January 2025 | CarGuide.PH | Philippine Car News, Car Reviews, Car Prices

January 31, 2025

PH Auto Parts Makers Want Local Content Requirement In New Cars

After saying that the local auto parts industry is in survival mode, the Philippine Parts Makers Association (PPMA) is urging the government to step in and implement policies to help revive it.

Sojitz Fuso Philippines Corporation (SFP) marked a 35 percent year-on-year sales growth in 2024 compared to 2023. The official distributor of Fuso trucks and buses sold a total of 1,351 units. SFP’s solid sales performance can be attributed to its commitment of delivering not just world-class trucks and buses, but also to offer the best customer service.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) held the 23rd Mitsubishi Skills Olympics (MSO) last January 11, 2025 at MMPC Training Center in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. This year, Carworld Inc. emerged as the overall grand champion, securing top awards across multiple categories and demonstrating the highest level of excellence.

Toyota is once again the best-selling car brand in the world beating the Volkswagen Group. Lifted by global demand for its hybrids, the Japanese carmaker sold 10.821 million vehicles compared to Volkswagen’s 9.03 million. However, production bottlenecks and challenging market conditions, primarily in China, meant a 3.7 percent decline compared to 2023—its first decrease in two years.

Jetour Auto PH Achieves 67 Percent Year-On-Year Growth

Jetour Auto Philippines Inc. (JAPI) continues its steady growth in its second year of operations, achieving sales of 1,702 vehicles in 2024. This number represents a 67 percent year-on-year growth for the brand in the country, or 684 units more than 2023 sales of 1,018 units.

Fans of the Nissan Patrol won’t have to wait long for the all-new seventh-generation model. Nissan Philippines has confirmed that it’s arriving in local showrooms this March.

Two BAIC Group brands, BAIC and Foton, both distributed by United Asia Automotive Group, Inc. (UAAGI) reveals its plans to expand its line-up with both traditional combustion engine and electrified offerings this 2025.

Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) maintains its position as the number one truck brand in the Philippines. It’s a position they’ve maintained for 25 consecutive years, a testament to their commitment to quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction.

The Philippine Parts Makers Association (PPMA), the sole organization representing the country’s automotive parts manufacturing industry, is raising the alarm on the sector’s continued decline. Once a robust industry with 140 company members at its peak in 1997, the association now struggles with barely 40 active members.

BMW has refreshed its all-electric iX “sport activity vehicle” for 2026 and thankfully, it’s less ugly than before. Whether it’s just because we’ve gotten used to BMW’s polarizing design of late is another matter, but what everyone can agree on is that the new iX is less harsh on the eyes.

Start 2025 Right With These Toyota PH Deals For January

Looking for a deal on a brand-new Toyota? Hurry, because these are valid only until January 31, 2025.

Forgot for a minute that Jaecoo Philippines couldn’t be bothered to send a photo with a decent resolution because the first batch of Jaecoo EJ6 all-electric SUVs have arrived in the country.

BYD Cars Philippines wants to have a presence in just about every vehicle segment. Their next target, based on their social media post, is the pickup truck segment with the Shark. Although the model is still unnamed in that post, they did leave a clue that it’s “electrified,” and only the Shark fits that description.

Nissan Philippines inaugurates its 57th dealership in the country: Nissan Urdaneta. Located in Urdaneta City in Pangasinan, it’s operated by North Quadrant Ventures and Resources, Inc. It’s Nissan Philippines’ second dealership inauguration in 2025, further underscoring the brand’s continued expansion and commitment to serving customers across the country.

Rich people had little reason to chase the “entry-level” Land Cruiser 300 VX that Toyota Motor Philippines has decided to discontinue it altogether. Now, if you really, really, really want a large SUV to go with that 8 plate (or vlog) of yours, you need to splurge extra for the now solitary Land Cruiser 300 ZX variant.

ACMobility Introduces Tiered Plans For Its EV Charging Network

ACMobility has introduced a new membership program to offer customers, regardless of EV brand, exceptional value, convenience, and hassle-free charging.

After releasing it as a limited engagement model at the Philippine International Motor Show, Ford Philippines has announced that the Ford Ranger Raptor 3.0 V6 is now a permanent addition to its line-up.

Following the lead of Chery and Changan, GAC Motor is the third Chinese brand to offer huge discounts. Only this time, you’ve got to act fast as these offers are good only until January 31.

Franz Decloedt is a man on a mission. The newest member of the United Asia Automotive Group, Inc. (UAAGI) management team, Decloedt is bent on solidifying the distributor’s business operations, particularly with regards to Chery Auto and Lynk & Co.

For those interested in rejuvenating or restoring their vehicle, Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) has announced the availability of its Body and Paint Estimation Tool.

Following launch of the first limited-edition Hot Wheels Formula 1 car in 2024 and the announcement of a multi-year partnership, Hot Wheels has rolled off eight Formula 1 teams in 1:64 scale (sorry Ferrari and Aston Martin fans).

As GR Supra production winds down, Toyota Motor Philippines has announced the updated “A91” GR Supra as stocks come in from clients who’ve placed an order (remember, dealers are not stocking on this sportscar, so there’s a lead time of up to five months).

In what could be the clearest sign that 2025 is the year we’ll see the all-new Vios (AC100) launched, Toyota Motor Philippines is squeezing all three legs of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Philippine Cup all during the first eight months of 2025.

JMC Adds Mica Green Metallic To Grand Avenue Pickup Colors

JMC Philippines is adding a new color to its Grand Avenue pickup truck: Mica Green Metallic. Available exclusively on the 4x4 AT variant, this striking shade brings a fresh, dynamic edge to the vehicle and enhances the pickup’s dynamic design, offering customers an exciting and versatile choice for their driving experience.

Another Chinese carmaker is starting 2025 with massive discounts across its entire line-up. These offers, valid starting January 27, will even come with exclusive gifts all for a limited time.

Riding on its record-breaking sales in 2024, Kia Philippines has confirmed that it will be adding the Sorento Turbo Hybrid to its line-up. The introduction of the Sorento Turbo Hybrid represents Kia Philippines’ commitment to offering vehicles which consider the Filipino car buyer’s evolving preferences.

Kia ended 2024 with record-breaking sales, including the highest monthly figures in the brand’s history since its acquisition by ACMobility, Ayala’s mobility arm.

Authorized dealerships of leading mobility company Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) have begun rolling out the first units of the next-generation Tamaraw to customers earlier this month, kick starting the “Abante, Posible” journey of Filipinos nationwide.

Reports coming out of Japan suggest that Mitsubishi Motors won’t be part of the Honda-Nissan merger. Instead, it wants to remain independent while working closely with the two merging automakers.

Hyundai Mobility Experience 2025 Kicks Off At Festival Mall Alabang This January 24-26

Hyundai Motor Philippines Inc. (HMPH) brings its nationwide Hyundai Mobility Experience (HME) tour to Festival Mall Alabang, this January 24 to 26. Exclusive deals and activities await those who drop by the Hyundai display.

Realizing their owners’ quest for improved responsiveness and performance, both Toyota and Subaru have announced software updates for the second-generation GR 86 and BRZ, in Japan at least.

The Volvo EX30 Will Be On Display At Bonifacio High Street Globe Under The Bridge This January 24-27, 2025

Volvo, now distributed by Hariphil Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) is bringing its latest model, the EX30 to Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City. The EX30, together with the EC40 will be on display at the Bonifaco High Street Globe Under the Bridge from January 24 to 27, 2025.

Hyundai Motor Philippines Inc. (HMPH) welcomes 2025 with the inauguration of Hyundai Marikina—its first partnership with KCars, Inc.

GAC Motor adds a new colorway to its GS3 Emzoom R-Style with the introduction of the GS3 Emzoom R-Style Black Edition. The first market in the world to receive this new shade, GAC Motor Philippines is celebrating its arrival with a P 90,000 discount on all Emzoom R-Style variants. This brings its SRP to just P 1,199,900 for a limited time.

The Singapore Motorshow 2025, held last January 9 to 12 at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Center, showed off over 160 vehicles—the highest in the event’s history. Significantly, 70 percent of these were electrified (hybrids or BEVs).

Kia has confirmed: its all-new Syros small SUV is heading to markets outside of India. The Korean carmaker has said that while it will roll out first in the Indian subcontinent, its availability will be expanded to other markets such as Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East.

BAIC Expands South Luzon Reach With GMA Cavite Opening

BAIC Philippines has taken another step in expanding its reach in Southern Luzon with the opening of its newest dealership: BAIC GMA Cavite. The newly opened showroom, located at Blk 23 Lot 2 Governor’s Drive, Brgy. Gabino Maderan, GMA, Cavite, is under the ownership and management of Frontier Automotive Marilao Corp. (FAMC). This marks the second of five BAIC dealerships that will open this first quarter of 2025.

With the passage of Executive Order 62 which expands the exemption of import duties to cover hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles, SMC Asia Car Distributors Corporation (BMW Philippines), is adding a third powertrain option to its local vehicle line-up beginning with the X5 xDrive50e M Sport.

Jetour Auto Philippines (JAPI) extends its partnership with Midori Clark Hotel & Casino for the third year with the announcement of an exclusive raffle event featuring the brand’s X50 crossover.

Honda customers in the Philippines is far more accepting of electrified vehicles compared to the industry average. This is just one of the conclusions gathered from data presented by Honda Cars Philippines president Ms. Rie Miyake during their annual 2024 Business Update.

ACMobility To Have 74 Fully Operational Charging Points By Q1 2025 In Makati

ACMobility, the mobility solutions arm of the Ayala Group and a leader in electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, is set to expand its charging network across Makati City—one of the leading sustainable cities in Metro Manila. By Q1 2025, Makati will host more than 74 fully operational charging points across 18 locations, including offices, malls, condominiums, and more.

The 2025 Dakar Rally brought not only victory for Toyota, but also a second place overall for Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Henk Lategan and Brett Cummings #211. The works GR Hilux Evo crew led the race overall for 9 stages, but eventually lost out to Yazeed Al Rajhi and Timo Gottschalk in their Toyota Hilux by just 3 minutes and 57 seconds after two weeks of racing across the Saudi Arabian landscape.

Despite challenges in the automotive industry in 2024, particularly in the second half, Nissan Philippines lauds its solid performance logging in over 26,000 units (26,774) sold showing its resilience and continued strong market presence. This solid achievement marks the Philippines as one of the leading contributors to Nissan sales in the ASEAN region.

Drive+ opens its newest branch located in San Juan City. The transformative vehicle care brand renowned for its premium service opens at 683 Jose Abad Santos Street, signaling their commitment to make top-quality car care more accessible across Metro Manila.

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the launch of the first official Tesla Center in the Philippines.

Honda Cars PH Electrifies HR-V For 2025; Customer Deliveries Start In March

After electrifying the CR-V and Civic, Honda Cars Philippines isn’t wasting any time to expand its hybrid offering with the preview of the 2025 HR-V. Reservations start on January 21 with a price range starting at P 1.6-million and topping out at P 1.9-million.

Geely Motor Philippines Corp. (GMP), a newly formed subsidiary of the Geely Auto International, has officially taken over all business operations related to the Geely brand within the Philippine market. This marks a significant milestone for Geely Auto, transitioning from a general distributor model to direct operations. GMP will now oversee all aspects of the Geely brand within the country including sales, marketing, customer service, and after-sales support. This action demonstrates Geely’s unwavering commitment to serving the evolving needs of Filipino consumers.

Hybrid cars promise less harmful emissions to the environment and fuel efficiency. It’s not surprising for a hybrid crossover to surpass the 20 km/L figure on a highway run. But when we test cars, it’s just a fling. We only get a snapshot of its fuel consumption, and then compute how long before it runs out. Will the theoretical result hold true in the real world?

Review: 2025 Ford Mustang 5.0 V8 Premium

The Ford Mustang needs little introduction to Filipino enthusiasts; after all, it’s been around since the fifth-gen model was made available roughly 12 years ago. Our close affinity to the Mustang has made it a household name to the point that it’s now the generic term for muscle cars—like Xerox is to photocopiers. With the advent of social media, however, its reputation has also spread in a not-so-good way. A quick Google search on “Cars and Coffee Fails” will have you seeing videos of Mustangs peeling off only to spin helplessly out of control, hitting a curb or ruining someone’s mullet in the process.

All that promises to change with the seventh-generation S650 model. Although its basic bones—the Ford D2C platform—can be traced all the way back to 2004, Mustang engineers have made several big changes all in the hopes of making it less the butt of car meet jokes and more of an object of desire among petrol heads. Have they done it? Read on.

First impressions? It’s still a muscle car. At 4,811 mm in length, it’s roughly the same size as a mid-sized sedan, and at 1,738 kilograms, it’s as heavy as one too. Design-wise, it’s a clear evolution of the Mustang bloodline, and this definitely pleases purists. Inside, however, I’m not as convinced.

Generally, I have no qualms about free standing screens that serve as instrument clusters and all, but call me old-fashioned, but they still seem out of place in a sportscar. Don’t get me wrong though. The screens are actually easy to read and they’re customizable—down to the layout and even the color scheme. The same goes with the switchgear which look more at home in an Everest or Ranger. The electronic parking brake, fashioned like a traditional hard brake is cool, but ultimately is a novelty; it’s not easy to operate in a day-to-day setting.

As standard, the Mustang comes with manually-adjustable Recaro seats. Looks great on the spec sheet, but in practice, it makes for surprisingly difficult ingress and egress. I’ve been daily driving an MX-5 for close to two years now, and not once have I pulled a back muscle. In the Mustang, it happened in the second of a four-day lend out. Talk about a different kind of “muscle car.”

Ergonomically, it’s also flawed. Though the steering wheel and seats offer plenty of adjustment, the seating position is slightly canted to the right. This means it’s hard to hold the steering wheel with equal grip on both arms; it also means it gets tiring after a relatively long drive. Oh, and true to its muscle car ethos, it seems designers made sure to give the Mustang great line of sight directly forward. Anywhere else though, you’ll be reliant on its multitude of sensors and cameras to watch out for other wayward motorists.

The new Mustang rides high on the tech part, but oddly, the execution’s mixed. Again, no qualms on the screens and all, but here, there’s just an over reliance on that. Want to adjust the climate control or the radio station? You’ve got to hit an icon on-screen for that. It doesn’t help that Apple CarPlay results in either a randomly choppy (wired) or dropped (wireless) connection. There’s a bank of physical buttons located just below the AC vents, but the functions it controls are limited. At least drive mode selection’s done via the steering wheel.

And this brings me to the driving part. Without a doubt, the main draw here remains the 5.0-liter V8, and opening the soundtrack using the Active Valve Exhaust system makes it really come to life. By default, it’s designed to wake up the neighbors, but it can be programmed to start in “Quiet” mode too. Conversely, there’s also Sport mode for maximum disturbance. If I were overly critical, I’d say it sounds best at partial throttle than at full throttle, but regardless, it’s enough to make grown men cry. This engine is crazy good—but it must be tamed the right way. The power delivery is brutish—it’s civilized below 3,000 rpm, but quick to slap you in the face as the tach goes up. Keeping your right foot pressure in check is the best way to keep things sane.

The accompanying 10-speed automatic feels better connected to this V8 engine than any other Ford application thus far. However, the shift quality’s still far from the smoothest with noticeable shift shocks occurring, especially at lower speeds. It also hasn’t positively affected the fuel economy too. Even at an 18 km/h average speed, it still does 4.67 km/L. It’s very likely, however, that if Ford allows me to drive it on a weekend as opposed to a weekday, these consumption numbers be higher.

New for this generation is MageRide. Geeking out for a bit, MagneRide is different from other adaptive suspension systems in that there are no mechanical valves or moving parts that can wear. Instead, it uses magnetized iron particles suspended in oil. Electromagnetic coils inside the dampers rearrange the iron particles effectively changing the viscosity of the fluid. If the onboard sensors sense body roll, the ECU will instantaneously magnetize the appropriate dampers stiffening the car up.

Now, if all this sounds like rocket science, the simple truth is that it works—to a degree. Mind you, there’s no way to alter the laws of physics, so on a very twisty road, it’s far from the keenest handling car. It feels heavy and lacks any sort of precision. Body control, however, is kept nicely in check. What this means is that the Mustang is much more comfortable around gentle, flowing bends; the sort of environments you do a slow-in, fast-out kind of driving. The Brembo brakes too bite mighty good too, if you don’t mind the excessive brake dust.

At this point, you’re probably pondering if the seventh-generation Mustang feels too digitalized or computerized for its own good. With its adaptive dampers and active exhaust trickery, maybe. Using electronics to trim off the Mustang’s manic behavior has tamed its inner beast in many ways. But, it’s all about making things safer and more approachable. Trim all that, however, and you’ll find the underlying formula to be mostly the same as before. It’s not going to appeal to everyone, and that’s alright. Perhaps the most important thing is that this al-new Mustang is no longer the butt of Cars and Coffee jokes.

2025 Ford Mustang 5.0 V8 Premium
click here for latest prices
Bottom Line
Pros	Engine soundtrack, eye-catching looks, great value-for-money.
Cons	Lacks handling polish, poor fuel economy, difficult ingress/egress, buggy tech.
TL;DR	Best handling, best performing Mustang ever. Just don't go expecting it to be a sportscar.
Ownership
Year Introduced	2024
Warranty	3 years / 100,000 kilometers
The Basics
Body Type	Sportscar
Seating	2+2
Engine / Drive	F/R
Under the Hood
Displacement (liters)	5.0
Aspiration	Normally Aspirated
Fuel Delivery	Direct Injection
Layout / # of Cylinders	V8
Maximum Output (PS @ rpm)	493 @ 7,250
Maximum Torque (Nm @ rpm)	567 @ 4,850
Fuel / Min. Octane	Gasoline / ~91
Transmission	10 AT
Cruise Control	Yes, Adaptive
Fuel Economy (km/L) @ Ave. Speed (km/h)	4.67 km/L @ 18 km/h
Fuel Tank Size (L)	61
Dimensions and Weights
Length (mm)	4,811
Width (mm)	1,916
Height (mm)	1,414
Wheelbase (mm)	2,719
Curb Weight (kg)	1,790
Suspension and Tires
Front Suspension	Independent, MacPherson Strut
Rear Suspension	Independent, Multi-Link
Front Brakes	Vented Disc, Brembo
Rear Brakes	Vented Disc, Brembo
Parking Brake	Electronic, w/ Auto Hold
Tires	Pirelli PZero 255/40 R 19 Y (f), 275/40 R 19 Y (r)
Recommended Tire Pressure (PSI)	32 all
Wheels	Alloy
Safety Features
Airbags	8
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)	Yes, with EBD
Traction / Stability Control	Yes
Parking Sensors	Yes, Rear
Parking Camera	Yes, Rear
Front Seatbelts	3-pt ELR w/ pre-tensioners x 2
Rear Seatbelts	3-pt ELR x 2
ISOFIX Child Seat Anchor	Yes
Advanced Driver Assist System	Pre-Collision Assist w/ Distance Indication Automatic Emergency Braking w/ Evasive Steer Assist Lane Keeping System Driver Alert and Road Edge Detection
Other Safety Features	Hill Start Assist Blind Spot Information System Rear Cross Traffic Alert w/ Braking Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Exterior Features
Headlights	LED, w/ Auto High Beam
Fog Lamps	Yes, Rear (LED)
Light Operation	Automatic
Wiper Operation	Rain-sensing
Tailgate	Manual
Interior Features
Steering Wheel Adjust	Tilt/Telescopic, Manual
Steering Wheel Material	Leather
Seating Adjustment (driver)	Manual, 6-way, Recaro
Seating Adjustment (front passenger)	Manual, 4-way, Recaro
Seating Surface	Leather
2nd Row	50/50 Split Fold
3rd Row	None
Sunroof	None
Multi-Information Display / Size	Yes, 12-inch
Convenience Features
Power Steering	Yes
Power Door Locks	Yes
Power Windows	Yes
Power Mirrors	Yes, Heated, w/ Fold
Rear View Mirror	Auto-dimming
Proximity Key	Yes
Climate Control	Dual Zone
Audio System	Stereo USB Type A USB Type C Bluetooth
Wireless Charger	Front
Infotainment Display / Size	13-inch
Smartphone Connectivity	Apple CarPlay (Wireless) Android Auto (Wireless)
# of Speakers	12, Bang & Olufsen
Steering Controls	Yes

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