Chery Group tops car sales in Israel, Hyundai-Kia follows closely

Just before the war, new car deliveries in 2026 reached 69,984 vehicles, a 6.5% decrease compared to the first two months of 2025, according to data from the Licensing Authority. This represents an acceleration in the sales rate, after January saw an 11% decline.

While the Association of Car Importers reported that Chinese brand JAECOO is the best-selling brand since the beginning of the year, official data from the Licensing Authority shows Toyota continuing to lead, with 8,369 units compared to JAECOO’s 7,957. The reason for the gap: Official state data includes, in addition to cars sold by the official importer Union Motors, also those arriving via parallel imports, such as more than 100 C-HR units produced in Turkey that have not been officially imported for nearly two years due to the Erdoğan embargo.

Third place goes to Hyundai (7,521), followed by Chery (6,517) and Kia (6,354). The next five: Skoda (5,486), BYD (3,582), then MG (1,899), Mitsubishi (1,337), and Citroën (1,270). Very close to entering the top ten is BMW (1,131). Among the top ten brands, there are four Chinese brands, two Korean, two Japanese, and two European.

One shift has already occurred: The Chery Group (currently including JAECOO and Omoda) put 15,056 cars on the road since the beginning of the year, becoming the best-selling car group in Israel, surpassing Hyundai-Kia-Genesis (13,875) and Toyota-Lexus (8,950).

The Chinese brands’ market share is already very close to 40% of the local market.

Data: Licensing Authority

Among individual models, JAECOO 7 holds first place (3,681), ahead of Hyundai Kona, which narrowed the gap (3,571), Kia Picanto (2,885), Toyota Corolla Cross (2,760), and JAECOO 5, rising into the top five (2,293). JAECOO 8 is in sixth and close (1,979), despite a base price of NIS 230,000, making it significantly more expensive. DEEPAL S05 (985 units) ranks 21st and is also the best-selling electric model.

Among the ten best-selling models, four are plug-in hybrids (sometimes with negligible gasoline model sales). Hybrid vehicles have strengthened since the beginning of the year to 31.3% of the market, plug-ins to 22.1%, and electric vehicles saw a slight increase to 9.9% compared to January, following the arrival of a wave of affordable models priced around NIS 150,000–160,000. The figure does not include an additional ~20,000 electric cars offered in 0 km sales by importers and leasing companies that were licensed last year. Overall, 63% of new cars are electrified in some form.

Data: Licensing Authority