Small Subaru and Mazda models each dominated Israel’s car market for more than a decade, a position they never achieved in any other country. Since then, local sales charts have been taken over by global automotive giants such as Hyundai, Toyota and, more recently, China’s rising Chery Group.
The two-wheeler market, however, remained remarkably stable. For the past 30 years, Taiwan’s SYM has been the country’s best-selling brand in the segment, ever since it displaced Italy’s Piaggio and its iconic Vespa scooters.
That changed in May. During the first five months of 2026, Honda became Israel’s best-selling scooter and motorcycle brand. The company has dominated the global two-wheeler market for more than half a century and has been doing so since its founding in 1948.
According to data from the Licensing Authority website, 2,115 Honda motorcycles and scooters were delivered in Israel between January and May this year. The Japanese manufacturer therefore moved ahead of SYM with 2,087 deliveries, Yamaha with 1,643, Kymco with 745 and China’s Zontes, another rising star in the market, with 689.
Honda is also the only brand to surpass the 2,100-delivery mark, in what has been a successful year for the two-wheeler market. During the first five months of the year, 11,125 motorcycles and scooters were registered, an increase of 12% compared with the same period last year. The surge stands out against stagnation in the car market and suggests that the Ministry of Transport’s inability to reduce congestion and provide an efficient public transportation alternative is pushing more Israelis toward two-wheelers.
Honda motorcycles first arrived in Israel through official imports during the 1990s, but for years the brand remained relatively small, in stark contrast to the rest of the world, where it has already sold more than 500 million two-wheelers. Only in recent years has Honda caught up with its competitors, and it has now taken the lead for the first time.
Aviad Avrahami, editor of the motorcycle website FullGaz, says that “we are now seeing the results of a process that has been underway for a decade. On one hand, Honda Israel began investing in its two-wheeler division, opened additional showrooms and service centers, and provided the brand with the infrastructure expected of the industry’s largest manufacturer, something that had been missing here. At the same time, Honda itself, after recovering from the 2009 recession, launched a successful new range of scooters and motorcycles across all engine capacities. Sales in Israel grew by dozens of percentage points every year, and the brand expanded from around 500 units annually to more than 4,000. It is not certain that Honda will finish the year in first place - SYM will not give up without a fight - but the ambition is clear, and it has the tools to achieve this transformation.”
It should be noted that control of Metro Motor, SYM’s Israeli importer, was sold last year to Freesbe (formerly Carasso Motors), while Gadi Aviram, who founded the company and managed it until then, sold his shares.
Although Honda is now the best-selling brand, the best-selling individual two-wheeler model is Taiwan’s Kymco Movie 125, followed by the Honda ADV350.
Nir Grossman, head of Honda’s division in Israel, said: “Honda expanded its model lineup and introduced products that are more desirable than ever in terms of design and equipment, while increasing its offering of maxi-scooters, an important category in the Israeli market that accounts for 66% of total sales. We, for our part, expanded our sales and service network. Leading the market during the first five months of the year is a significant achievement for us, and we will continue investing in the introduction of innovative models, such as the WN7 electric motorcycle, which will be launched soon.”