CarGuide.PH | Philippine Car News, Car Reviews, Car Prices

July 11, 2013

Toyota Motor Philippines Launches All-new Vios (w/ Brochure)

Vios—derived from the Latin word meaning “to move forward”—seems like a fitting nameplate for a car that’s destined to bring Toyota Motor Philippines to new heights and bring its product-led transformation to the next chapter: the mass-market. The undisputed leader in the sub-compact car segment since the launch of the first-generation model in 2002, the all-new, third-generation Vios aims to cement that lead further, and in the process, add another nail to the competitors’ coffins.

Philippine Car Price Guide: June-July 2013

With not much changes last June, I decided to postpone the Philippine Price Guide and combine it instead with the July 2013 edition. So, for the past two months, here are the additional cars/updated prices of cars in the Philippines.

BMW M6
Dodge Challenger (price update)
Dodge Charger (price update)
Honda CR-Z (image pricing)
Hyundai Santa Fe 2WD 6 M/T
Jeep Grand Cherokee (price update)
Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (price update)
Kia Carens
Land Rover Range Rover
Lexus IS 350 & IS 350 F Sport
Lifan LF320 (price update)
Mazda 3 1.6 MAXX
Mazda CX-5 AWD Sport
Mercedes-Benz A 250 CGI Sport
Mercedes-Benz E 250 CDI Avantgarde
Mercedes-Benz E 300 AMG Sport
Mitsubishi Adventure GLX SE
Mitsubishi Adventure GLS Sport SE
Mitsubishi Adventure Super Sport SE
Mitsubishi Pajero 3.2 DI-D Limited Edition
Suzuki APV SGX (price update)
Toyota Camry (price update)
Toyota Vios

New Ford Fiesta: Key to Modern Living

It’s pouring rain and you’re running late for a meeting. Caught in the deluge, you use one hand to frantically root through your bag and pockets for your key, taking care not to spill the scalding hot coffee you’re holding with the other. Within seconds, you’re drenched. As you scramble to unlock the door before collapsing inside in a dripping mess, you think to yourself: It’s 2013. There must be a better way.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Everyone should drive a Ford Ranger Wildtrak, preferably the 3.2-liter. There, I said it. As much as I detest lumbering SUVs and pick-up trucks, with the torrential rains hitting Metro Manila every single day, it’s actually great to have a vehicle that can bring you home dry and in one piece. Having driven the Ford Ranger before, specifically the XLT trim, I’m already quite used to this vehicle’s merits such as class-leading 800-mm wading depth, massive 80-liter fuel tank, and advanced features such as voice-command. Still, I find myself on the fence on whether I’d pick the Ranger over say, a compact crossover or SUV for a variety of reasons, the absence of luxury features to name one. However, the arrival of the Wildtrak blows those reservations out the window. This indeed is the new go-anywhere, do-anything vehicle.

Toyota Offering New Corolla Altis TRD Upgrade for 1.6G AT

Toyota Motor Philippines has announced through its official Facebook page the availability of the Corolla Altis TRD upgrade for the 1.6G A/T variant.

For an additional P 10,000 (SRP is P 914,000), the 1.6G A/T gets spiffy new 17-inch TRD alloy wheels as well as side skirts. Of course, it also comes with the prerequisite "TRD Sportivo" badging at the back. No mechanical changes or modifications have been made.

Of course, long-time Toyota fans will note that the announcement of a TRD model all point to the arrival of the all-new model real soon.

Source: Toyota Motor Philippine Facebook Page

UPDATED: Catch a Sneak Peek of the All-New Toyota Vios, Pre-Selling Starts Now!

UPDATE: Toyota will be offering public test drives of the all-new Vios at the Alabang Town Center, Eastwood Mall, and Bonifacio Global City on July 13-14. This is a day after the official launch party at the NBC Tent which will feature DJ Amely among others. For tickets and more information about the "Vios Vibe" launch party, log onto: ViosStarttheFun.com

This June 2013, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) teases you with a more dynamically-designed car that has grown to be a favorite amongst the Filipinos. Catch a glimpse of the much-awaited vehicle as it storms the streets of Manila and key areas in Luzon until June 23, 2013! Be the first to start the fun by taking a snapshot of the all-new Vios!

Led by the continued strength in demand for the class-defining all-new Ranger pickup, Ford Philippines today reported its best-ever June performance with overall retail sales surging 112 percent year-over-year to 1,245 units.

The exceptional month wrapped up a record first-half for Ford in the Philippines with overall retail sales increasing 87 percent from the same period last year to 6,261 vehicles – making Ford the fastest growing automotive brand in the country this year.

Michelin has renewed its commitment to the NASCAR WHELEN Euro-Series (the new name for the former Euro-Racecar NASCAR Touring Series) as it develops across Europe.

Since its first involvement in this championship in 2009, the French tire firm has played a key role and will provide tires that deliver a high level of grip, durability and performance adapted to the conditions encountered in NASCAR racing. Michelin sees this as a long-term partnership, with the focus of all its players, from the drivers and organisers, to its partners, very much on the notion of reasoned motorsport. In addition to being a responsible form of racing, the NASCAR WHELEN Euro-Series is also exciting and entertaining for spectators.

New Suzuki Alto 800 Leads in Affordability

People looking to buy their first car can drive home their new ride without spending big as Suzuki Philippines Inc. (SPH), the only integrated automobile and motorcycle company in the country, launches the all-new and very affordable subcompact car— the Alto 800.

Retailing at only P388,000.00 for the standard variant, owners get great value for their money as the all-new Alto 800 goes farther with its 22.74 km/l average mileage, 11 percent more torque, and 15 percent more fuel-efficiency than the previous Alto.

SPH President Hiroshi Suzuki shares, “The launch of the Alto 800 in the Philippines underscores our commitment to bring fuel-efficient, comfortable, and affordable cars to this market. We look forward to introducing more the Suzuki ‘Way of Life’ brand philosophy to the Filipinos by pioneering great-valued automobiles like the Alto 800.”

For more information about the Suzuki Alto 800, please visit www.suzuki.com.ph.

Michelin and Peugeot Set New Pikes Peak Record

At last, the dream has become reality. Following months of team work, the savoir-faire of the engineers at Peugeot Sport and Michelin paid dividends when Frenchman Sébastien Loeb provided further evidence of his multifaceted talent with another top-flight performance. At about 17:40 (UTC), the nine-time world rally champion recorded a time of 8m13.878s for the infamous American hill climb. That was enough to win the "Ultimate" class and establish a brand new record for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado, USA, the world‟s most famous hill climb event which was organised for the 91st time this weekend.

Volvo Car Group (Volvo Cars) announces it will have an official Volvo Polestar Racing team on the grid in the V8 Supercars Championship in 2014 and race the Volvo S60.

"I'm delighted to announce Volvos return to motorsport in Australia. Volvo has a rich motorsport heritage in this country, including winning Australia's most famous race, the Bathurst 1000, 15 years ago this coming October. As the first luxury car brand to enter an official factory team in the V8 Supercars Championship, we're determined to add to this heritage, while strengthening the presence of the S60 model line and the Volvo brand here in Australia," said Matt Braid, Volvo Car Australia Managing Director.

Ford Invites Consumers to Find Their 24-Hour Fiesta Profile; Set to Promote New Fiesta

Ford Philippines today announced an innovative and interactive pre-launch campaign -- ‘24 Hour Fiesta Project’ -- designed to engage young and connected Filipinos by matching their personalities, lifestyles and tastes with the new Ford Fiesta.

Over a six-week period – until Monday, August 5 – participants will be asked to pick a Fiesta Profile that both matches their personality and time-of-day that best reflects their lifestyle, share their profile with friends on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and become eligible to win a unique 24-hour Fiesta experience.

Review: 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T Brembo M/T

Photos by Ulysses Ang

We’re no stranger to the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. We’ve driven a modified “drift car” version before as well as the latest 3.8 V6 8AT. Now, we move on to the Car of the Year – Philippines’s sports car of the year, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T Brembo.

Normally, a driver’s best ally in a car is the transmission. More than just the brute horsepower of the engine, it’s the transmission that determines how that power is transferred onto the wheels. It can amplify and/or reduce acceleration, top speed, and even fuel economy depending on the specific tuning involved. Given the importance of the gearbox, a sports car should only warrant the best. That’s why you often hear things like ‘positive action’, easily modulated clutch’, and ‘short throw shifting’ alongside ‘powerful acceleration’ and ‘exhilarating handling’. Unfortunately, it seems Hyundai engineers didn’t get the memo with the Genesis Coupe 2.0T.

CATS Motors Launches New Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Before Mercedes-Benz diversified their product portfolio to include everything from hot hatches to SUVs to supercars, they were highly renowned for the E-Class and S-Class. Though its designations may have changed (to reflect its positioning in the broadened Mercedes-Benz product range), both of these sedans continue the tradition of being the best in their respective classes. And now, CATS Motors, the country’s general distributor of Mercedes-Benz took the wraps off the new E-Class which the company touts as “one of its biggest mid-cycle enhancements in Mercedes-Benz history”.

On the court, Blue Eagle Kiefer Ravena nimbly maneuvers towards the basket to score victory for his team. This hardcourt hero known as “The Phenom” performs with grace under pressure and uses his smarts and a sense of sportsmanship as an ambassador of basketball.

Peugeot 3008 1.6 e-HDi Achieves 25.7 km/L in Eco Fun Run

The Peugeot 3008’s fuel-efficiency was put to the test by the media last Thursday, June 27 as EDI staged the Peugeot Eco Fun Run. EDI invited 20 media participants to drive the 1.6L e-HDi Peugeot 3008 variants 158 kilometers from Alabang to Batangas and back in normal driving conditions – meaning the vehicles’ airconditioners were turned on and the drivers maintained speeds well above the speed limit. Given Peugeot’s leadership in diesel technology, the media easily came up with significantly good fuel economy numbers.

The all-new 2014 Mazda3 compact five-door was revealed to the world during an event in Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood. After weeks of media speculation and numerous "leaked" images of enthusiast renderings, Mazda pulled the sheet off the highly-anticipated redesign. The all-new Mazda3 is engineered with the full complement of SKYACTIV technologies – a proprietary suite of fuel-efficient, performance-driven components and manufacturing philosophies – as well as the handsome styling of the KODO design language.

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. staged its fifth dealership groundbreaking at the future site of Honda Cars Marcos Highway last Sunday. Present at the ceremony were Mr. Tatsuya Natsume, President and General Manager of HCPI together with Ms. Helen Y. Dee, Chairman of the House of Investments and Mr. Medel Nera, President and CEO of the House of Investments. Honda Cars Marcos Highway is the seventh branch owned by the Yuchengco Group of Companies. Other dealerships are Honda Cars Quezon City, Marikina, Fairview, Manila, Kalookan and Greenhills that is anticipated to open at the end of the year.

Honda Cars Marcos Highway boasts of 2,500 sqm land area, located in the automotive hub of the vicinity. Customers coming from nearby cities will soon be able to check Honda’s latest vehicle line-up while being assisted by the friendly and well trained Sales Consultants. Customers will also have an easy access to the complete service facilities with preventive maintenance, general repair, and body and paint work. This dealership will truly be a one-stop-shop dealership for all Honda customers.

BMW Continues Winning Streak at International Engine of the Year Awards 2013

BMW once again proved its superiority in engine technology with the victory of its TwinPower Turbo Technology at the International Engine of the Year Awards 2013.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, fitted in the BMW 1 Series, BMW 3 Series and BMW 5 Series, finished at the top of its displacement category, a repeat of BMW’s victory last year. The Engine of the Year Awards was presented at the Engine Expo fair in Stuttgart earlier this month.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2013 Initial Quality Study (IQS) has ranked the Kia Soul and Kia Sportage as leaders in the Compact Multi-Purpose Vehicle and Sub-Compact CUV segments, respectively, in the U.S. And, for the first time, Kia ranks among the automotive industry’s top 10 nameplates for initial quality. The 2013 Soul ranked first in the Compact MPV segment for the second consecutive year, and the Sportage tied for the highest ranking in the Sub-Compact CUV category.

Ford Motor Company has announced the appointment of Jesus Metelo ‘Met’ Arias as managing director, Ford Vietnam, effective July 1. He will continue to report directly to Matt Bradley, president, Ford ASEAN.

Arias, who is currently serving as director, Customer Service Division, Ford ASEAN, based in Bangkok, Thailand, will replace Laurent Charpentier, who has been appointed operations director, Ford of France.

The Winning Drive: Subaru XV SubURBAN DRIVE in Cebu

Photos by Ulysses Ang

After conquering the mountainous roads surrounding Sagada earlier this year with the all-new Forester, Subaru’s Philippine importer and distributor, Motor Image Pilipinas, decided to take on a very different challenge: the Subaru XV Suburban Drive. Ultimately, it has one goal: to prove that the XV is the perfect urban crossover. Cebu, the Philippines’s oldest city and a favorite vacation destination, played host to the first leg of the three-leg drive that saw a handful of Manila-based motoring journalists join several Cebu-based ones in driving the popular XV through the city’s various tourists spots.

Get Double Rebates with Petron-BPI Mastercard Until September 6, 2013.

Now gassing up at a Petron service station is going to be even more rewarding for Petron-BPI Mastercard cardholders with the “Double the Rebate” promo, running from now until September 6, 2013.

Every minimum single receipt fuel purchase of P1,500 charged to your Petron-BPI Mastercard at any BPI-affiliated Petron station qualifies you for a 6% rebate, effectively double the regular 3% rebate. Transactions of less than P1,500 will only earn the regular 3% rebate.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Peter Schreyer, you are an absolute genius. Normally, it’s hard to fall in love with the design of a sub-million peso car, and a sub-compact car no less. But take a look at the Kia Rio. We happened to drive the budget-friendly 1.2 SLX and now we have the 1.4 hatchback. A single glance is enough to tell you that this is one special car. From tip to stern, the Rio’s an absolute beauty. It’s avant-garde, sporty, sophisticated—there’s absolutely no weak point in the Rio’s design.

The Peugeot 3008 is a compact, spacious and responsible crossover. It represents a new and innovative offer, not only in the Peugeot range but also in today’s car market as a whole. Manufactured in Eastern France at Peugeot’s Sochaux manufacturing plant, its concept and specification has draw on all of Peugeot’s expertise and values.

Audi Reigns Supreme at 24 Hours of Le Mans with 12th Championship

As expected, the twelfth triumph for the four rings at Le Mans was one of the most difficult and hardest-fought ones. Following a change in the regulations for refueling that was made at short notice, the three Audi R18 e-tron quattro cars on average needed to do faster laps on the track to compensate for the additional pit stops – and did so in weather conditions that at times were extremely difficult.

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July 11, 2013

Toyota Motor Philippines Launches All-new Vios (w/ Brochure)

July 10, 2013

Philippine Car Price Guide: June-July 2013

July 9, 2013

New Ford Fiesta: Key to Modern Living

Review: 2013 Ford Ranger Wildtrak 3.2

July 8, 2013

Toyota Offering New Corolla Altis TRD Upgrade for 1.6G AT

UPDATED: Catch a Sneak Peek of the All-New Toyota Vios, Pre-Selling Starts Now!

Ford Philippines Wraps Up Record First-Half with Best-Ever June Performance

Michelin to Partner the NASCAR-WHELEN Euro-Series

July 7, 2013

New Suzuki Alto 800 Leads in Affordability

Michelin and Peugeot Set New Pikes Peak Record

Volvo Joins Australian V8 Supercars Championship

July 3, 2013

Ford Invites Consumers to Find Their 24-Hour Fiesta Profile; Set to Promote New Fiesta

July 2, 2013

Review: 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T Brembo M/T

July 1, 2013

CATS Motors Launches New Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Suzuki Swift Moves Hardcourt Hero Kiefer Ravena

June 30, 2013

Peugeot 3008 1.6 e-HDi Achieves 25.7 km/L in Eco Fun Run

2014 Mazda3 Unveiled; Sales in PH Slated "Mid Next Year"

Honda Cars Marcos Highway Soon to Rise

BMW Continues Winning Streak at International Engine of the Year Awards 2013

Kia Receives Top 10 Ranking for Initial Quality 2013 in JD Power and Associates Study

Pinoy Appointed as Ford Vietnam Managing Director

June 28, 2013

The Winning Drive: Subaru XV SubURBAN DRIVE in Cebu

June 25, 2013

Get Double Rebates with Petron-BPI Mastercard Until September 6, 2013.

Review: 2013 Kia Rio 1.4 EX Hatchback

Peugeot 3008: Setting Benchmarks in Design, Fuel Efficiency, and Earth-Friendliness; Eco Fun Run Set

June 24, 2013

Audi Reigns Supreme at 24 Hours of Le Mans with 12th Championship