Hyundai Motor Malaysia (HMY) and Edaran Otomobil Nasional Berhad (EON) signed a Letter of Intent earlier today to revive their collaboration, with two new Hyundai dealerships planned for the Klang Valley and Penang.
Both outlets are targeted to open in the first half of 2026, in what the companies describe as higher-growth areas with rising interest in hybrids.
The sites are intended to bring sales, service and aftersales support closer to major population centres, while giving Hyundai broader reach as it expands its local line-up.
The dealer push lands as Hyundai signals a clear pivot away from new battery-electric launches in Malaysia, saying it has no plans for new EVs in the near term while it builds its business around mainstream ICE and hybrid products.
In the nearer pipeline, that means volume-friendly hybrids such as the fifth-generation Santa Fe 1.6T Hybrid and the facelifted Tucson with a 1.6T Hybrid option, backed up by the updated diesel-based Staria MPV, rather than a fresh wave of Ioniq-branded EVs.
“This collaboration is not just about growth, but it’s about building trust and delivering value to Malaysians for the long term,” Hyundai Motor Malaysia managing director Jahabarnisa Haja Mohideen said, pointing to EON’s established retail network and local experience.
EON Berhad chief executive officer Akkbar Danial said the deal aligns with the group’s push to pursue new mobility opportunities.
The two companies said the tie-up combines Hyundai’s global product and technology pipeline with EON’s on-ground operational capability, and is meant to support Hyundai’s longer-term plan to widen dealership coverage and lift service standards nationwide.
The earlier Hyundai-EON collaboration dated back to 2003/2004 via EONMobil, and it likely lapsed after its initial term amid evolving distributor/network strategies.
