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May 5, 2015

First Drive: Honda Mobilio 1.5 CVT

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Nothing spells summer than Katy Perry’s videos on constant loop. Whether you’re into her songs or not, the catchy lyrics and upbeat tunes is the only way to pass the two-hour journey to Mindoro. Either that or your adolescent eyes are trying to spot something in the umm…pink clouds. But the 42-degree heat, constant desire for Gatorade, and bubbly tunes on the radio make for the perfect backdrop for a summer road trip. And since it’s the first week of May, it could very well have been LaBoracay. Only it’s not. This is LaPuertoGalera aboard the LaMobilio.

Hyundai Philippines Aims to Return to Compact Crossover Form with All-New Tucson (w/ Specs)

Hyundai is showing off a bolder, more sophisticated, and technologically rich compact crossover in the all-new Tucson. A constant best-seller in its line-up, the all-new 2015 Tucson combines a bold and athletic exterior with a stylish and ergonomic interior. All in all, Hyundai is confident of getting back its leadership in the segment.

Photos by Ulysses Ang and Hyundai Press

Hyundai is expanding its product line with the arrival of the all-new i20 Cross Sport. Essentially a combination of two popular vehicle genres, the i20 Cross Sport is a hatchback and crossover rolled into one. It’s aimed at customers who live active and adventurous lifestyles while seeking great value.

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) strengthens its presence in the country by inaugurating its new Hyundai Logistics Center (HLC), a new and state-of-the-art facility that’s the first green-certified vehicle logistics hub in the Philippines. In addition, the Hyundai Logistics Center is reflective of Hyundai Motor Company’s new Modern Premium brand identity and a proof of its commitment to sustainable motoring.

Hajime Koso is Isuzu Philippines's New President

Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) formally introduced their new company president at a simple but poignant turnover ceremony at the Solaire Resort and Casino in Pasay City. Mr. Hajime Koso replaces Mr. Nobuo Izumina as IPC’s president, who will be assigned as the Director of Isuzu Body Corporation, an affiliate of Isuzu Motors Limited (IML).

I have a confession to make: with the exception of Formula One, I’m not anymore a huge motorsports fan. Often enough, it’s riddled with enough layers of bureaucratic red tape and/or politics that it has the makings more of a banana republic government than it does a top-tier professionally run sport. And before you say it, I feel the same way with the modern area of Formula One as well. That’s why I’ve tuned out since 2011, favoring NSFW YouTube channels rather than F1 as my main source of manly entertainment.

UPDATED: Upping the Game: Honda Launches Mobilio for Philippines (w/ Specs)

UPDATE 2: Read our First Drive here (5/5).

UPDATE 1: Photos from the launch proper, more interior shots, and the spec sheet (5/1).

For a carmaker, a product’s importance falls in one of two categories: a halo model or a sales leader. And though everyone dreams of having the new NSX, Honda knows quite well that’s not going to sell in critical numbers here in the country or even globally. On the other hand, you have the all-new Mobilio, Honda’s first crack at the lucrative but highly competitive Asian Utility Vehicle (AUV) market. Single-handedly, it’s poised to be their make-or-break model. And by sticking true to the company’s philosophy of being engineering-centered, it looks like it’s going to be a winner.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

The compact crossover genre was popularized by the Japanese. Given their propensity to favor small cars, putting height (but not necessarily four-wheel drive) seemed perfect for the urban environment. After all, going up mall ramps diagonally is uncool. Americans, who were mostly busy making rolling versions of the Stegosaurus, soon got into the game. One of the biggest hits is the Ford Escape. Locally, it brought the Blue Oval brand from niche to mainstream player almost overnight. Alas, it almost fell victim to fossilization after a model run lasting a good 12 years (2000-2012) despite three facelifts. (If you want to read the review on the Escape 1.6 SE EcoBoost, click here).

Back to Winning Ways: The Shell-Ducati Technology Partnership

Photos by Ulysses Ang

DOHA, QATAR—Shell’s Technical Partnership with Ducati Corse came full circle as both of its riders arrived home in the winner’s circle at the 2015 Qatar MotoGP race at the Losail International Circuit. After snatching pole position, Andrea Dovizioso almost won the race if not for a brave charge by Valentino Rossi. Team mate Andrea Iannone finished in third place.

Shell Helix Ultra customers can look forward to an enjoyable and convenient driving experience this summer as Shell Helix Ultra with Pure Plus technology rewards its customers with a free convenience kit and toll voucher for every single receipt purchase of Shell Helix Ultra (4L) or Shell Helix Ultra Diesel (6L).

Kia continues to expand its foothold in Philippine shores as it recently opened the doors of Kia Calapan for all of Mindoro to benefit from.

BMW continues to celebrate undisputed leadership in the Philippine luxury segment with the success of BMW Motorrad, the German brand’s motorcycle division. Also under the helm of Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC), the official importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines, BMW Motorrad began 2015 with a 15% growth in the first quarter of the year, versus the same period in 2014. This performance echoes the success of the brand in 2014, as it closed the year with a 71% increase in sales, the strongest in its local history.

UPDATED: The 2015 Ford Mustang Roars into the Philippines (w/ Brochure)

UPDATE 1: The full brochure is now available below (4/26).

Two models. Two distinct characters. One car. This is impossible to achieve given a car’s components are shared across a range. But this is no ordinary car. This is a legend. This is an icon. This is the all-new 2015 Ford Mustang. Kicking off its arrival in style, America’s rolling tribute to the love for the open road is available in two variants, one that caters to the muscle car purist and one to the performance junkie. It’s Ford’s way of looking into the future of the pony car without breaking tradition with its storied past. And that will get any car lover’s attention.

Philippine Car Price Guide: April 2015

The Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) is over, and with that comes a variety of new and updated models. We’ve delayed the monthly Philippine Car Price Guide to reflect these changes. For this update, we have the following new additions/updates:

Audi Q1 1.4 TFSI
BMW 2 Series Active Tourer
BYD Qin
Chevrolet Colorado Tracker
Chevrolet Trailblazer L / SE
Ford Expedition EL EcoBoost Platinum
Ford Ranger Wildtrak (Update)
Great Wall Haval M4
Hyundai Accent 1.6 E 4DR CRDI
Isuzu D-Max 2.5 VGS
Kia Grand Carnival
Kia Sorento
Mazda2 Skyactiv
MG MG3
MG MG350
MG MG5
MINI Cooper 5DR / Cooper S 5R
MINI Countryman
Peugeot 301
Subaru Legacy
Subaru Outback
Tata Ace Bata
Toyota Camry
Volkswagen Beetle (Update)
Volkswagen Polo Sedan A/T
Volkswagen Tiguan 1.4 TSI
Volkswagen Touareg Sport Edition
Volkswagen Touran 1.2

Honda Cars Philippines is brightening up the summer with two special limited edition models: the Honda CR-V Limited Editon and Jazz Limited Edition. The Jazz is limited just to a run of 20 units while the CR-V is limited to just 10. That equates to just 30 units all-in-all. Interested? Read on.

Mazda Shows KODO Design in Bike, Sofa Concepts

Mazda Motor Corporation has unveiled art pieces inspired by its KODO - Soul of Motion design theme in the famed design capital of the world, Milan, Italy. In an exhibit entitled, “Mazda Design: The Car as Art”, Mazda revealed stunning works that feature design cues inspired by its current KODO-derived vehicles such as the CX-5, the Mazda6, the Mazda3, and the recently launched all-new Mazda2 and fourth generation MX-5.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

When the Hyundai Elantra arrived in the local scene in 2012, it revolutionized the compact car genre. From a segment practically cornered by the Japanese, the Elantra has since turned it into a free-for-all slugfest. Today, compact car buyers are less brand loyal and more focused on getting great value. Indeed, the swoopy Elantra is responsible for removing existing prejudices and opening minds to considering a brand like Hyundai. Fast-forward three years later and the players are still fighting tooth and nail just to get the would-be buyer’s attention. So what does the ‘game-changer’ do? Stick to a tried-and-tested formula.

Isuzu Revamps D-Max for 2015, Adds VGS to Turbo

Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) is gearing up for the pickup truck wars as they revamp their D-Max for 2015. Launching their latest offering at the Clark International Speedway, the tough and reliable pickup truck now becomes more powerful and capable with its new drivetrain and re-tweaked features.

Mazda Santa Rosa Opens, First in Country with New Mazda Global Identity

A brand new Mazda Santa Rosa 3S facility opens today along the bustling Tagaytay-Sta Rosa road. Located across the Nuvali commercial center, the new dealership is set to serve clients in the southern reaches of Metro Manila – an area of fast growing residential and industrial parks. The 1,100-square meter facility houses the full complement of new vehicle sales, service and after sales amenities found in all Mazda showrooms throughout the country.

Toyota Motor Philippines Reaches Milestone of 10,237 Units Sold in a Single Month!

The largest local car manufacturer in the country achieved its highest sales to date in a single month last March. Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) registered its record-breaking performance of 10,237 units sold. Its previous sales milestone was recorded last October 2014 with 10,163 units sold. Based on the most recent CAMPI report, Toyota registered a market share of 43.5% for the month.

Hyundai Motor has used the brand’s ‘New Thinking’ approach to connect the most distant of families, setting a novel world record in the process. When the daughter of an astronaut on the International Space Station had a special hand-written letter to send to her father, Hyundai Motor found an ‘out of this world’ way to share her message.

The number one automotive company in the country brings waku-doki further by bringing the second race of this season’s Toyota Vios Cup to the Queen City of the South, Cebu City! Coming in as the first motorsports festival in the Visayas region, gearheads and car fans in the said area can now witness the waku-doki experience first-hand. Slated on Saturday to Sunday, May 16 - 17, local motorsports will be driven into newer heights with 4 incoming Cebu-based racers now making a total of 44 drivers in the said racing event.

Volvo’s iconic seven-seater SUV is reborn and expected soon on Philippine roads this 2015.

The all-new XC90 is a visually striking, premium quality SUV with world-leading safety features, new Drive-E engines including a top-of-the-line T8 Twin Engine powertrain with close to 400 horsepower and CO2 emissions of around 60 g/km, an unrivalled combination of power and fuel efficiency and a superlative interior finish. The car also features beautiful interior and exterior design including an innovative tablet-like touch screen control console, which forms the heart of an all-new in-car control system. It marks the beginning of a new chapter in Volvo’s history, capturing its future design direction, incorporating its own range of new technologies and utilizing its new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) technology.

Customers in hot pursuit of a brand new car may have found the deal they are looking for in the “Hot Buys to Upsize” promo from Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), the exclusive distributor of Hyundai cars in the Philippines.

Review: 2015 BMW 420d Gran Coupe

Photos by Ulysses Ang

It’s hard to say what a coupe is anymore. Is it merely a car with two doors? Does it have an arching roofline? Do frameless windows count for anything? Can a hatchback or an SUV be a coupe? At some point in the past few years, nearly everything you thought made a coupe, a coupe has been challenged by something that calls itself a coupe, but to most people isn’t. And BMW has led most of this line of questioning.

MIAS 2015: Chevrolet Adds Off-Road Ready Colorado Tracker, Trailblazer LTZ SE

Chevrolet Philippines launches an off-road ready version of their venerable Colorado dubbed the Colorado Tracker. Equipped solely with a manual transmission, the new Colorado Tracker comes equipped with features that cater directly to people who love the great outdoors.

MIAS 2015: The 2015 Mazda Collection Impresses

Mazda Philippines’s sprawling and intimidating 1,000 square-meter space at the Manila International Auto Show is a strong show of force and for very good reason. Just last year, Mazda achieved a milestone with overall sales almost doubling that of 2013. The end tally shows them selling more than 3,200 units overtaking Subaru in the process. Of course, the giant showcase isn’t just for celebration. They’ve used the occasion to strategically launch 13 all-new or significantly updated new models for 2015. In short, if you’re buying a car that’s not a Mazda, you better hold off that purchase.

UPDATE 1: We have included the brochure at the end (4/13).

BYD is cementing its reputation as the new brand to watch out for as it unveiled the Qin at the Manila International Auto Show. Pronounced as “Chin”, the Qin is named after the first Emperor of China who successfully unified the warring states into the powerhouse everyone knows today. Like its namesake, the BYD Qin is set to defy the conventional and be one of the most advanced vehicles you can buy in the market.

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