Market Trend and Outlook

After expanding 3.1% in quarter-on-quarter annualised terms in Q2, the Israeli economy saw robust growth in Q3. However, the conflict with Hamas is weighing on momentum in Q4. The government has called up over 300,000 reservists, sparking labor shortages and depressing private spending. In addition, the closure of schools and universities is hitting the education sector, while security concerns are set to weigh heavily on tourism and investment. Moreover, movement restrictions will be reducing the supply of Palestinian laborers, weighing on construction output.

Medium-Term Market Trend

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for 10 Brands and top 10 Manufacturers Groups.

Market Trend and Outlook

In December 2022 the Israeli vehicles market grows for the second month in a row with 11,327 sales (+85.0%). 2022 totals 268,141 new registrations, a 7.3% loss compared to the previous year.

Looking at cumulative data from 2022 brand-wise, the leader remains Hyundai at 42,327 sales (-1.4%), in front of Kia at 38,224 sales (-3.8%) overtaking Toyota at 36,881 registrations (-9.7%).

Mazda ranks in 4th with 18,770 (+24.7%), followed by Skoda with 13,559 (-27.2%), Mitsubishi with 11,656 sales (-8.9%) and Suzuki with 8,683 (-17.8%).

Citroen moves up to 8th position with 8,246 sales (+16.8%), followed by Geely at 6,816 sales and Tesla with 6,047 registrations (-4.0%).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for 10 Brands and top 10 Manufacturers Groups.

Market Trend

The Israeli car market this year recovered very effectively and grew extremely quickly, especially in Q2 due to the extremely low sales reported in Q2 2020.

During the last decade, the market has steadily grown, fueled by the country’s consistent development. In 2016 auto sales hit the new all-time record, with 286,701 units sold. Then the market reached saturation and – despite the economic environment was unchanged – the demand decelerated and sales declined three years in a row, with 253,800 registrations in 2019.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic sales fell in  2020. In fact, sales have been 214,544, reporting a decline of 15.5% compared to 2019.

In 2021 the year started very positively for the Israeli market, in fact, in Q1 100,437 units have been sold, reporting a 18% increase in sales compared to Q1 2020, while in Q2 sales accelerated, reporting a 144.2% increase in sales with 83,354 units due to the incredibly low volumes in Q2 2020.

In Q3 sales slowed down, gaining only  6.3% sales with 65,099 units, and grew 18.6% in Q4 with 40,391 sales.

Indeed, Full-Year sales for 2021 have been 289,281, reporting a 34.8% increase compared to 2020.

Brand-wise, this year the leader Hyundai (+28.2%) lost 0.8% market share, while in second place we have Toyota (+42%), which gained 0.7% share, followed by Kia which gained 1.9% share, rising 55.9%.  Skoda remained in 4th place and gained only 4%, followed by Mazda which reported the best performance by gaining 58.4%.

Mitsubishi fell 1 spot and was the only brand not to grow, losing 0.5%, followed by Seat -down 1 spot- (11.7%) and Nissan gaining 52.4% sales. Closing the leaderboard we have Suzuki gaining 14.4% this year and Chevrolet entering the leaderboard by gaining 28.9%.

The most sold vehicle this year remains the Toyota Corolla (+40.8%) with 17,300 units sold, followed by the Hyundai Ioniq (+23.6%) registering 12,311 new sales this year. The Kia Picanto (+45.4%) closes the podium and reports 11,877 new units sold.

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for all Brands and top 10 Manufacturers Groups.

Market Trend

The Israeli car market has been hit in 2020 by the world-wide COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted sales significantly.

During the last decade, the market has steadily grown, fueled by the country’s consistent development. In 2016 auto sales hit the new all-time record, with 286.701 units sold. Then the market reached saturation and – despite the economic environment was unchanged – the demand decelerated and sales declined three years in a row, with 253.800 registrations in 2019.

After starting the year with a positive trend (+8.6%), the market quickly collapsed in March as the virus struck, in fact, the Israeli Government initially imposed closure for non-essential businesses from March 15, while the national state of emergency and stricter regulations were introduced from March 19. The sharpest drop in sales this year was in April when sales declined by 86.9% as the entire country was put in a complete lockdown. In the following months, recovery was quick, in fact, there was double-digit growth in June (+10.2%) and July (+17.4%). The second half of the year has been very volatile, with double-digit growth also in October (+25.5%) and November (+31.8%), and big dips in September (-35.7%) and especially in December (-60.4%).

Indeed, Full-Year sales for 2020 have been 214.544, reporting a decline of 15.5% compared to 2019.

Brand-wise, this year the leader Hyundai (-16.4%) lost 0.2% market share, while in second place we have Toyota (-19.9%), which lost 0.7% share, followed by Kia which lost 0.7% share, falling 20.3%.  Skoda remained in 4th place and lost only 0.1%, followed by Mitsubishi which lost 10.1%.

Seat jumped 3 spots and registered the best performance in the leaderboard by gaining 12.4%, followed by Mazda -up 1 spot- (-12.1%) and Suzuki losing 25.8% sales. Closing the leaderboard we have Renault -up 1 spot- losing 18% this year and Nissan -down 3 spots- registering the worst performance by losing 32.8%.

The most sold vehicle this year remains the Toyota Corolla (-15.4%) with 12.291 units sold, followed by the Hyundai Ioniq (-10.4%) registering 9.960 new sales this year. The Kia Picanto (-4.2%) closes the podium and reports 8.169 new units sold.

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for all Brands, top 10 Manufacturers Groups and top 10 models.

Economic Environment

Israeli economic growth was robust in the third quarter on strong private consumption, while fixed investment and exports contracted sharply. However, volatile vehicle purchases distorted the reading—as has been the case so far this year—while a rise in inventories also flattered the headline GDP figure, and underlying momentum was likely more modest. The economy had a largely soft start to the fourth quarter: In October, both consumer and business sentiment flagged, while merchandise exports plunged.

Meanwhile, in politics, the chance of further elections rose when Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White alliance, failed to form a government on 20 November, triggering a 21-day period to find an alternative path forward. However, political uncertainty is unlikely to have a major impact on growth for the time being.

Market Trend

During the last decade the Israeli car market has consistently grew up fueled by the continue development of the country. The all time record series ended in the 2016 with 286.701 sales. Then the market was filled and even if economic environment unchanged the demand slowered and sales declined moderately at 281.557 (2017) and 267.477 (2018).

In the 2019, according to the data released by the Israeli Department of Transportation System, the market persisted on the same line of the previous year, signing the 3rd consecutive year of loss.

Indeed, Total sales have been 253.819, down 5.1%, holding a flat trend in December at 5.035 (-1.3%).

Hyundai held the market crown, reaching a peak of 15.9% of share and widening the gap from the follower, Toyota. However, great attention is focused on Kia, which has raised its market share from near 10% in 2013 to 12.6%. Behind, after having gained more than 3 points of share in the last decade, Skoda has slightly lost terrain, holding 7.1% of the market.

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for all Brands, top 10 Manufacturers Group and top 10 Models.

Israel Vehicles Market in 2018 fell by 5% keeping the decline of past year. Registrations closed the year at 267.477, with Volkswagen confirming itself as the market leader. The Hyundai Ioniq is the best-selling model, with the first win in the world. 

Economic Environment

Israeli economic rapidly accelerated in the third quarter, led by firming domestic demand on rebounds in private and public consumption and strong export growth. Data for the fourth quarter, meanwhile, paints a mixed picture. The Central Bank’s State of the Economy Index edged up over the previous month in October due to robust export gains and resilient consumer goods imports.

In addition, the PMI increased in the same month and indicated that business conditions in the manufacturing sector improved. On the other hand, sentiment among consumers and businesses decreased in October. Moreover, imports surged as exports expanded at a softer pace on weak demand for technological goods, resulting in a wider trade deficit.

Although growth in the economy is expected to moderate next year, it should nonetheless remain robust on resilient domestic demand. Private consumption will likely benefit from a lower tax burden and still-favorable financial conditions, while fixed investment should receive a boost from new gas- and oil-related projects. However, tensions in the region continue to darken the outlook.

Market Trend

Israeli car market in the 2017 has broken the series of all time record. Indeed, during the previous five years light vehicles sales figures grew up uninterruptedly fueled by stable strong GDP growth and high level of investments, with the all time record signed in the 2016 with 286.000 units. In the 2017, according to the data released by the Israeli Department of Transportation System, the market consolidated the results, with the second best sales level, at 281.557 units (-1.8%).

In the 2018 the market kept the negative tone of previous year. The year ended with registrations at 267.477, leading to a fall in sales by 5%. This is the second decline in a row, considering the negative performance of the past year.

Competitive Arena

At brand-wise, Hyundai is the market leader again with 38.423 sales (+4.5%).

In second place Kia with 35.524 units (-0.4%) followed by Toyota with 27.192 (-12.6%), Skoda with 19.928 (-8.3%), Nissan with 15.626 (+9%), Suzuki with 13.304 (-19.9%), Mazda with 13.253 (+1.7%), Mitsubishi with 12.952 sales (+19.2%),  Renault with 11.397 (-12.4%) and in 10th place Seat with 9.046 (+6.8%).

At model-wise, the 2018 market leader is the Hyundai Ioniq with 10181 (+41.4%), ahead of the Kia Sportage 10.048 (-13.6%) and the Kia Picanto 9.011 (-23.4%).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for all Brands and top 10 Manufacturers Group.

Israel Vehicles Market in 2017 at the second best sales level ever, not hitting the previous year record just for few thousand units. While leadership was solid in the hands of Hyundai and Kia, the fastest growing brand had been Suzuki, Nissan and Dacia.

Preliminary showed full-year Israel economic growth slowing in 2017 from a year earlier, despite posting a sharp annualized acceleration in Q3—the most recent period for which quarterly data is available. Domestic demand experienced a broad-based slowdown in 2017, despite record-low interest rates throughout the year and strong leading data as it drew to a close: Unemployment was low through November, while survey data for consumer and business confidence hovered near record highs in November and December. Growth in exports of goods and services was broadly stable in 2017, showing resilience despite the appreciation of the shekel.

Israeli car market in the 2017 has broken the series of all time record. Indeed, during the previous five years light vehicles sales figures grew up uninterruptedly fueled by stable strong GDP growth and high level of investments, with the all time record signed last year at 286.000 units. In the 2017, according to the data released by the Israeli Department of Transportation System,the market consolidated the results, with the second best sales level, at 281.557 units (-1.8%).

2018 Outlook is still positive and the market is foreseen around the 300.000 units.

At brand-wise, the top four positions unchanged with Hyundai market leader with 13.1% of share, 36.775 sales (-5.9%) followed by Kia  with 35.663 units (-6.3%), Toyota with 31.103 (+3.5%) and Skoda with 21.743 (+11.4%).

Up in fourth place Suzuki with 16.619 sales (+23.9%) followed by Nissan with 14.342 (+23.0%), Mazda with 13.033 (-8.9%), Renault with 13.006 (+20.6%), Mitsubishi with 10.863 (-39.6%) and in 10th place Seat with 8.471 (+1.3%).

Tables with sales figures

In the tables below we report sales for all Brands, top 10 Manufacturers Group.