Daihatsu Overseas Output Tops Japan as Perodua Drives Half

Daihatsu announced its official manufacturing results on 29 October 2026, confirming that overseas vehicle production reached 397,435 units between April and September 2026 to surpass domestic Japanese output. Worldwide production totalled 771,910 vehicles during the six-month period, reflecting a 4.5 per cent expansion driven by international operations.

In Malaysia, local partner Perodua drove this overseas expansion through Perodua Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (PMSB) and Perodua Global Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (PGMSB). The Malaysian carmaker assembled 190,868 units across both plants, accounting for approximately 48 per cent of Daihatsu's overseas manufacturing volume.

Key Facts

Daihatsu's official six-month figures from April to September 2026 show overseas manufacturing surpassing domestic Japanese output by 22,960 units. Driven by strong assembly operations at Perodua in Malaysia, overseas production reached 397,435 units while domestic output fell to 374,475 units, reflecting a fundamental geographic shift in Daihatsu's global industrial operations.

"Daihatsu produced 397,435 vehicles outside Japan between April and September 2026, with Malaysian partner Perodua manufacturing approximately 48 per cent of the total volume."

How Did Daihatsu Overseas Production Surpass Japan Domestic Output?

Daihatsu overseas production surpassed domestic Japanese output due to an 11.9 per cent expansion in international manufacturing alongside a 2.4 per cent domestic contraction from April to September 2026. Overseas plants assembled 397,435 vehicles compared to 374,475 units in Japan, marking the first time in three years that foreign production experienced cumulative growth.

According to the official report, Daihatsu Production, Sales and Export Results for September 2026, Daihatsu produced 129,108 vehicles worldwide during September 2026 alone, down 4.2 per cent year-on-year. Japanese domestic production fell 16.8 per cent in September to 64,677 units, consisting of 55,834 kei cars and 8,843 registered vehicles. Conversely, international output rose 12.8 per cent to 64,431 units, setting an all-time record for the month of September.

Daihatsu noted that Japan's domestic output contracted for the second consecutive month in September, while foreign production rose for the first time in two months. Across the cumulative six-month period from April to September 2026, Japan's domestic production decline was its first in two years, whereas overseas output grew for the first time in three years.

"Overseas vehicle assembly surpassed Japanese domestic output by 22,960 units between April and September 2026, marking the first overseas growth in three years."

What Share of Daihatsu Overseas Volume Does Perodua Represent?

Perodua represents nearly half of Daihatsu's total overseas vehicle production and over two-thirds of international sales between April and September 2026. Operating through two Malaysian assembly plants, Perodua contributed 190,868 production units, or approximately 48 per cent of overseas output, and 172,715 sales units, accounting for 69.6 per cent of Daihatsu's foreign market sales.

Perodua plays a pivotal role in Daihatsu's global structure via Perodua Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (PMSB) and Perodua Global Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (PGMSB). In September 2026 alone, Perodua's output reached 29,019 units, representing approximately 45 per cent of Daihatsu's overseas production for the month.

Daihatsu recorded 494,759 global vehicle sales from April to September 2026, up 0.5 per cent. While Japanese sales decreased 4.5 per cent to 246,739 units, overseas sales climbed 6.0 per cent to 248,020 units. In September 2026, Daihatsu's global sales increased 6.6 per cent to 89,491 units, supported by 49,341 units in Japan (up 0.5 per cent, the first gain in four months) and 40,150 units overseas (up 15.2 per cent, returning to growth after three months).

Daihatsu's report clarifies that these figures include OEM production and track unit counts rather than Perodua's revenue or profit contribution. Perodua's figures are derived from comparative calculations of official Daihatsu statistics and may differ from independent vehicle registration statistics released locally.

"Perodua accounted for 172,715 units or approximately 69.6 per cent of Daihatsu's total overseas sales recorded between April and September 2026."

How It Compares for Malaysian Users

For Malaysian consumers and automotive stakeholders, Perodua's massive contribution demonstrates Malaysia's role as Daihatsu's primary manufacturing hub outside Japan. High assembly volumes across Perodua Manufacturing Sdn Bhd and Perodua Global Manufacturing Sdn Bhd underscore sustained production momentum, ensuring local vehicle availability despite supply fluctuations and production declines observed within Japan's domestic market.

"Perodua's Malaysian facilities produced 190,868 units from April to September 2026, reinforcing local vehicle availability as Japanese domestic output contracted by 2.4 per cent."

Common Questions

Key inquiries regarding Daihatsu's six-month 2026 performance centre on Perodua's precise manufacturing output, active assembly facilities in Malaysia, and the scope of reporting metrics. Official figures confirm 190,868 units built locally across two plants, though Daihatsu's statistical releases track unit volumes and OEM production rather than Perodua's commercial revenue or operating profit.

How many vehicles did Perodua produce for Daihatsu between April and September 2026?

Perodua produced 190,868 vehicle units for Daihatsu between April and September 2026, calculated from official overseas manufacturing statistics. This total represented approximately 48 per cent of Daihatsu's total overseas output of 397,435 units, with September alone contributing 29,019 units.

Which Malaysian manufacturing facilities assemble Daihatsu vehicles?

Daihatsu vehicles and components are assembled in Malaysia across two specialised manufacturing subsidiaries: Perodua Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (PMSB) and Perodua Global Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (PGMSB). Together, these plants accounted for 45 per cent of Daihatsu's international monthly output in September 2026.

Do Daihatsu's statistics reflect Perodua's financial revenue or vehicle registrations?

No, Daihatsu's official report covers only physical vehicle unit production, sales, and exports, including OEM vehicles. The figures do not reflect financial revenue, profitability, or official vehicle registration numbers announced independently by Perodua in Malaysia, which are tracked under separate reporting mechanisms.

"Perodua's two manufacturing plants in Malaysia contributed 29,019 vehicles in September 2026, representing 45 per cent of Daihatsu's overseas production that month."

Sources and Methodology

This technical analysis evaluates manufacturing and sales statistics from the official Daihatsu Production, Sales and Export Results for September 2026 published on 29 October 2026. The dataset provides verifiable unit tracking across Japanese domestic plants and international subsidiaries, including calculated production and sales shares for Perodua's operations in Malaysia.

Original report: Careta

Source facts translated from the original Malay article "Pengeluaran kenderaan Daihatsu di luar Jepun mengatasi pengeluaran domestiknya bagi tempoh April hingga September 2026" by Qalif Latif, published by Careta on 4 November 2026. No currency conversions were required as financial values were not reported in the source data. This article is based on the source report above and was last updated on 4 November 2026.

"This report is compiled exclusively from Daihatsu's official production results and Careta's domestic industry analysis published on 4 November 2026."