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

April 26, 2025

Subaru Philippines To Launch Hybrid Models Before End-2025

Motor Image Pilipinas, Subaru’s exclusive distributor in the Philippines, is planning to launch its first bevy of hybrid models within the year. This was revealed in parent company Tan Chong International Limited’s 2024 Annual Report.

Porsche Brings Back 1970s Nostalgia With The Limited-Edition 911 Spirit 70

Porsche brings a bit of nostalgic hippie vibes with the limited-edition Porsche 911 Spirit 70. Based on the 911 GTS Cabriolet, this marks the third Heritage Design model from the German sportscar maker and brings with it the spirit of disco, rebellion, bell bottom pants, and rock and roll.

The heyday of relatively affordable leisure and lifestyle pickup trucks may soon be over as Senate Bill 2865 or the Capital Markets Efficiency Promotion Act (CMEPA) might be signed into law as early as June according to industry sources.

Continuing to show strong performance in the automotive market, Nissan Philippines starts the year ranking third in year-to-date vehicle sales as of March 2025. The brand has maintained its position among the top three brands for four consecutive months since December 2024.

Hyundai Motor Philippines Inc. (HMPH) is giving more opportunities for customers to experience the latest Hyundai line-up, on top of free service, through the Sales in Service Test Drive Promo, happening until June 30.

Mikio Tsukui Is New Isuzu Philippines President

Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) officially introduced Mr. Mikio Tsukui as its new President during a formal turnover ceremony, marking a significant milestone in the company’s leadership transition. Mr. Tsukui succeeds Mr. Tetsuya Fujita, who has returned to Isuzu Motors Limited in Japan after a successful tenure leading IPC.

United Asia Automotive Group, Inc. (UAAGI), the Philippines’ leading multi-brand automotive distributor, is proud to announce the addition of a new and dynamic brand to its expanding roster: Radar. This strategic move further solidifies UAAGI’s commitment to providing the Filipino motoring public with cutting-edge, new energy mobility options.

The Formula 1 season is revving up and for fans in the Philippines, the excitement isn't just on screen but also in stores. This year, Lego is bringing the high-speed action of F1 back to the Philippines with a weekend of hands-on F1 fun at the Lego Certified Store (LCS) in Ayala Malls Manila Bay.

Graphic designer Warren Carlo Trinidad won VinFast Philippines’ VF3: Brave New Imagination Creators Challenge and as a result, he’s now driving home a VF3 decked out in his one-off design.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines posted record retail sales of 91,639 vehicles in the Philippines in fiscal year (FY) 2024 (April 2024 to March 2025)—an increase of 12 percent from the previous fiscal year.

RSA Motors Corporation announces “Demo Fest.” Happening simultaneously at their RSA Motors Libis and RSA Motors Greenhills showrooms today up to April 27, 2025, this four-day event presents exceptional ownership opportunities for aspiring owners of BMW.

After the EZ-6 (6e for global markets), Mazda showed off the EZ-60—its second vehicle designed in collaboration with Chinese partner, Changan Auto.

Lexus pulls the curtains off the eighth-generation ES featuring a radical new redesign and the addition of a battery electric version.

Nissan launched its first-ever plug-in hybrid and first-ever electrified pickup truck in the form of the Frontier Pro. Arriving in China first later this year, the Frontier Pro brings together Nissan’s decades-long pickup truck legacy with its latest powertrain technology.

2025 Mazda BT-50 Is Ready For Life's Adventures. Yours Starting At P 1.550M (w/ Specs)

Mazda Philippines launches the new 2025 BT-50, a pickup truck that goes beyond the specs, to deliver performance and technology that enables you to live your life’s passion, whatever it may be. Significantly enhanced both inside and out, it’s ready for adventure, big or small, routine, or extraordinary.

Tesla Continues Momentum In Philippines With Initial Delivery Of New Model Y EV SUVs

After cornering a 30 percent market share in BEV sales in the first quarter of 2025, Tesla Philippines continues its momentum with the delivery of the first batch of Model Y EV SUVs to customers in time for Earth Week.

New car sales breached the 40,000-mark for the first time in 2025 last March helping lift the Philippine auto industry’s figures to 117,074 units for the first quarter of 2025.

I’m on an electrified binge drive lately. After driving the BYD Shark 6 DMO, I spent time with a trio of Honda e:HEVs, and now, I’m with the Kia Sorento Turbo Hybrid AWD. The Sorento is more of a midsized crossover, but like a teenager being told by their parents on what course to take, Kia is placing this in the thick of the midsized SUV battle. Yes, they want to pit it against the likes of the Montero Sport and Fortuner. Oh, and yes, it also has to go against the CR-V e:HEV too.

Hyundai may be leading in the EV race as far as legacy carmakers are concerned, but it looks like they won’t stop developing their hybrid tech anytime soon. The group has unveiled their next-generation hybrid which will be used in a wide array of Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis models.

Hyundai Trucks & Buses Offering Discounts On PMS Parts, Labor Until May 15

Hariphil Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), the official distributor of Hyundai Trucks and Buses (HTB), is offering discounts on PMS parts and labor until May 15, 2025.

Among legacy carmakers, Mitsubishi is perhaps the most conservative one. Edgy marketing aside, their product line-up can be best described as “safe.” No one, not even your mother-in-law, will question you for getting an Xpander, Montero Sport, or L300. They’re quite alright, if a bit pulseless when it comes to overall design and execution. Lately, they’re trying to shake that image off and that’s why you get vehicles like the all-new Triton and the Xforce.

As carmakers start paring back on their ambitious full EV targets, one powertrain maker sees a potential in developing a modular system that can transform a battery electric vehicle platform into a hybrid with minimal modifications.

Chevrolet Philippines is offering special aftersales service discounts until May 15, 2025. With the “Prepair for the Next Adventures” promo, Chevrolet owners can have their vehicles prepped for trips—within or outside the city.

Review: 2025 Lexus LBX

You’re looking at the smallest car Lexus has ever built and with that, there’s so much riding on it; so much so that it’s been bestowed with the first three-letter Lexus model name since the glorious LFA. After all, not only is it designed as a new entry point to would-be Lexus considerers, but it’s also the brand’s attempt to win over a younger audience. No pressure.

With a name like “Seal,” you don’t know exactly what you’d expect with this executive sedan from BYD. After all, conjuring up mental images of a blubbery, somewhat cutesy marine mammal doesn’t help things, especially when this is supposed to be a sports sedan offering. Naming aside, there’s the price tag too: at P 2.548-million for the Seal Performance, it’s the most expensive non-Dynasty model BYD currently offers in the market.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is banning carmakers from using the terms, “smart driving” and “autonomous driving” when advertising advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). It will also tighten scrutiny of such technology. This is after a fatal accident involving a Xiaomi SU7 last March which has triggered widespread concerns over the safety of so-called “self-driving technology.”

Despite the rear side of its curtain airbags failing to deploy properly during its Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Program), the Jaecoo J7 SHS has achieved the highest possible 5-star safety rating.

Delta Electronics becomes the first EV charging solutions provider in the Philippines to be awarded the Philippine Standard (PS) Safety Certification Mark. The PS mark is a mandatory certification for select electrical products, ensuring they meet national safety and performance standards.

Ah Chery. We don’t exactly know what you’re trying to achieve at this point. If you’re having a hard time already counting which brands fall under the state-owned carmaker, you’ll have to remember a new one: Lepas.

Two different variants of the 2025 Porsche 911 proved themselves to be the best in the world by claiming accolades both on and off the race track.

Kia EV3 Is The Best New Car For 2025

The Kia EV3 is the 2025 World Car of the Year. It’s the second straight World Car of the Year award for Kia after the EV9 won in 2024. It also brings Kia’s total wins at the World Car Awards to six since 2020.

Okay…so far, Subaru’s 2025 New York International Auto Show announcements have been ugly and uglier. Surely, they can’t do a three out of three, right? Thankfully, the 2026 Trailseeker, the brand’s second EV offering, manages to dodge the ugly stick (slightly).

The Hyundai Inster is the 2025 World Car Electric Vehicle of the Year. This is the third World Electric Vehicle win for Hyundai. Previously, there were two consecutive back-to-back World Electric Vehicle wins for the Hyundai Ioniq 5 in 2022 and the Ioniq 6 in 2023.

Just when you thought Subaru couldn’t make its relationship Toyota more blatant, the 2026 Solterra takes on a very different design language; one that’s presumably inspired not by another Subaru SUV, but by, of all things, a Toyota Corolla Cross.

The BYD Seagull has been judged as the 2025 World Urban Car of the Year. The all-electric hatchback managed to beat out the Hyundai Inster and Mini Cooper Electric to the top prize. Read our full review.

The Subaru Outback has always been quirky. In a world of boxy, lookalike mid-sized SUVs, it always had a distinctly wagon-like silhouette; something it has carried for more than 30 years. A big reason, of course, was that it was based off the Legacy. However, with Subaru putting their mid-sized sedan to pasture, what does Subaru do with their all-new, seventh-generation Outback? Give it a boxy, lookalike silhouette like everyone else.

BYD Is Targeting To Have More Dealers Than Toyota Around The Philippines By End 2025

BYD is targeting to overtake Toyota in the number of operational dealerships by the end of 2025. The world’s number one New Energy Vehicle brand, distributed in the Philippines by ACMobility, plans to have 77 operational dealerships by the end of the year. Currently they have 29. In contrast, Toyota Motor Philippines has 74 around the country.

As various groups and families are expected to head out of the city this Holy Week, Honda Cars Philippines (HCPI) is once again activating its Honda Emergency Assistance Team (HEAT) program.

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) reiterated its commitment to education and skills development by donating three vehicles—one Mirage G4 GLX M/T and two L300 M/T units — to three academic institutions: Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) – Siniloan campus, Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) – Balanga campus, and Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST) – GMA campus.

It’s not Christmas yet, but Die Hard’s John McClane will have you screaming, “Yippee ki yay motherf*ckers” with this newest Chinese brand to enter the Philippines. Yes, folks, get ready to remember yet another brand as “Yibin Kaiyi” (shortened as Kaiyi) is in the country under the distribution of Fortune Electricars Philippines.

MG Philippines' "Made Global. Made Great." Campaign Touts Itself As A Global Brand

MG isn’t British. It isn’t Chinese either. With its new “Made Global. Made Great.” brand campaign, they’re now touting themselves to be a global citizen.

SMC Infrastructure said it has rolled out preparations for the anticipated surge in vehicle traffic starting today as Filipinos leave Metro Manila and head to the provinces for the observance of Holy Week.

Chevrolet, distributed by Hariphil Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) brings its annual Road Care back to give Chevrolet owners free vehicle safety check-ups and roadside assistance this Holy Week.

Ford Philippines is offering complimentary 3-year scheduled service plan (SSP) on its best-selling vehicles this month, offering customers a worry-free ownership experience.

As ACMobility leads the charge to electrified mobility, the Ayala company announces plans to add an additional 30 charging stations before April ends. This would bring the total number of sites to 100. For 2025, they will be online in no less than 700 locations.

Heading out on a long drive this Holy Week? Take advantage of Toyota Motor Philippines’ free vehicle safety inspection until Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

Hyundai Motor Philippines Inc. (HMPH) rolls out its third year of the Holy Week Roadside Assistance Program (HWRAP), providing immediate assistance to customers on the road during the Lenten Season.

BMW Philippines Introduces 2025 X3 30e xDrive M Sport For P 4.790M

A new chapter begins for the BMW X3. The brand’s best-selling model globally, the all-new “G45” lands in the Philippines with standard plug-in hybrid power.

Have EV, will travel. SM Supermalls is touting its expanded EV charging network that now covers not just Metro Manila, but key areas in Luzon, Visayas, and even Mindanao.

Here's How Much It Costs To Service A BYD Sealion 6 DM-i (And Other BYD EVs)

There’s no doubt: BYD Cars is making waves here in the Philippines. With their high specs, competitive pricing, and the promise of low cost of ownership, they’ve helped in succeeding with their mission to “democratize” electrified vehicle ownership.

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