Israel Full Year 2013: Kia Picanto best-seller for the first time

The Kia Picanto is the most popular car in Israel this year and for the first time.

* Click on title to see the Top 275 models & Top 34 brands! Thanks Ran @www.cartube.co.il *

* Check out 2005-2013 Israeli Historical Data here! *

New car sales in Israel are up 4% year-on-year in 2013 to 212,581 registrations. After at least 7 years of Mazda3 domination got cut short by a Ford Focus seemingly unattainable in 2012, the Israeli models ranking leadership changes hands again in 2013, crowing the Kia Picanto for the very first time thanks to sales up a huge 60% to 9,659 units and 4.9% share. It can breathe a sigh of relief though because the Toyota Corolla came on extremely strong towards the end of the year, topping the monthly charts for 5 consecutive months and peaking at a gigantic 12.2% share in December but falling just short of the pole position at 9,370 sales and 4.4%. The Ford Focus falls from double the sales of any other model in 2012 down 47% to #3 and 8,393 sales this year, with the Hyundai i30 nibbling at its feet in 4th place, up 79% and 6 spots on last year to 8,017 units.

Hyundai i30 sales are up 79% in 2013 in Israel.

Other solid gainers inside the Top 10 include the Renault Fluence up 33% to #7 and the Nissan Micra up 23% to #9, while the Suzuki SX4 jumps 45% to #13 (peaking at #2 in November), the Mazda2 is up 33% to #17, Mitsubishi Outlander up 384% to #18, Opel Astra up 60% to #19, Mazda CX-5 up 50% to #20 and the Mazda6 up 313% to #26. The Skoda Rapid at #23 with 2,575 sales and Mitsubishi Space Star at #35 and 1,951 units are the most popular all-new entrants in the Israeli ranking this year.

The MG 350 becomes the first Chinese-made model to break into the Israeli monthly Top 20.

Finally, notice the Mazda3 crumbling down 77% to #49 only two years after it last topped the annual ranking and the MG 350 up 334% to #69, even becoming the first Chinese model to break into the Israeli monthly Top 20 in December. Brand-wise, Hyundai remains the most popular carmaker by far with 32,089 sales and 15.1% share, which is almost 10,000 more than any other manufacturer. Toyota stays in 2nd place and crosses the 10% share milestone thanks to sales up 14% to 22,788 and 10.7%, while Kia is up one spot to round up the podium at 20,975 units and just under 10% share. Skoda impresses, up 17% to #4, Ford dives by 39%, Suzuki is up 3 spots to #6, Renault up a shiny 49% to #9, Mitsubishi up 148% to #14 and Opel up 29% to #16.

Previous post: Israel December 2013: Toyota Corolla above 12% share

One year ago: Israel Full Year 2012: Ford Focus runaway leader

Two years ago: Israel Full Year 2011: Toyota Corolla threatens Mazda3

Full Year 2013 Top 275 All-models and Top 34 All-brands Ranking Tables below.