DISCLOSURE: Chery Auto Philippines kindly lent me a 2023 Chery Tiggo 5x Pro Hybrid for eight days. It arrived with a full tank of fuel and loaded RFID cards. Hybrid vehicles are on the rise in the Philippine market, with more and more automakers bringing in electrified models to get a piece of this increasingly lucrative pie. Chery Auto Philippines is riding on this trend by introducing the Chery Tiggo 5x Pro Hybrid. It is the most affordable “hybrid” the automaker has in its lineup that offers

Electric vehicles (EVs) are slowly becoming mainstream in the Philippine market as more and more brands are bringing in their own examples. Following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s executive order, EVs have become easier to import thanks to zero duties that make these vehicles more affordable to prospective car buyers. Republic Act 11697 or the "Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act" also provides non-fiscal incentives for EV buyers, along with spurring investment into EV infrastructure, w

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is looking into putting up a new model assembly line in the Philippines, depending on government incentives. “They want to get into, probably, a new model assembly that they have not disclosed yet,” said Senior Trade Representative Dita Angara-Mathay in a February 17, 2023 report in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “So, that’s really contingent on our CARS Program,” she added. Angara-Mathay was referring to the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) Progr

GAC Motor Philippines is out for blood as it kicks off the New Year under new management. The Chinese carmaker debuted its Empow sedan and an all-new version of its GS8 sport-utility vehicle (SUV) on January 18, 2023. The two models are the first to come out following the December 2022 takeover of multinational mobility provider Astara, which also distributes GAC Motor in Chile and Peru. Astara Philippines has also been the official local distributor of Peugeot since January 2022. The French bra

The 2023 Auto Expo in India is proving to be an excellent showcase for Suzuki, especially with the unveiling of the Suzuki Jimny 5-door and the new Suzuki Fronx. The Suzuki Fronx is a subcompact crossover that seeks to challenge the likes of the Toyota Raize and Kia Stonic as it will be positioned below the Suzuki Vitara. A Suzuki Vitara-lite? The Fronx looks much like the Vitara as it has a trapezoidal mesh grille with a chrome strip that flanks the Suzuki badge. It also carries some SUV-like s

Toyota Motor Thailand has just launched what is believed to be the 2023 Toyota Vios this morning. Actually, this model is known as the 2023 Toyota Yaris Ativ in Thailand. While it was originally thought that the Toyota Vios and the Yaris Ativ will remain two distinct models, it is now confirmed that Toyota Thailand will cease production of the former. Underpinned by the same Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) platform also found in the Toyota Raize, Avanza and Veloz, the Yaris Ativ will cov