Hyundai Motor Malaysia has officially arrived to replace their previous distributor-led business.
Hyundai Motor Company has officially established Hyundai Motor Malaysia (HMY), marking a major strategic shift from its previous distributor-led model. The new principal-led entity reflects Hyundai’s renewed long-term commitment to the Malaysian market, enabling the brand to directly oversee all aspects of marketing, sales, and customer experience with a locally empowered team.
This move aims to improve responsiveness to local market conditions while fostering innovation, job creation, and a stronger dealer network. HMY will launch three new SUV and MPV models, with local production at Inokom’s facility in Kedah scheduled to begin in Q3 2025. Hyundai plans to assemble up to seven models in Malaysia within five years, targeting both local demand and exports to neighbouring ASEAN markets.
Initially, production will focus on internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), aligning with Malaysia’s sustainability goals and consumer trends. As Hyundai expands its footprint, approximately 30% of locally assembled vehicles are expected to be exported regionally.
Hyundai’s new Malaysian headquarters is based at Menara Affin in TRX, Kuala Lumpur, with plans to grow its workforce to 100 employees by the end of 2025. This positions Hyundai closer to key stakeholders and reaffirms its intention to make Malaysia a strategic hub for the Asia Pacific region.
The new entity is also prioritising aftersales excellence, with investments in service quality and a goal to expand its network to 25 outlets by 2030. To ensure service continuity, existing distributor Sime Motors will remain a key partner within the dealership ecosystem.
With Malaysia accounting for 35% of ASEAN’s passenger vehicle demand and a GDP growth rate of 4.3%, Hyundai sees strong potential in the local automotive sector. The brand, which has sold over 147,000 vehicles in Malaysia since the early 2000s, is now positioning itself for a more customer-centric and future-ready role.
