The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has added another trophy to its cabinet: the 2022-2023 Japan Import Car of the Year. A finalist for the main 2022-2023 Japan Car of the Year (JCOTY) award, this marks the first time a Korean automaker has won the title.
December 22, 2022
Hyundai Ioniq Is 2022-2023 Japan Import Car Of The Year
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has added another trophy to its cabinet: the 2022-2023 Japan Import Car of the Year. A finalist for the main 2022-2023 Japan Car of the Year (JCOTY) award, this marks the first time a Korean automaker has won the title.
Kia Bids Stinger GT Goodbye With Limited-Edition Tribute Edition
Kia is bidding goodbye to its high-performance Stinger GT with the Stinger Tribute Edition. Limited to just 1,000 units worldwide, the Tribute Edition celebrates the sports sedan’s contribution to the brand since its introduction in 2017.
December 21, 2022
SMC Says Brace Yourselves For Peak Traffic On Tollways, Announces "Toll Holiday" Sked
With holiday traffic expected to peak this week, SMC Infrastructure is advising motorists to plan their trips ahead to avoid lengthy delays and get to their destination safely.
7 Ways You Can Save Gas And Beat The Christmas Traffic
Christmas should be fun for everyone, but when EDSA feels like a giant parking lot on a Friday night in December, it’s hard to muster any kind of holiday cheer. With traffic congestion approaching pre-pandemic levels, this year is expected to be daily Carmageddon in December, as malls extend their working hours to accommodate the Christmas rush.
Modern Jeepneys Found To Be Up To 40 Percent More Efficient Than Traditional Jeepneys
The Fuso Canter Express Modern PUV (Class 3) achieved 8.8 km/L as certified by the Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP) during its fuel eco-run challenge. This means operators stand to save up to P 6.3 per kilometer compared to traditional jeepneys and their 5.2 km/L average fuel consumption.
Team Philippines Named One Of The Best At Isuzu World Technical Competition
Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) has once again proven the excellent quality of its aftersales and service program as its team wins 2nd place in Commercial Vehicles (CV) Division and 3rd place in Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) Division in the recently concluded 17th Isuzu World Technical Competition, also dubbed as the annual “I-1 Grand Prix” (I-1 GP). With the collective efforts and hard work of both IPC Aftersales team and Isuzu Dealers, Isuzu Philippines was able to prevail in the Top 5 of both divisions for 10 years now, bringing home two (2) Champion titles way back in 2015 and 2018.
December 20, 2022
Hyundai Overtakes Kia In November 2022 Sales
According to the joint report of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA), new vehicle sales have reached 35,037 units in November—a 32.4 percent growth compared to the same period (26,456 units) a year ago.
This D-Max Has Proven Isuzu's Durability By Clocking In An Insane Amount Of Kilometers
Isuzu in the United Kingdom went on a mission to find the highest mileage D-Max in the country. Their search cumulated with a vehicle that has recorded an astounding 351,364 miles (565,465 kilometers) on the odometer, all without any major repair or incident.
Unioil Opens 100th Service Station
Unioil Petroleum Philippines, Inc. (UPPI) one of the leading local petroleum companies, has recently opened its 100th station in Lancaster, Imus City, Cavite.
BMW Philippines To Launch 4 EVs, At Least 4 New Models In 2023
SMC Asia Car Distributors Corporation (SMAC), the official importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines is set to have a very busy 2023 with the launch of all-new models. This was announced by its president, Spencer Yu, during their annual media thanksgiving party.
Hyundai Shows Off 2024 Kona And It Looks Glorious
Hyundai is capping off 2022 in peak form by releasing the first photos of its all-new 2024 Kona compact crossover. And yes, it’s quite the looker.
December 18, 2022
Nissan Lights Up Ormoc Christmas Tree Using The LEAF EV
Nissan Philippines visited the City of Ormoc to participate in the community’s annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony, bringing joy and hope to Ormocanons while advocating sustainable mobility with the 100 percent electric Nissan Leaf. The Leaf powered up the city’s 50-foot Christmas tree through the EV’s V2X technology that allows the Leaf to act as a power generator.
December 16, 2022
All You Need To Know About Using Your Easytrip RFID On SLEX, STAR Tollway, And More
When Autosweep (the Electronic Toll Collection system run by San Miguel Corporation) announced that its interoperability with Easytrip (the Electronic Toll Collection system run by the Metro Pacific Tollways) will start on January 15, 2023 there was a collective sigh of FUCKING FINALLY.
Thanks To Honda SENSING, The All-New BR-V Provides The Calm In Holiday Traffic
With the holidays in full swing, it could only mean one thing: traffic carmageddon. Driving in stop-and-go traffic for hours on end can take its toll leading to stress, and worse still, avoidable traffic accidents and crashes.
Final Lexus Car Maintenance Weekend In 2022 Happening Until December 17
Lexus owners need not look far to have their prized vehicles cared for by trained technicians and service personnel. Periodic Maintenance Service (PMS) and repairs are best done by Lexus’ trained technicians. Because of this, Lexus accredited Dealerships in the Philippines at strategic locations that are easily accessible. In the spirit of Omotenashi—or Lexus’ unique brand of Japanese hospitality—select Toyota dealerships have been accredited by Lexus to care for the needs of Lexus customers nationwide.
Beep Cards Can Now Be Reloaded At M Lhuillier Branches
Beep cardholders may now reload their cards in M Lhuillier branches, as M Lhuillier Financial Services, Inc. marked its strategic partnership with AF Payments Inc. to provide more convenience to its growing customers.
Bosch PH Launches "Care For Life" CSR
Bosch Automotive Aftermarket (AA) partners with Teach For The Philippines (TFP) to support the development of education skills necessary for children in the Philippines basic literacy, numeracy and socioemotional skills with their #CareforEducation campaign. The campaign addresses the challenges of providing education at a system-level to children within poverty communities and the less fortunate in the Philippines.
Volvo XC40 Gives Equal Protection To Front And Rear Passengers Based On New Safety Test
In more automotive safety-related news, only two compact SUV managed to score a “Good” rating in the U.S.-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)’s revised moderate overlap test: the Ford Escape (built after May) and the Volvo XC40 (lead photo). Only the XC40—introduced in 2017—passed the stricter requirements without major structural changes.
December 15, 2022
Peugeot Is Philippines' Fastest Growing Auto Brand In 2022
Peugeot earns the reputation of being the fastest growing automotive brand in the Philippines thanks to strong year-over-year sales growth and successive dealer openings since its re-launch in January under its new distributor, Astara.
Isuzu D-MAX Scores 3 Category Wins At 2022 Philippine Rallycross Series
The Isuzu D-Max has once again proven its dominance in the dirt time trial racing competition as it conquers three vehicle classes in the 2022 Philippine Rallycross Series (PHRX).
Hyundai PH Announces 2023 Ioniq 5 EV Variants, Pricing. Starts At P 3.068M
Ahead of its official Philippine launch in early 2023, Hyundai Motor Philippines (HMPH) has announced the prices of its award-winning EV: the Ioniq 5 EV.
Toyota Shows Off Hilux EV, Next-Generation IMV Platform
Toyota has just revealed the future of the Hilux and the entire IMV platform, for that matter, with the reveal of the IMV 0 Concept and its first-ever battery-electric pickup truck, the Hilux Revo BEV Concept.
Here Are The Full Specs, Prices Of The 2023 MG GT (w/ Specs)
Inflation’s hitting car buyers pretty hard these days. If you try to think of a sporty sedan priced below P 1.1-million, your mind will probably end up blank. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case because here comes the newest member of the MG Philippines family: the 2023 MG GT and it come with a price capped off at just P 1,193,888.
December 14, 2022
Top 5 Picks For 2022
With 42 entries spanning everything from sub-compacts to luxury SUVs, it’s time to our Top 5 Cars of 2022.
As usual, our Top 5 Picks is done differently (see the past winners here: 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011). Instead of categorizing cars to try to make everyone a winner, we lump them together to get the five cars that we thought were outstanding.
Our methods are simple. First, we should have driven it extensively and on the roads that we’re familiar with. This means no around the block test drives (including track days), no “first drives”, no junkets. Second, it should be fairly mainstream. For that, the list is capped with a maximum MSRP of P 4 million. Finally, it’s something we’d be willing to spend our own money own, and we’re willing to be caught dead in.
With that out of the way, here’s our Top 5 Picks of 2022:
#5. Subaru WRX
Still our go-to for a well-rounded, yet relatively affordable sports sedan, the all-new Subaru WRX is still hard to beat. The combination of a turbocharged engine and all-wheel drive means it can serve up the fun. This time, though, it won’t be trying to shake your fillings out half the time as the much-fangled Subaru Global Platform’s much more, gasp, refined. The WRX STI is gone, but at least you get much higher equipment levels—including more safety gear and even optional adaptive dampers. In short, it’s a WRX that’s equally capable of taking on the daily commute as it is a slick, mountain road. Sadly, no amount of suede or Alcantara could change the fact that it looks ugly as sin.
Read our review.
#4. Toyota Corolla Cross
Though fuel prices have softened of late, it did manage to bring hybrids and EVs into mainstream conversation. And among the growing list of hybrids out there, the Toyota Corolla Cross, we find, is the most well-rounded. The styling looks like it was designed by accountants during their lunchbreak, but at least it’s darn economical. We consistently did 20 km/L without breaking a sweat—something we couldn’t do with a “gas-charged, electric-driven crossover.” Fuel sipping abilities aside, the rest of the package is solid—pliant ride, secure handling, roomy interior, and decent (for a Toyota) specs. An added bonus is that there’s a GR Sport version, but a forewarning: the added spice does little to uplift the bland driving flavor.
Read our review.
#3. Toyota Raize
When Toyota decided to enter the sub-compact SUV genre, everyone knew they’d be a force to be reckoned with. Some may say “it’s just a Daihatsu,” but who the fuck cares? The resulting Toyota Raize is a well-engineered and well-thought-out car. Dynamically, it’s got surprisingly good NVH, precise steering, and a punchy engine (well, at least for the turbo). Naturally, for its price, you can’t expect plush materials (and yeah, everything’s rock hard), but at least build quality is pretty decent. Add styling that’s angular as opposed to jellybean-like, solid levels of safety (it got a 5-star rating at the ASEAN NCAP), usable packaging, and of course, Toyota’s promise of painless ownership means the Raize ticks all the right boxes.
Read our review: Raize 1.2 G, Raize 1.0 Turbo.
When Toyota decided to enter the sub-compact SUV genre, everyone knew they’d be a force to be reckoned with. Some may say “it’s just a Daihatsu,” but who the fuck cares? The resulting Toyota Raize is a well-engineered and well-thought-out car. Dynamically, it’s got surprisingly good NVH, precise steering, and a punchy engine (well, at least for the turbo). Naturally, for its price, you can’t expect plush materials (and yeah, everything’s rock hard), but at least build quality is pretty decent. Add styling that’s angular as opposed to jellybean-like, solid levels of safety (it got a 5-star rating at the ASEAN NCAP), usable packaging, and of course, Toyota’s promise of painless ownership means the Raize ticks all the right boxes.
Read our review: Raize 1.2 G, Raize 1.0 Turbo.
#2. Mazda CX-5 Turbo
Subaru turned their back on the fun-loving family man with the death of the Forester XT, so its mantle was taken over by a certain little carmaker from Hiroshima: Mazda. Realizing an unfulfilled gap in the compact SUV segment, the CX-5 Turbo is the choice for everyday thrills with its 253-horsepower, 434 Nm turbocharged engine. Beyond serving up straight line thrills, its revamped chassis sharpens up the handling while also upping the overall refinement and equipment levels. An added bonus is that it’s much more economical than any past Forester XT too. It’s also a constant reminder that, despite its age, the CX-5 still is the one of the best, if not the best compact SUV out there. This new turbocharged variant though enables them to raise the middle finger against mediocrity.
Read our review: CX-5 Turbo.
Subaru turned their back on the fun-loving family man with the death of the Forester XT, so its mantle was taken over by a certain little carmaker from Hiroshima: Mazda. Realizing an unfulfilled gap in the compact SUV segment, the CX-5 Turbo is the choice for everyday thrills with its 253-horsepower, 434 Nm turbocharged engine. Beyond serving up straight line thrills, its revamped chassis sharpens up the handling while also upping the overall refinement and equipment levels. An added bonus is that it’s much more economical than any past Forester XT too. It’s also a constant reminder that, despite its age, the CX-5 still is the one of the best, if not the best compact SUV out there. This new turbocharged variant though enables them to raise the middle finger against mediocrity.
Read our review: CX-5 Turbo.
#1. Honda Civic
You can’t go wrong with the Honda Civic, and the all-new 11th generation model is no different. Despite the so-called “odd-numbered” Civic curse, this one is a winner. We’ve driven all of its variants (S Turbo, V Turbo, RS Turbo), and we’d have to conclude that Honda’s turned in some Dean’s Lister caliber work. In the face of an impending crossover/SUV invasion, including its very own stablemate, the HR-V, the Civic proves it still serves up an unbeatable formula. It’s not perfect (the S Turbo, in particular has a cheap-feeling interior), but overall, it balances wants and need perfectly with class-above space, tight handling, punchy yet fuel efficient engine, and cutting-edge driver assist system. You can’t ask for more in a daily driver. Our top pick goes to the top-of-the-line Civic RS Turbo, but the V Turbo is still pretty solid—it offers 80 percent of the experience for less than P 1.5-million.
You can’t go wrong with the Honda Civic, and the all-new 11th generation model is no different. Despite the so-called “odd-numbered” Civic curse, this one is a winner. We’ve driven all of its variants (S Turbo, V Turbo, RS Turbo), and we’d have to conclude that Honda’s turned in some Dean’s Lister caliber work. In the face of an impending crossover/SUV invasion, including its very own stablemate, the HR-V, the Civic proves it still serves up an unbeatable formula. It’s not perfect (the S Turbo, in particular has a cheap-feeling interior), but overall, it balances wants and need perfectly with class-above space, tight handling, punchy yet fuel efficient engine, and cutting-edge driver assist system. You can’t ask for more in a daily driver. Our top pick goes to the top-of-the-line Civic RS Turbo, but the V Turbo is still pretty solid—it offers 80 percent of the experience for less than P 1.5-million.
Triumph Motorcycles Opens In BGC
The Autohub Group of Companies announces the opening of Triumph Motorcycles in Bonifacio Global City.
In The Race Towards Sustainability, Flax-Based Composites Replace Carbon Fiber
With motorsports pressured to become more sustainable, flax-based fiber composites will now appear in Japan’s premiere single-seater racing series: Super Formula.
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