While the world awaits the 2020 Ford Bronco, to tide you over, here’s the closest thing we have at the moment: the Troller T4.

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), the official distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the country, experienced a new high in 2018 as October sales reached 3,578 units. A strong start to the fourth quarter of the year, October saw the brand grow 9.6 percent compared to October 2017.

UPDATE: Renault keeps Ghosn as its Chairman (11/21).

The House of Carlos Ghosn is quickly unraveling as both Renault and Mitsubishi are set to oust him as their Chairman.

Our friends at Auto Info Thailand says that the all-new 2019 Honda Accord is making its ASEAN debut at the upcoming Thailand Motor Expo 2018.

After months of teasing (and then silence), The Covenant Car Company Inc., has announced that the Corvette will be making its public debut this weekend. The exclusive distributor of Chevrolet vehicles in the country says it will form the centerpiece of their annual Chevrolet Motorama event.

If there’s one carmaker that does design well, it’s Mazda. Since the introduction of their KODO design in 2012, they have steadily proven to be a contender when it comes to delivering class and elegance, as well as consistent driving performance. These elements are present across the product categories, not just in the coveted MX-5. In fact, their Jinba-Ittai or horse-and-rider-as-one philosophy manifests itself strongly even in their executive car offering, the Mazda6 Sports Wagon (read the in-depth review, here).

Subaru has finally showed off the brand’s first plug-in hybrid vehicle: the 2019 Subaru XV Hybrid. Arriving first for the US market by the end of the year, the Subaru XV Hybrid marries real all-wheel drive capability with a fuel-efficient hybrid package.

It’s hard to get excited about driving the Toyota Vios; it is, the quintessential commuter car after all. However, there’s also no doubting its contribution to Toyota Motor Philippines’s bottom line. And among all the Vios variants, it’s the 1.3-liter that’s most important. Therefore, it’s time to cast all prejudice aside and find out if the 2018 Vios is all it’s cracked up to be.

Jaguar is celebrating 70 years of its sportscar heritage by developing a couple of F-Type Convertible rally cars. However, don’t be going to your nearest Jaguar showroom just yet.

PT Gajah Tunggal Tbk, one of the largest integrated tire manufacturers in Southeast Asia, launches its all-new Zeneos Victuro Racing Tire.

He may have been the man who helped save Nissan, but now Carlos Ghosn has been arrested in Tokyo over alleged misconduct involving “significant acts of misconduct.”

Ducati Philippines has announced that Ducati MotoGP rider and World Superbike Champion Carlos Checa will be in the Philippines for the Panigale V4 Experience which will be held at the Clark International Speedway this November 21 to 23, 2018.

The all-new 2018 Suzuki Swift scored a solid 4 out of 5 stars in its ASEAN NCAP safety test. This test is significant for the locally available Swift since the variant tested by ASEAN NCAP, the GL, mirrors exactly the Philippine spec model.

Consistent with its performance during the first two quarters of the year, Suzuki Philippines (SPH) finishes the third quarter with yet another strong showing, enabling the company to post 6 percent sales growth for the first nine months of the year compared with the same period in 2017.

The 2018 CR-V has won two major safety-related awards at the ASEAN NCAP Grand Prix Award 2018 cementing the first-ever 7-seater diesel SUV from Honda’s reputation for safety.

Isuzu Philippines Corporation and Shell Philippines signed a partnership that gives free fuel to all Isuzu buyers.

Chevrolet is spreading the Camaro influence to other products in its portfolio. Showed off in China, the Bowtie Brand presented its latest “Find New Roads” or FNR Concept, the FNR-CarryAll.

Guangzhou Automobile Motor Corporation or GAC Motor is finally in the Philippines after it appointed Legado Motors, Inc. (LMI) as its exclusive distributor.

About a year after its global unveil in the US, the all-new Camry is slated to arrive in the Philippines this December. This has been confirmed with the first official teaser released by Toyota Motor Philippines just today (see below).

Petron Corporation proved its commitment to Philippine motorsports anew as it sends off the country’s representatives to the Rainforest Challenge (RFC). Considered to be the most extreme off-road competition and the ultimate challenge for 4x4 enthusiasts, the Philippine team will compete against 30 other teams from Asia, Europe, and the Americas. The finals will be held from November 23 to December 5, 2018 in Kelantan, Malaysia.

Toyota unveils the all-new 2020 Corolla sedan simultaneously at the Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition in China and in the United States. The new model delivers enhanced performance achieved by the GA-C platform, and an active, energetic appearance.

Hyundai Motor Group and Grab Holdings Inc. (Grab), Southeast Asia’s leading O2O (online to offline) mobile platform, announced an agreement under which Hyundai Motor Company (“Hyundai”) and Kia Motors Corporation (“Kia”) will invest an additional US$250 million (P 13.15 trillion) into Grab and establish a partnership to pilot EV programs across Southeast Asia.

Honda is reviving the Passport nameplate for its all-new mid-sized 5-seater SUV that’s made to slot between the CR-V and Pilot. Set to make its global debut at the 2018 LA Auto Show, Honda showed off a teaser photo showing the new Passport’s on- and off-road abilities.

Harley-Davidson Motor Company announces its 2019 model year lineup to serve the growing demand among Philippines motorcycle enthusiasts. Effective today, Sportster motorcycle models are priced from P 650,000, while the recently-refreshed Softail models start at P 1,100,000.

Isuzu Philippines Corporation signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Mina de Oro Motors Inc. to establish a new dealership in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro.

According to data released by one of the world’s leading classifieds platform, OLX, if resale value is an important consideration in purchasing a car, go for a pickup truck.

After a backlash regarding the LTO’s crackdown on modified vehicles, the Department of Transportation is now recommending an accreditation process for “modification service centers/providers.”

“Did you see the new Mazda3?” asked Yasushi Nakamuta, General Manager of Mazda Design Division, the moment we sat down. Referring to a string of spy shots floating around the internet, we nodded in agreement. “What do you think of it?” Sounding like a trick question, we answered once more in the affirmative and added that the spy shots probably don’t do the car proper justice. “Ah, yes,” Nakamuta-san continued. “You still haven’t seen a lot.”

Kia is giving its unique and funky Soul crossover a global debut at the upcoming LA Auto Show.

Luis Gono shone once more in local motorsports at two very different disciplines.

Foton Philippines is adding two new additions to its Gratour line with the market preview of the Gratour TM and Gratour iM6.

Michelin tires and Mitsubishi Motors Philippines have joined hands to make after sales service at Mitsubishi service centers much more convenient for customers.

Mazda’s decision to put evocative design as one of its cornerstones has paid off. Their KODO: Soul of Motion, together with Skyactiv technology and Jinba-ittai has enabled them to grow 50 percent in terms of retail sales in the ASEAN region in the past 4 fiscal years. Given their meteoric rise, everyone is excited with what comes next.

It looks like motorists will have a bit of a reprieve come January 1, 2019 as President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the suspension of the second round of excise tax on fuel.

MAN Automotive Concessionaires Corporation (MACC) has just recently become the third company in the Philippines, after CW Home Depot and Diamond Rent-A-Car, to choose the Santana sub-compact sedan for its corporate fleet.

Ford Philippines announced that October retail sales hit 1,625 units, led by the Ranger pickup and Everest mid-sized SUV.

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) is having a 4-Day Sale once more this November 15-18, 2018. Now, special deals and discounts may be had of up to P 65,000.

Two months after she was announced as a brand ambassador for Nissan, 21-year old Naomi Osaka just showed off her brand-new ride and it’s something that fits her competitive spirit.

Since 2003, MINI drivers around the world have been learning more about their cars’ famed go-kart handling at the MINI Driving Experience.  Whatever the location, whatever the track, the underlying principle is the same: by learning how to handle their car at the extreme, drivers will ultimately become better and safer drivers in everyday traffic.

Toyota Motor Philippines announces the success of its charity concert last Wednesday, November 7, 2018. Due to the overwhelming support of the public, the Toyota Classics 2018 has reached record-breaking ticket sales of over P 2 million.

The Covenant Car Company, Inc. (TCCCI), the exclusive importer and distributor of Chevrolet vehicles in the country can see the 2018 line-up up close at the Chevrolet Motorama 2018.

Volvo’s newest baby, the first-ever XC40 made a special appearance at the Lifestyle Asia Power Gala.

UPDATED: Here is it (11/16).

After showing off the Corolla in hatchback and wagon form, Toyota is set to complete its compact car trifecta with the global unveil of the all-new Corolla sedan. Set to make its debut simultaneously in at least two major markets—North America and China, the all-new Corolla is set for a 2019 release, just in time for the 2020 model year.

Modern cars have thousands of parts all working together to make sure it operates as the manufacturer intended. With that, a vehicle is just as strong as its weakest link. In the case of Subaru, a P 400.00 part is now responsible for a global recall of more than 400,000 units—including those currently running in the country.

Likely to gain notoriety in the future, Part # 13217AA521 or the Valve Spring will possibly fracture under stress. According to Subaru themselves, an abnormal noise may be observed from the engine and in some cases, it may cause the engine to stall and be unable to restart.

Now, before you try throwing your valve spring in disgust, here are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about this particular recall which should shed more light into this matter.


What is the recall about and why do they need to replace valve springs?

According to Subaru Corporation, the recall is to replace engine valve springs which could possibly fracture under stress.  When this occurs, an abnormal noise may be observed from the vehicle’s engine, the engine could stall, and be unable to restart.

Will my vehicle experience valve springs failure?

As advised by Subaru Corporation, Motor Image needs to do a recall to ascertain that all affected vehicles are checked.  Please contact your nearest servicing dealer and provide your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and they will check if your vehicle model is affected by this recall.

How do I check my vehicle’s VIN number?

You would be able to check your vehicle’s VIN number at the following locations:

• Front shock absorber top mounting inside the engine compartment 
• Below the right front floor carpet 
• B pillar (by the driver’s door)
• Front Windshield (left side of vehicle) 
• Vehicle Sales Invoice or Certificate of Registration

Currently, I own a vehicle involved in the recall campaign. Do I have to wait for a notification letter from Subaru before I can bring my vehicle in?

Yes, Motor Image’s Customer Service Department will be reaching out to owners of the vehicles affected by the recall. Should your Subaru Vehicle be a pre-owned one, we also recommend contacting any of the Motor Image Pilipinas hotline numbers at (02) 882 9788 local 102; (0925) 711 8475 or (0917) 851 4095.

When will MIP start recalling affected vehicles?

As of this moment, Motor Image Pilipinas is working with Subaru Corporation to coordinate the arrival of parts. Once this is clear, they will start to inform customers about when they can bring in their vehicles.

Will the process involve a full engine pull-out?

Motor Image Pilipinas cannot confirm the extent of work involved at the current moment as they are still getting information from Subaru Corporation. An update will be sent out once they receive more details.

Do I have to pay for the rectification work if my vehicle is involved in this recall campaign?

No. This service will be performed free of charge. 

How much time is required to complete the job satisfactorily?

Motor Image is unable at this point to confirm how long it will take to conduct the rectification work as we have to assess every customer’s car and will update each customer accordingly.

Editor’s Note: If the Australian market is used as a gauge, the work will entail somewhere between 10-12 hours per vehicle.

Will this process be warrantied?

Yes, a 1-year warranty or 20,000-kilometer warranty (whichever comes first) will be provided after the work has been completed.

If your vehicle has undergone modification outside of Subaru Specifications, do I still have to undergo the Recall?

Yes, for all affected recall vehicles, Motor Image will have to perform the recall work as per Subaru Corporation’s Job Description. However, they cannot be responsible for any malfunction caused by the incompatibility of the original Subaru parts with non-standard parts which may have been part of any modification work. Any malfunction or performance issues which arise after the recall campaign shall be the responsibility of the customers who have modified their vehicles.

Alternatively, owners of modified vehicles can revert their vehicles to original factory specification before sending them in for the recall work.

For the customers who will not allow us to do the recall campaign because they have replaced their valve springs with aftermarket parts, Motor Image will be requesting them to sign an indemnity form.

A lot of things have been talked about the 2019 Mitsubishi Strada. Given its newfound good looks, naturally, most of the chatter has been focused on the aesthetic. There are some who also dabbled on how the Strada features improved on- and off-road performance.

Future Jaguar Land Rover vehicles will be able to tell if you’re feeling unwell and adjust settings to combat motion sickness.

Hyundai Philippines’ After-Sales Service team was crowned champion of the first Hyundai Trucks and Bus World Skills Olympics (WSO), held last October at Hyundai’s Global Learning Center in Cheonan, South Korea. This triumph follows the Philippine team’s previous accomplishment of bagging gold at the World Skills Olympics - Asia and Pacific Leg, held at the Hyundai Logistics Center (HLC) in Calamba Laguna, last July.

Isuzu Philippines Corporation recently signed a partnership with Lalamove, Asia’s leading on-demand delivery app, to offer the best deals for Lalamove partner drivers.


With a reputable history of providing the best commercial vehicles for Filipino businesses, Isuzu is geared up to make it easy for Lalamove drivers to upgrade or acquire Isuzu vehicles. This partnership entails both discounts for all existing Lalamove partner drivers with free 3 years of LTO registration. With a cash discount of P 15,000 and P 20,000 worth of Preventive Maintenance Services coupons, drivers will have a beneficial head start for their Lalamove journey.

Leveraging the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s global manufacturing footprint, they’ve announced one of the first products in their shift towards common platforms and common production facilities: the return of the Mitsubishi Express (aka L300 / Space Gear).