaysia as consumers aspire towards a cleaner drive, which is evident from the encouraging orders received for the Corolla Cross HEV since it was open for booking in October 2021. It is also inline with the Group’s goal to achieve carbon-neutrality by 2050.
Meanwhile, Perodua registered sales of 17,444 units in January 2022, 3.2% higher than the 16,895 units registered in January 2021. Perodua targets to sell 247,800 units this year, a 30% increase over the 190,291 units sold in 2021. It plans to increase production to 265,900 vehicles this year and in the process, will purchase a record RM7.5 billion worth of locally-sourced components in 2022 which will sustain and strengthen the local automotive industry.
UMW Holdings Berhad President and Group CEO, Dato’ Ahmad Fuaad Kenali said, “We are pleased with the improved sales registered by both UMWT and Perodua in January 2022. The Group expects the growth in automotive sales will continue in the coming months supported by the introduction of exciting new models as well as the sales tax exemption. Moving forward, the Malaysian Automotive Association (“MAA”) has forecast that the total industry volume (“TIV”) will grow by nearly 18% to 600,000 units in 2022, underpinned by the projected GDP growth of between 5.5% and 6.5% in 2022, continued support from the government as well as improving consumer confidence. Both UMWT and Perodua will continue to focus on introducing new and improved models and offer superior after-sales services to meet our customers’ requirements and expectations in order to achieve our targets in 2022.”
