While used cars in Malaysia used to hold their value quite well …….. until 2023 …… the situation has changed drastically in the last 2 to 3 years.
So, generally used cars hold their value better than in many Western markets thanks to strong brand loyalty for national and Japanese makes, however the arrival of great priced Chinese brand and made vehicles brought massive shifts.
Recent years (especially leading up to 2026) have seen unprecedented depreciation on specific models. Factors like the expiring warranties of the 2021–2022 pandemic buying boom, fuel subsidy rationalization, and the influx of affordable Chinese vehicles have created a perfect storm for steep resale drops.
The following are the 4 worst-depreciating cars (in 4 different vehicle classes) in Malaysia this decade, ranked by how quickly they lose their value.
Volkswagen Vento 1.6L. Today, a year 2021 Vento bought brand new for around RM93,888 (Highline) has plummeted to under RM24,000 today. The Vento (and Volkswagen’s older entry-level sedan line) suffers from incredibly low demand in Malaysia’s used market. Buyers wary of costly European transmission repairs or specialised maintenance prefer to stick with Japanese or national rivals, leaving used Ventos sitting on dealer lots for months. Plus the build quality of the cars were questionable as they did NOT come from European factories.
BYD Atto 3. Today, year 2023 BYD Atto 3 Extended Range, originally priced at roughly RM167,800, is frequently seen selling around RM65,000 (and as low as RM50K) in the used market which a drop of more than 65% in just a few years. Why this large drop in price. Well, EV technology is moving at a breakneck pace. Older, “first-wave” EVs with slower DC charging speeds and smaller ranges feel quickly outdated compared to newer models. Additionally, used buyers are highly anxious about battery degradation and the looming, sky-high cost of out-of-warranty battery replacements plus BYD launched a face-lifted model with better everything at a lower price of RM138,800 only.
BMW 3 Series. Once upon a time this was the sports sedan to be seen in and drive. It was also a prestigious cruiser but you cross the 5-year ownership mark and the manufacturer warranty ends, their values fall off a cliff. Why they drop so much? Well, used car buyers are terrified of facing RM10,000+ repair bills for complex suspensions, turbochargers, and auxiliary electronics. Consequently, the secondary market demand is thin, forcing sellers to slash prices.
Proton X701.5 TGDi Standard 2WD. The car that saved Proton and it was 99.8% Geely produced and imported in with Proton assisting in putting on a shiny new badge on the front, rear and steering wheel. While the smaller Proton X50 models hold their value reasonably well (~65–69%), the first generation X70 launched at RM98,800 has depreciated to less than 40% of their original price today (RM35k to RM40k only). Why did it drop this much? Well, after the facelift came out and rivals like the Jetour Dashing arrived at RM109,800 only, there was very low demand for basic, low-spec variants of this SUV. Used buyers in Malaysia looking at a used Proton X70 want the tech-heavy features (like the panoramic sunroof and advanced driver aids) of the Premium or Executive trims, leaving the “Standard” variant ignored.
