In the last couple of weeks, we have travelled to France, Germany, Czech Republic and Oman. Today we fly North to land in Israel.

Now if you’re already Middle East-ed out after one week in Oman, that’s ok because I have prepared 159 additional countries for you to visit in my blog, so don’t be shy and click away!

For those of you who have been meticulously reading my articles week after week you will remember that we have already been in Israel back in August last year. Oh yes but at that time the only ‘data’ I had access to was from 2010 and it was very incomplete. Plus a lot of change has happened since, with Mazda not dominating anymore!

So jump into it after the jump…

Over the Full Year 2011, the Israeli new car market reached the record level of 225,949 registrations, up 5 percent year-on-year. Surprise surprise: Mazda is no longer the best-selling brand in the country with Hyundai taking a definitive advantage at 33,060 units and 14.6 percent share vs. 21,145 and 9.4 percent for Mazda…

But Mazda gets a consolation prize: for at least the 7th consecutive year, the Mazda3 is the best-selling model in Israel, with Australia the only other country in the world where it leads. However while in 2009 it commanded 12 percent of the market, this year it is down to 5.2 percent and 11,642 sales…

…only 221 units above the Toyota Corolla, #2 at 11,421 units and 5.1 percent share.

The Hyundai i30 rounds up the podium with 8,901 sales and 3.9 percent, the first of 6 Hyundais in the Top 25! Compact cars are definitely the favourite car size in Israel with the Chevrolet Cruze at #4 with 6,909 units and the Ford Focus at #5 with 6,286 sales.

The Hyundai i20 is the best-selling small car at #6 and 6,098 units, followed by the Mazda2 at #7 and the Suzuki Alto at #8. The Kia Rio and Renault Fluence close the Top 10.

Israel Full Year 2011 Top 30

Two US imports otherwise pretty discreet in the region rank within the Top 70: the Chevrolet Malibu at #55 and Buick LaCrosse (instead of the Opel Insignia) at #63. You can check out the Israel Full Year 2011 Top 80 here…

But wait there’s more: in January 2012, the Israeli market has gone into a spin…

And this is your mammoth-size golden nugget for the week… If you won’t shine in post dinners this week with that one, you’ll get your money back:

For the first month of the year, the Israeli car market is up 3 percent year-on-year at 20,194 registrations, and both brands and models ranking are totally upside down! Brand-wise, Kia takes the lead with 2,126 sales ahead of Ford (2,104) and 2011 leader Hyundai (2,019). Toyota and Skoda also sell more than Mazda, down 65 percent on January 2011 and the uncontested favourite brand in the country up until 2010…

In the models ranking, the Ford Focus flamboyantly takes the top spot with 1,719 sales and a mammoth 8.5 percent market share, compared to #5 and 2.8 percent in 2011.

It is followed by the Seat Ibiza at 1,034 units and 5.1 percent vs. 1.7 percent and #13 in 2011…

…and the Skoda Fabia with 711 sales and 3.5 percent (vs. 1.1 percent and #26)! The Toyota Corolla is down to #4 at 3.4 percent, ahead of the Kia Rio and Skoda Octavia.

Leader for at least the last 6 years, the Mazda3 is down to a worrying 7th place at 526 units and 2.6 percent share. Kia places 3 models in the Top 10 with the Forte at #8 and the Sportage at #9 while Hyundai lodges 5 cars in the Top 20: the i25 (aka Accent) is #14, the i10 #15, the i20 #16, the i35 (aka Elantra) #17 and the i30 #19. Notice also the Nissan Juke up to a brilliant 11th position and the Ford Edge up to #46.

Israel January 2012

You can check out the Israel January 2012 Top 55 here

And now you’re even more of an expert on Israel car sales than you were last August!

Till next week…

Data sourced from es.autoblog.com

Matt Gasnier, based in Sydney, Australia, runs a blog named Best Selling Cars, dedicated to counting cars all over the world.