The Toyota Raize is one of the country’s most popular subcompact crossovers.

Its diminutive dimensions, high ground clearance and proven Toyota mechanicals mean that it has been a big hit for Toyota Motor Philippines.

But the Chinese carmaker that gave us the market-shaking Coolray is out to get Toyota’s little crossover. Geely Philippines dealers are now accepting a refundable reservation deposit of ₱10,000 for the GX3 Pro, which will be deducted from the vehicle’s price upon purchase.

AutoFun Philippines was also the first to uncover a stockpile of GX3 Pro units parked in the open at a warehouse in Laguna, which points to an imminent local launch.

Two variants

There will be two variants for the Philippine market, although the trim designations have yet to be finalized.

This is according to multiple sources with intimate knowledge of the upcoming model, but requested anonymity because of lack of authority to speak on the matter.

The base model will have a 5-speed manual gearbox, while the top-spec variant gets a continuously variable transmission (CVT). In other markets, these are mated to a 1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline engine producing 103 PS and 141 Nm of torque.

Tentative pricing and variants are as follows, according to our sources:

• GX3 Pro S M/T – ₱778,000

• GX3 Pro Comfort CVT – ₱878,000

For comparison, the similarly priced Toyota Raize E gets a 1.2-liter, twin-cam, 12-valve inline-3 gasoline engine with 88 PS and 113 Nm of torque. Transmission options include a 5-speed manual or CVT.

Raize rival

The GX3 Pro was launched globally in 2017, with the upcoming Philippine model already getting the model’s facelift, along with additional power from the 1.5-liter motor. 

It was previewed locally at the 2023 Manila International Auto Show (MIAS).

Although Philippine specifications have not yet been officially announced, the small crossover is available in other markets with features like cruise control, a touchscreen infotainment system, reversing camera and parking sensors.

The GX3 Pro also has a generous amount of trunk space behind the rear seats. Geely Philippines said it has around 400 liters of space, whereas the Raize only has a 369-liter cargo area.

Our sources tell us that the little Geely is expected to launch in the Philippines in August or September.

Do you think Geely is on to another winner with the GX3 Pro?

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