Carmakers lower prices after GST
Several carmakers, including Proton Holdings Berhad, have announced lower prices following the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST), The Star reported today.
The reduction, according to the report, ranges between 2% and 3.25% depending on the models and variants.
For Proton, its chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Harith Abdullah reportedly said that there would be a reduction of up to RM1,475 or 3.25% per unit on selected variants.
"The new on-the-road prices include all models under the Proton marque, comprising Saga, Persona, Inspira, Staria Neo, Exora, Prevé, Suprima S, and Iriz," he was quoted as saying.
As an example, he said customers could get a Saga from as low as RM33,242.40 or a Prevé 1.6L Turbo at RM61,023.46.
"All these prices have taken into account the 6% GST and are the on-the-road prices," he said in the English daily.
It was also reported that locally assembled Honda models (Jazz, City, Civic, CR-V, Accord and HR-V) will be cheaper by between RM500 and RM2,500. But the fully imported model, such as the Odyssey would go up by between RM500 and RM1,000.
Honda Malaysia managing director and chief executive officer Yoichiro Ueno in the same report said the City 1.5L V would now be priced at RM89,467 compared with the pre-GST price of RM90,813.
"The HR-V 1.8L V, meanwhile, will be at RM118,229, down from RM118,815," he said, adding that spare parts would also be lower on an average of 3.7%.
Labour costs, he added, would be more expensive.
UMW Toyota Motor president Datuk Ismet Suki said there would be a price reduction of up to RM4,000 or 2% for Toyota and Lexus models.
It was reported last year that the Malaysian Automotive Institute (MAI) had predicted car prices to drop between 1% and 3% after GST.
MAI chief executive officer Madani Sahari said, at the same time, car prices were expected to be more competitive this year, with a projected total industry volume hitting 700,000 units. – April 1, 2015.
