Quick Summary
Here’s what you’ll learn in this blog:
- Which SUV led the July 2025 launch buzz online
- TikTok + Twitter share-of-voice
- What kind of content (POV, reels, duets) drove engagement
- Influencer cost benchmarks for car launches in Malaysia
Why July 2 Was a Big Day for the Proton X50
Proton dropped a facelift preview of the 2025 X50 on July 2 — and the internet went berserk.
Within 24 hours:
- Over 480 TikTok reels were posted under
#ProtonX50 - “X50” trended on Malaysian auto Twitter/X by midnight
- TikTok save rates for POV test-drive content skyrocketed by 2.4×
But how does that compare to rivals like Honda HR-V 2025, Perodua Ativa, and the newly teased Toyota Yaris Cross?
Social Share-of-Voice (SOV): Proton X50 vs. Key Competitors
Using hashtag tracking tools (via Brand24 ), here’s the social share-of-voice breakdown on TikTok and Twitter from July 2–3, 2025:
| SUV Model | Hashtag | Posts (24h) | Total Views (TikTok) | Twitter Mentions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proton X50 (2025) | #ProtonX50 | 482 | 6.8M | 12.4K |
| Honda HR-V (2025) | #HRV2025 | 187 | 2.3M | 4.1K |
| Perodua Ativa | #Ativa | 143 | 1.1M | 2.6K |
| Toyota Yaris Cross | #YarisCrossMY | 88 | 970K | 1.9K |
Proton X50 captured over 52% of total SOV among these 4 SUVs within the first 24 hours of launch buzz.
What Content Format Performed Best?
| Format Type | Avg. Views/Reel | Save Rate | Comment Ratio (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| POV Test Drive | 75.2K | 2.4× | 7.2% |
| Feature Breakdown | 38.6K | 1.5× | 4.8% |
| TikTok Duet/React | 22.1K | 1.3× | 3.5% |
Pro tip: POV-style test drives filmed in vertical, first-person perspective (GoPro dash or phone-on-dash) generated 2.4x more saves and were 6x more likely to be reshared to Stories.
Influencer Cost Benchmark: Auto Creators in Malaysia (2025)
According to Kofluence Malaysia and Nuffnang Insights, here’s the estimated influencer cost-per-post (CPP) for Malaysian auto creators:
| Platform | Nano (1K–10K) | Micro (10K–50K) | Macro (50K–200K) | Top Tier (200K+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok | RM250–400 | RM600–1,000 | RM1,800–3,000 | RM5,000+ |
| RM300–500 | RM800–1,200 | RM2,000–3,500 | RM6,500+ | |
| Twitter/X | RM150–300 | RM500–900 | RM1,500–2,500 | RM4,000+ |
Final Insight: What Makes X50 Buzz Stick?
“The Proton X50 stood out not just because it’s local — but because the content felt owned by the community. Test drives from real people, unfiltered walk-arounds, and side-by-side parking comparisons made it feel grassroots.”
Auto marketers in Malaysia should take note:
- Launch buzz = real-time UGC + fast reposts
- Track engagement-to-comment ratio, not just views
- Prioritize saves and duets as deeper engagement metrics