SUVs and Electrified Vehicles Surge to Dominate Israeli Auto Market Searches
Data from Yad2 for early 2026 shows SUVs surpassed 51% of car searches in Israel, while electrified vehicles reached a third of demand, led by strong interest in Chinese electric models.
Demand for SUVs and electrified vehicles has surged in Israel, according to data released by Yad2 for the beginning of 2026 compared to 2025. For the first time, more than half of all searches on the platform are directed at SUVs, while electrified powertrains account for a third of all inquiries.
Shift Toward SUVs and Electrified Powertrains
Interest in crossovers jumped from 44.87% to 51.81% of total site searches within a single year. Traditional family cars paid the price, with demand dropping from 22.84% to 18.43%. Small cars, including mini and supermini models, also lost popularity, falling from 12.84% to 10.83%. Meanwhile, demand for electrified engines—comprising pure electric vehicles, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids—leaped from 25% to 34%. Pure electric vehicles nearly doubled their share of demand from 6% to 11%, while gasoline's share correspondingly declined from 62% to 54%.
«Israelis are not giving up on large, comfortable vehicles, but they are becoming much more aware of the propulsion type and its operating costs,» said Yad2 CEO Shani Rabad.
Value Retention and Regional Differences
Among all tested models, only the Suzuki Jimny recorded a median asking price that rose for three consecutive years. The Toyota Land Cruiser, Honda Civic, Skoda Karoq, and Chevrolet Spark also stood out for their strong value retention. Demand for pickup trucks and heavy SUVs in Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley stands at 11% of searches, compared to just 1.64% in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. The most requested model in Israel remains the Toyota Corolla, followed by the Toyota RAV4 and the Mitsubishi Outlander.
The fastest growth was recorded by two Chinese electric models: the Geely Geometry C, which saw a 127.7% surge in demand, and the BYD Atto 3, up 107.8%. Both models achieved this growth alongside a reduction in inventory, meaning the spike cannot be explained simply by an increase in supply.
