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August 18, 2019

The Isuzu D-Max Beats Land Rover, BMW for Class Win at the Africa Eco Race

Isuzu proved the durability and pace of its D-Max pickup truck by surviving the 6,022-kilometer Africa Eco Race, finishing ahead of Land Rover, BMW, and Gaz. It finished first in its class (T1.2) and 18th overall among a field of 45 vehicles.

The 2020 Toyota Hiace Super Grandia Elite is the First Philippine Model to Have Toyota Safety Sense

Update: The 2020 Toyota Hiace Super Grandia has now been launched. Details here (8/19).

Toyota Motor Philippines is now confirming that the first model to receive the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) system is the 2020 Hiace Super Grandia Elite. Launching on Monday, the flagship Hiace variant will have four main ingredients to its TSS system that will heighten its owners’ peace of mind.

This System Can Double Your Available Parking Space in Just 5 Days

With the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) moving to clear Metro Manila streets of obstructions to relieve traffic, looking for parking (pay or free) may prove to be more difficult in the future. For condo owners, property developers, and even private individuals who want to add more parking spaces, the easiest way is to creatively use the “air space.”

GM Powertrain Thailand, General Motors’ (GM) first diesel engine plant in Southeast Asia, recently achieved its 500,000th production milestone since production officially started in 2011. It is the first GM facility in the world to produce the four-cylinder Duramax turbo-diesel engine.

Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) turned over 16 units of its modernized public utility vehicles (PUVs) to Sampol-Bulac-Santa Maria-Meycauayan -Transport Service Cooperative (SBSMM-TSC) at the Activity Center of the City Hall Annex in Barangay Sapang Palay Proper in San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan province last July.

The compact car segment, especially in the United States is a crowded one. That’s why it comes as a surprise that Kia managed a major upset as the Forte was named as the most appealing car in its class, beating the likes of the Honda Civic.

Nissan’s move to hybridize high-performance powertrains take a step closer with the completion of track-focused development in Austria. No less than Renault F1 driver Nico Hülkenberg put two Infiniti Project Black S prototypes through their paces at the Salzburgring in Austria.

It’s been a while since you last saw our long-termer Mazda CX-5, so we’ll forgive you if you think we’ve forgotten; don’t worry, we haven’t. Our first update comes four months after we introduced this Sonic Silver Diesel Sport AWD as the newest member of our garage, and we’re happy to report that everything’s a-okay.

Maxus Philippines to Offer PWD-Friendly Version of the G10 MPV

Maxus Philippines is making mobility inclusive for everyone, especially for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) that they’re introducing a new variant of their G10 MPV for that very purpose.

Citing customers getting irritated and frustrated by the performance of its Power Shift dual clutch transmission, Ford is trying to earn back the trust of its customers by initiating a set of “customer satisfaction actions” on models equipped with the DPS6 transmission built since the second half of 2015.

Leading on-demand delivery app Lalamove has sealed a partnership with UnionBank’s thrift arm CitySavings, to provide motorcycle financing for units purchased at its accredited dealer-partners nationwide. Through the partnership, Lalamove partner drivers can enjoy flexible payment options plus rebates when buying Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha motorcycle models.

The wait won’t be long: Lexus is finally set to introduce the three-row RX L to the Philippine market. Using its website (and social media), the Japanese luxury car brand has already started its tease of the refreshed 2020 RX L and its shorter, 5-seater sibling, the RX.

Buy an Isuzu mu-X, Get a KTM Motorcycle and a P 50,000 Discount

During the Manila International Auto Show (MIAS), one of the hottest offers was a free KTM motorcycle with every purchase of an Isuzu mu-X. Well, that promo’s back and now it covers both the mu-X SUV and D-Max pickup truck.

Just when you thought Suzuki Philippines was firing on all cylinders, they pulled off yet another milestone: they’re now the fourth-selling brand in the country.

In case you missed it, one of the most anticipated new cars in 2019 has just dropped in: the all-new 2020 Mazda3. After months of being MIA from distributor Bermaz Auto Philippines’s line-up, it’s back with two engine choices, two body styles, and five variants.

Curious about the 2020 Toyota GR Supra? Perhaps you’d like to see it in person, or perhaps you’d like to pose a selfie with it? For one week, Toyota Motor Philippines is helping you fulfill your #cargoals as they bring their flagship sportscar on a nationwide tour.

South Manila peeps, rejoice! If you find yourself looking for car accessories, head over to Blade Auto Center’s Festival Mall store in Alabang for their all-out CarMazing mega sale this weekend.

As Mini continues to celebrate its 60th anniversary, the brand has achieved a new feat as the ten millionth Mini produced globally since 1959 rolled off the assembly line.

One of the major beefs people have (including us) with the 2020 Toyota GR Supra is that it’s made of BMW parts. Well, apparently relying on German technology has one unexpected perk: you can have it with a manual transmission.

Honda Cars Philippines Says It Has Fixed All BR-Vs with Fuel Pump Issues

UPDATED: Honda has extended the fuel pump recall to more models (6/12/20).

Honda Cars Philippines has finally reached out regarding the issue surrounding the fuel pump installed in some BR-Vs.

After a lengthy tease, drives on the racetrack, and even a design appreciation (and photography) course, Mazda Philippines is finally making available the all-new 2020 Mazda3 compact car. Available with two engines, two body styles, and five variants, it’s aiming for a class-above look and feel with prices starting at P 1.295 million and topping out at P 1.590 million.

Audi Philippines has brought in the 2020 Q2. Dubbed “untaggable” because of its genre-blending characteristics, this urban-centric crossover brings additional features while still keeping its virtue of chic style and high levels of functionality.

Some say, Volkswagen isn’t trying hard enough with its Matryoshka doll styling. From Santana to Lamando, they’re basically the same shape, enlarged or reduced depending on the requirement of the segment it finds itself in. That said, there’s also something oddly pleasing at seeing what’s essentially the same looking car in small, medium, and large sizes.

Hyundai Philippines is the Official Eco-Tourism Mobility Partner of Mutya Pilipinas 2019

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc., is the official eco-tourism mobility provider of the Mutya Pilipinas 2019. A fleet of 14-seater Hyundai H350 luxury vans will transport the 40 Mutyas (“muse” or “darling” in Filipino) and organizers during the entire course of pageant activities. The Mutya Pilipinas Grand Coronation Night is scheduled on August 18 at SM MOA Arena and will be broadcast via ABS-CBN.

Subaru is doubling-down on the image of its owners being the outdoorsy type by offering a third interior trim option for its 2020 Outback that’s made of water-repellent material.

Last July, Chevrolet came up with a special edition Colorado dubbed the 4th of July Edition. It was, in a word, lame and we called it, “everything that’s wrong with Chevrolet.” It certainly left a bad taste in our mouth that’s now being rinsed off by the Colorado Trail Boss.

Honda brings its unique breed of naked sport bikes, dubbed the Neo Sport Café Bike concept to more locations nationwide.

Isuzu Breaks Ground at New Subic Dealership

Isuzu Philippines Corporation has started work on a new dealership located at Subic Gateway, Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Operated by Velocity Motor Sales Corporation, Isuzu Subic will service customers in the freeport area and the surrounding areas.

Carmakers typically hype on the big stuff when it comes to their product offerings—a new or revised engine, a classier interior, and/or refreshed looks. It comes as no surprise then that the small stuff often gets buried in all the hoopla; until it’s been unearthed.

A quick look at Toyota Motor Philippines’ media release about latest leg of their Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) Campus Tour may sound innocuous. But hidden in a single line reveals one very important detail: Toyota Safety Sense is finally coming to local models.

Whoa, talk about being a straight talker! Hyundai Philippines is using one of the unique traits of the Santa Fe mid-sized SUV to diss the competition, particularly the Nissan Terra. (You can check the screen cap for yourself immediately below, or view the web ad in full below).

J&T Express Adds 60 More Foton Commercial Vehicles to Its Fleet

Last March, Foton Philippines turned over 130 units of various trucks to global brand J&T Express, making it one of Foton’s biggest clients. Now, the Indonesian-based express delivery provider is adding 60 more units, this time composed of the Foton Tornado 2.4C, F-Van, EST-M Hurricane 4x2 F-Van, Tornado M4.2C, and TransVan Cargo.

More than 65,000 units sold and three generations later, Ford Philippines launches the new and refreshed version if its best-selling Everest. Available in two variants, it’s now available at all authorized Ford dealerships with a starting price of P 1.995 million.

There’s no end to Ford’s legal troubles. After covering up and potentially heading to court over how it dealt with the problematic Power Shift dual clutch transmission, the American carmaker is now setting aside a hefty sum to compensate owners equipped with an early version of MyFord Touch. USD 17 million (~ P 885 million) is being set aside as part of a class action lawsuit settlement who complained about the software’s shortcomings.

Nissan Philippines, Inc. (NPI) together with Prospercars Inc. started construction on Valenzuela City’s very first Nissan Dealership in Malinta, Valenzuela City on July 29, 2019.

In Philippines culture, it’s common for people celebrating their birthday to offer a treat or libre to their friends or family. Well, in celebration of their 31st anniversary this month, Toyota Motor Philippines is doing the same with deals on the Vios, Hilux, and Fortuner until the end of August.

MG's First Pickup Truck is More Powerful Than the Ranger Raptor

By and large, it’s easy to tell which vehicle segments MG and Maxus would compete in—if it’s a passenger vehicle or light SUV, it’s an MG; if it’s a commercial vehicle or light truck, it’s Maxus. With both brands belonging to China’s SAIC Group, that’s all well and good; that is, until you get stuff like the MG Extender.

The Transparency Market Research, a global market research firm, forecasted the Philippines’ freight and logistics market to reach up to P 3.26 trillion by 2023. True enough; the Filipino population is seeing this strong demand for storage facilities and warehouses especially for food, beverage, apparel, and other parcels. There was also a significant increase in the popularity of express delivery at premium price. This movement in the country’s economy resulted from greater spending power brought by the robust economy.

Geely is making a comeback, and this time they’ll have backing from an unlikely source: Sojitz Corporation. Sojitz is a “sogo shosha” or a general trading company, and this means they’re involved in the buying, selling, importing, and exporting of various goods including automobiles. Now, a Japanese trading company importing Chinese cars is an odd combination in itself, but it must not be forgotten, Sojitz used to own 49 percent of Mitsubishi Motors Philippines before divesting their stake in June of last year.

UPDATE 2: Honda Cars Philippines has now officialized a recall (6/12/20).

UPDATE 1: Honda Cars Philippines says they have fixed all affected units already (8/13/2019).

“The issue is the lack of communication about the problem. If this is a known problem, they [customers] shouldn’t have to wait for months for the part. How impossible is that? Why is that wala pa ring statement ang Honda Cars Philippines. Imagine being a customer, and not wanting to use your car in case you can’t start it again, and then having to see all Honda’s attention and money being spent on the launch of the new BR-V,” quips from the lengthy rant of an influencer who doesn’t seem to properly grasp the whole situation here.

Toyota Motor Philippines Adds New One Billion-Peso Metal Press Line

Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP) inaugurated today its new P1-billion high-technology press line, which includes a 1,600-ton servo-type press machine with automated sheet feeder and unloader robot. This marks the start of local production for side member panels, TMP’s single largest localization project under the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) Program.

It looks like the era of simply plugging a car into a computer for a tune is really upon us. Case in point is Litchfield and their work on the 2020 GR Supra.

Auto Nation Group (ANG), the importer and distributor of Mercedes-Benz in the Philippines launches the new mid-sized 7-seater GLE. The spiritual successor of the M-Class, the 2019 GLE exudes presence and power, while also heightening comfort and spaciousness inside.

Attention Cebuanos and Davaoeños! Subaru is showing some love as they bring Guinness World record holder and legendary precision driver Russ Swift during two action-packed weekends this August.

The Peugeot 3008 may not be the first SUV you had in mind for an off-road adventure in muddy trails or deep forests; after all, it’s solely available in front-wheel drive. But, that didn’t stop the folks over at Peugeot who transformed one example into a unique go-anywhere model.

The 2020 Honda BR-V Remains a Segment Standout

Once in a while, Honda needs to remind people on just how good their vehicles are. Three years have gone by since the Philippine market launch of the 7-seater BR-V, and it remains forever young—withstanding the test of time despite a much more crowded segment now.

Bold and modern — these are two words that best describe the 2019 Toyota Camry. As the brand’s iconic executive sedan, the Camry has withstood the test of time in terms of delivering both luxury and performance throughout the generations. But just how much has it evolved? For this review, we had the privilege of bonding with the current 2019 model and also taking a trip down memory lane to revisit its predecessor—15 years prior, to be exact, to the year when the big-body design was the talk of the town.

Sick of chrome on your pick-up truck? Nissan’s got you covered with the limited-edition Navara Black Edition.

Hyundai is launching its first car fitted with a solar roof charging system: the Sonata Hybrid. Its application on this executive sedan will be the first of many Hyundai and Kia vehicles to offer this technology.

Do you think Honda Cars Philippines should bring in the Civic hatchback? Apparently, the thought has crossed the company’s President and General Manager Noriyuki Takakura’s mind several times. Though nothing is set in stone yet, it’s not the first time he’s breached the possibility of bringing over the Civic Type R’s “warmer” sibling.

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