When the opportunity for a long weekend presents itself, you take it as a break from your busy work week. It's a great time to go on a road trip or catch up with friends. That’s precisely what I did with my recent Hyundai Stargazer test unit on loan. It was the perfect opportunity to test if the South Korean 7-seater had what it took to be the ultimate “barkada” mobile and if it had what it took to be a proper multi-purpose vehicle. The road trip we would embark on would start in Quezon City and

Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) may be the undisputed automotive sales leader in the country, but it isn’t resting on its laurels. The company announced in a September 2023 press statement that it has officially opened Toyota Ormoc, Leyte, located in Barangay San Pablo, Simangan. It serves as the Japanese carmaker’s 73rd dealership in the Philippines. With a total lot area of 15,000 square meters, the new dealer is also the largest under the Toyota Tacloban group. Its spacious showroom can displa

Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) has finally spoken about whether or not it will bring in the Honda WR-V. The WR-V is the smallest crossover that the carmaker produces for the ASEAN region and goes right up against the Toyota Raize. For now, the WR-V isn’t a priority for the Philippine market, partly because there is no left-hand-drive version available yet. “The true reason is that we are monitoring Philippine customers’ true needs,” said HCPI assistant vice president Misa Abe at the sideline

Since its introduction in 2018, the Mitsubishi Xpander has been synonymous with entry-level utility vehicles. With the Xpander Cross providing an SUV-like version of the same platform, Mitsubishi hit two birds with one stone. Its sub-one million prices at initial launch, seven-seater configuration, Apple CarPlay-Android Auto-ready in-car infotainment, a slew of safety features typically found in higher priced four-wheelers, and a naturally aspirated 1.5-liter straight-four (with a manual transmi

The 2023 Honda Civic Type R launch came with a plethora of information from Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) Not only did the automaker release information about two more vehicles entering the market soon, a hybrid and a non-hybrid model. It also talked about its expansion plans in the country. Also read: ₱3.88 million 2023 Honda Civic Type R FL5 unveiled in the Philippines Expanding the brand During his speech during the Civic Type R launch, Honda Cars Philippines Inc. President Masahiko Naka

With the impending launch of the Hyundai Stargazer, Filipino subcompact MPV buyers will again be given another option to choose from in this hotly contested category. Along with the Suzuki Ertiga, the Toyota Veloz and Avanza, the Honda BR-V, the Mitsubishi Xpander, and the recently launched Nissan Livina, you can see how car manufacturers are going after a bigger slice of this growing pie. The trend is also evident around the ASEAN region, with PT Hyundai Motors Indonesia recently unveiling the