Disclosure: GAC Motor Philippines lent us the 2023 GAC Empow GE for one week with a full gas tank and access to its loaded RFID cards. It's a bold statement to say that something from China can give the Honda Civic, an established nameplate, a run for its money. This might be the case for the 2023 GAC Empow GE, as it ticks all the right boxes for those looking for a sporty sedan. Hear me out, though, because I know there is still a lot of controversy over Chinese vehicles, especially with the re

Missed our best stories from last week? Don’t worry – Sundays are for the AutoFun Philippines Rearview Roundup! We picked the five stories from February 13 to 17, 2023 that you all liked the most. Return of the Tamaraw Like many of you, we were surprised to hear about the return of the Toyota Tamaraw following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s trip to Japan earlier this month. Toyota Motor Philippines said it will invest ₱4.4 billion for the new Tamaraw’s production. And it may be based on a conc

We all know that manual transmissions have fallen more and more out of fashion over the last decade. But it seems even entry-level economy cars are also ditching their three pedals to optimize fuel economy. Our Malaysian sister publication WapCar reported that the all-new 2023 Perodua Axia, which debuted on February 14, 2023, will not come with a manual transmission. The Axia is the Malaysian sibling of the recently launched, next-generation Toyota Agya, which is also known as the Toyota Wigo in

The BMW 3 Series has long been the benchmark for compact luxury sedans, combining superb driving dynamics with German refinement and quality. But in the Philippines, one rival beat out the 3 Series in the sales stakes. And it comes from Japan. Lexus Philippines said in a February 2023 press statement that the Lexus IS was the country’s best-selling model in its class in 2022, according to data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI). “Since the debut of its f

With the gas prices relentlessly going up week by week, fuel economy is one of the top priorities of those considering buying a car. It makes total sense to look for this number one trait, as the Philippines mostly import gas, and the fuel prices in the country depend on external factors in the global market, and we still have that Oil Deregulation Law which actually gives oil companies in the country free reign to regulate themselves when pricing their petrol and diesel products. Anyway, nothin

You might think at first that the Mini might be literally ‘mini’ in terms of capabilities and road power. But this iconic car is not just popular for its classic look, but it shows beasty performance on track and around the city. The Mini may have aged in stories for decades, but surely its powertrain components are as fresh as its new-generation lineup. The Mini was passed on different automobile companies for several years. In 2020, the Mini has found its home for 22 years now – BMW. Although