This gives the bowtie brand a lot of opportunity and leeway when it comes to introducing new vehicles into the Philippines. Previously, they said that aside from the Tracker, Corvette, Tahoe, and Suburban, they’re also introducing one “global vehicle produced at a left-hand drive plant.”

A piece of advice for Chevrolet Philippines? Perhaps they could consider the Blazer. Oh, and perfect timing because it’s just been introduced with mild-hybrid technology—the very same one found in its likely segment competitor, the Geely Okavango.

The new Blazer was launched originally in April 2020, but this year, Chevrolet has opted to include standard 48V mild-hybrid technology. The mild hybrid system may not be able to propel the Blazer on electrons alone, but the motor and battery pack does save gas on idle while also recovering brake energy.

Unlike the Okavango, the Blazer does come with the option of all-wheel drive.

Better still, the power pack acts as an electric boost to the turbocharged 2.0-liter ECOTEC 4-cylinder. According to Chevrolet, the Blazer produces 236 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 350 Nm of torque from 1,500 to 4,000 rpm good for a 0-100 km/h sprint of 8.4 seconds. Fuel consumption is 14.08 km/L thanks to a 9-speed automatic transmission.

When it comes to pricing though, there’s a disparity between the Okavango and the Blazer. In China, pricing for the 7-seater Chevrolet starts at RMB 259,900 (P 1.99 million) and tops out at 329,900 (P 2.53 million) for the Redline.

Should Chevrolet Philippines bring in the Blazer? Well, given how Filipinos love 7-seater SUVs, it could be the most viable option. Another option could be the all-new Orlando which also received mild-hybrid tech earlier this year.