The first was JAC: The JAC 7 Plug-in, Israel’s best-selling model, received a new version at NIS 180,000, NIS 10,000 less than the previous cheapest version.
The Elegance version lost the panoramic roof, electric seat adjustment and ventilation for the front seats, artificial leather upholstery, electric opening for the trunk door, electric mirror folding, and one airbag. The large screens, 19-inch rims, and the powertrain with a declared 342 hp and an official electric range of 90 km remained.
Next came Chery. Alongside launching a cheaper version also reduced by NIS 10,000 for the Tiggo 8 7-seater Plug-in, the importer, Parisby, launched a new base version for the Tiggo 7 5-seater Plug-in at NIS 170,000, also NIS 10,000 cheaper than the previous base version, making it cheaper than regular hybrid crossovers at the same price. This came with the removal of the panoramic roof, artificial leather upholstery, surround-view cameras, and wireless phone charging. Here too, the powertrain remained identical to the JAC 7, but with a declared output of 347 hp.
Now, a European importer joins the trend: Champion Motors. The T-Cross, Volkswagen’s small crossover, is included. The T-Cross Life costs NIS 149,000, NIS 7,000 less than the previous base version. The alloy wheels were reduced from 17 to 16 inches, the front Matrix LED headlights were replaced with standard LEDs, and the front seats were simplified.
Remaining features: 8-inch multimedia screen, a smaller digital dashboard, wireless phone charging, smart key, and electrically folding mirrors, alongside a 1,000 cc turbo petrol engine, 115 hp, with 0–100 km/h in 10 seconds and 16.6 km per liter officially.
The basic T-Cross is now cheaper than the base Toyota Yaris Cross and costs almost the same as the JAC 5.
Car importers recognize that customers are struggling with current car prices, which have surged due to tax increases, feature upgrades, and also very high profit margins for the importers themselves. Features that were once reserved for luxury vehicles have almost become standard in Chinese models, for example, making cars more expensive. The inventory accumulated by some importers, now sold at large discounts in 0 km promotions, necessitated a change in direction.