Strong Q3 performance caps a solid three-quarter run
Israel’s automotive market has logged three solid quarters, with 242,000 new cars on Israeli roads since the start of the year, up 7% from the same period last year. This total excludes buses, trucks, two-wheelers, and vehicles entered via personal or parallel import. It also includes tens of thousands of ‘ghost registrations’—cars registered to importers or their leasing clients after a delay—but which will eventually roll out to end customers, keeping the on-road picture intact.
Brand leadership: Toyota maintains the top spot, Chery climbs to the podium
Among brands, the market remains heavily influenced by Chinese manufacturers. Toyota continues to lead, though the rise of Hyundai to a close second has narrowed the gap. Hyundai’s acceleration has helped it catch up, while Chery has doubled its year-ago sales and ascended onto the podium. The JAC brand, also part of the Chinese group, sits in the top ten and stands sixth, underscoring the broader expansion of Chinese brands in the Israeli market. Taken together, the Chinese marques form a substantial share and remain the second-largest cluster after the Hyundai-Kia alliance.
Others in the mix and notable shifts
Beyond the top trio, BYD and MG retain strong positions in the upper tier, with Skoda, Mazda, and Seat continuing to appear in the mix. Several brands reported notable declines: Mitsubishi (~40%), Suzuki (~45%), Tesla (~31%), Volkswagen (~32%), and Renault (~36%). In contrast, Nissan surged by about 86%, XPeng jumped around 108%, and Link & Co saw a remarkable year-over-year increase (>500%).
Luxury segment: BMW leads the pack
The prestige side of the market remains led by BMW, delivering roughly 2,900 units—a 32% rise—making it the top German-brand seller in the country, narrowly ahead of Volkswagen. Lexus sits around 2,000 deliveries (up 4%), Audi about 1,900 (down 8%), Volvo 1,600 (up 14%), and Mercedes just under 1,500 (down about 53%).
Top models and drivetrain trends
The best-seller in the period is the JAC 7, with about 13,000 units sold in nine months, largely the hybrid-electric version. Hyundai’s Kona Hybrid is also among the leaders. Overall, seven of the top ten models are hybrids, signaling a clear shift toward electrified drivetrains even before a broader EV rollout.
Electrification in the mix: EVs and hybrids on the rise
Electric vehicles now account for roughly 20.5% of sales after three quarters. BYD leads in EV deliveries, followed by Chery and XPeng. Plug-in hybrids represent about 11% of the market, led by JAC and Chery, while hybrid versions—traditional hybrids—hold a 24% share, with Toyota and Hyundai dominating this segment and others far behind.
Origins of the cars: China remains dominant, with notable other contributors
The country of origin remains heavily skewed toward China, which produced more than 82,000 cars in the period—about 34% of the market. Korea follows with around 45,000 units (18%), Japan with 35,000 (14%), the Czech Republic 21,000 (9%), and Spain 13,000 (5%). France accounts for roughly 11,000 (4.7%), though nearly 9,000 of those are from Toyota’s production lines, underscoring the complex supply chains feeding the Israeli market.
Looking ahead to Q4
As the year approaches its end, the market dynamics suggest continued momentum for electrified models, especially among Chinese brands and hybrid offerings. Importers will face ongoing considerations around inventory management, registrations, and financing while navigating global supply and regulatory shifts that shape purchases in the coming months.
