Bold shift in the charts: Mazda leaps to sixth while Tesla rebounds to seventh, and Chery drops sharply to ninth.
In Cars and Local News, as reported by Jonathan James Tan on December 12, 2025 at 1:00 pm, the latest registration data from Malaysia’s road transport department (JPJ) reveals notable movements in the top car brands for November. After a period of stability near the top, Mazda climbs from ninth to sixth with registrations rising from 849 to 1,398 units, while Tesla surges from 19th to 7th with 1,301 units (up from 320 in October). This marks Mazda’s first four-figure sales month of the year in Malaysia.
Mazda’s improved standing follows a flurry of recent launches in Malaysia, including the CX-60 and CX-80 in September, plus the 3 1.5 High Plus and the BT-50 facelift in November. Tesla, the American electric-vehicle brand, has experienced a roller-coaster year, but November represents its strongest showing to date in 2025 for Mazda.
Chery, which had enjoyed a strong run earlier in the year, settles at ninth with 1,069 units in November, down from its August high of 1,735. Colleague Omoda | Jaecoo posts 1,092 units, while Mitsubishi is narrowly behind Chery by just two units. Great Wall Motor (GWM) records its best month of the year with 642 units, placing it just outside the top 10.
As December approaches, the year-end tallies loom large. Perodua is aiming for a landmark 359,000 units in 2025 and would need to sell 36,133 vehicles in December to reach that target. Proton targets 156,000 total; after accounting for around 6,000 exports, it must move roughly 12,000 additional units domestically to finish the year strong.
Brand-by-brand snapshots for the year include Toyota at 112,903 units and Honda at 64,730, with the latter’s numbers skewed by the Hilux and recon/grey-market Alphard activity. Among Chinese manufacturers, Omoda | Jaecoo leads with nearly 16,000 units, ahead of BYD’s 11,870 and Chery’s 11,458.
If Mitsubishi maintains momentum, it could finish around a solid sixth place, while Mercedes-Benz is currently outselling BMW by a margin (8,195 vs. 6,926 units).
This is the final stretch of 2025. For readers curious about the EV segment, see the December update on top 20 EV brands in Malaysia.
Would you agree that Mazda’s surge signals a broader shift toward well-designed, premium-feeling SUVs, or is it driven mainly by new models and promotions? And with Chery’s decline, should brands pivot strategies to sustain momentum, or focus on upcoming launches to regain footing? Share your thoughts in the comments.
