A recent survey reveals significant divergence in attitudes towards Chinese cars across Southeast Asia. Malaysia emerges as the most supportive country of Chinese brands, while the Philippines ranks among the least favorable regions.
Malaysia stands out with the highest level of support, with 75.1% of Malaysians choosing China when faced with a choice between the US and China. Moreover, Malaysia shows the largest year-on-year increase in support for China, rising by 20.3%. This suggests substantial growth potential for Chinese brands in the Malaysian market.
Over the past two years, ten Chinese brands have entered Malaysia, including BYD, MG, Chery, Geely, Ora, Neta, Smart, Jiangling, GAC, as well as Foton (Auman), CAM, King Long, Dongfeng, Sinotruk, and Changan in the commercial vehicle segment.
Conversely, the Philippines exhibits the lowest support for Chinese cars, with only 16.7% expressing support. Despite having the highest number of Chinese car brands, their performance in this country is relatively poor. Decreased sales of models imported from the Chinese market have contributed to a sharp decline in Volkswagen's sales in the Philippines, reflecting consumer mistrust of Chinese cars.
Indonesia and Thailand fall between Malaysia and the Philippines in terms of support. Indonesia stands at 73.2%, while Thailand is at 52.2%. Despite relatively high levels of support, both countries face market challenges. For instance, in Indonesia, there's a high demand for MPV cars, posing competitive pressure on Chinese brands in this segment.
In summary, while Chinese cars have made progress in Southeast Asia, their success in different country markets requires continued efforts in product adaptation and quality improvement.