The Nissan Mobility Tour is all about giving the chance to would-be buyers to experience first-hand what Nissan Intelligent Mobility (NIM) is all about. Through a series of obstacles, features such as Around View Monitor and Intelligent 4x4 are put to the test.

Often overlooked though is that through these series of events, Nissan also wants to educate Filipino car buyers on the advantages of owning one of their vehicles. And so, we decide to put their math to the test and see if owning a Nissan is indeed a value-for-money aspect. For this particular example, we’ve decided to go straight into the deep end and pit the Nissan Patrol Royale versus the Toyota Land Cruiser LC200 Premium.


Spec-to-spec, not much separates these two politicians’ choice. On one hand, the Land Cruiser has the upper hand in terms of torque (a tree-pulling 615 Nm) while the Patrol Royale easily has 40 percent more horsepower (400). Both of these “katas ng pork barrel” also offer standard seating for 8, above 90 liters of fuel tank capacity, and vented disc brakes on all four corners—in case protesters decide to jump in front of your speeding convoy.

Dimensionally though, the Patrol Royale does have the advantage in packaging. It’s slightly shorter, but wider and taller than the Land Cruiser. It also has a bigger wheelbase and higher ground clearance (272 mm versus 225 mm) making peons look even smaller from the window.

Getting into the mechanicals, both the Nissan and Toyota offer hydraulically adjustable stabilizers (Nissan calls it Hydraulic Body Motion Control while Toyota calls it Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System), although the Patrol Royale does have the advantage of having independent suspension all-around to the Land Cruiser’s rear 4-link with coil springs.

Nissan’s advantage also extends to the creature comfort features. With the exception of ventilated power adjustable front seats and an additional rear aircon zone, it has the advantage over the Toyota from the generous infotainment system with 13-speaker Bose sound system to even front and rear proximity sensors with a 360-degree camera (the Land Cruiser, shockingly, has no camera whatsoever).

Now, here’s the most surprising part: despite the increased thirst of its 5.6-liter V8 engine gasoline engine, the Patrol Royale actually ends up with a lower ownership cost up to 100,000 kilometers.


Going through Nissan and Toyota’s Preventive Maintenance Service (PMS) menu, the Toyota Land Cruiser does have lower servicing cost. Factor in better fuel mileage and lower fuel cost, its running cost 52.8 percent lower than the Patrol Royale.

So where does the Patrol Royale gain ground? Simple: lower purchase price. Thanks to the effects of TRAIN, the Patrol Royale has a close to P 1 million (P 900,100) price advantage over the Land Cruiser, and this goes a long way in helping the Nissan recoup its more expensive fuel and servicing cost. In fact, over a period of 100,000 kilometers, it’s ownership cost per kilometer is P 51.63 compared to Toyota’s P 53.16.

Find out more about Nissan’s aftersales program at the final leg of the Nissan Mobility Tour. It’s happening on March 23-25, 2018 at SM City Davao.

One of the world’s biggest and most popular tire brands, Firestone, returns to the Philippine market this year to service the massive compact car segment. With Firestone’s comeback, it provides car owners in the country high-quality, but affordable OE replacement tires.

In response to President Donald Trump’s claim last week that a so called ‘bowling ball’ test is preventing US automobiles from entering the Japanese market, Global NCAP has written to the US President urging him to make ‘America First’ in pedestrian protection by adopting the same global standard applied by Japan.

This isn’t the most powerful car I’ve ever driven and it’s not the most expensive either. Yet, when I received word that the Honda Civic Type R would be available for a five-day test drive, it came with a set of instructions as detailed and as specific as a dad sending off her daughter to the prom. But like any juvenile-minded motoring hack, I didn’t pay attention. All I remember was staring at this hot, sought-after girl in a Championship White dress at my doorstep. What did I do? Ride her all night long.

Holy Week is just around the corner and drivers are preparing their cars for a long ride. Caltex Ka-Road Trip extends assistance along key highways in the country from Holy Wednesday (March 28) to Easter Sunday (April 1).

Petron Lakbay Alalay, the country’s longest running motorist roadside assistance program has evolved over the past three decades from a small group of Petron employees volunteering to spend their Holy Week break to provide emergency aid for car problems like overheating, flat tires, and the like, into a comprehensive year-round program to ensure that with Petron, “the best ang biyahe.”

Ford, under the leadership of Jim Hackett, is revealing concrete plans that will see the carmaker revamp its line-up to focus more on SUVs and trucks over the next couple of years.

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) garnered top honors for Customer Satisfaction in After-Sales Service in the Hyundai Asia-Pacific distributorship network.

Just a few weeks after opening their showroom in Dumaguete, Nissan Philippines formally inaugurates another dealership, this time in Butuan, Agusan del Norte.

The Nissan X-TRAIL is the world’s best-selling SUV in 2017, according to automotive market data research expert JATO.

Just when some enthusiasts begun to dismiss using lithium-ion batteries as starter batteries, Mazda has just announced that they are working with ELIIY Power Co., Ltd. and Ube Industries, Ltd. to develop a durable heat- and impact-resistant 12-volt lithium-ion batteries as a replacement for the conventional lead-acid starter batteries.

The 2018 Manila International Auto Show is slated to return to the World Trade Center in Pasay City this April 5 to 8, 2018. Organized by Worldbex Services International, this year’s show will feature 24 automotive brands as well as a strong aftermarket and accessories line-up.

Hyundai was the official mobility partner of the first ASEAN Mentorship for Entrepreneurs Network (AMEN). AMEN, a flagship program of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC), was launched in November 2017 and designed to accelerate the scaling of the small enterprises in ASEAN through mentorship.

Ford Philippines showed that they’re a modern corporate citizen when the carmaker was named as the Top Taxpayer in the City of Muntinlupa.

The 2018 New York International Auto Show will mark the global debut of two all-new compact crossovers: the 2019 Toyota RAV4 and the 2019 Subaru Forester. And while both carmakers are keeping details mum, here’s what we know so far:

After 17 years, Mazda has decided not to renew its naming rights to the world-famous Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey Country, California. The agreement, which ends on March 31, will see a new naming rights deal be implemented by the time the 2018 racing season begins on May 3.

It was the perfect start to the FlatOut Race Series’ (FORS) 2018 season when 109-entries took to the Clark International Speedway (CIS) last 3rd of March.

The Mazda Vision Coupe wins another accolade as it’s been judged as Concept Car of the Year at the 11th Car Design Night in Geneva, Switzerland.

Just in time for summer break, the Department of Transporation (DOTr) has announced that Phase 1 of its Toll Interoperability Project is now being implemented. With that, users of Autosweep RFID (SLEX, MCX, Skyway) can now use their RFID tags on the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), SCTEX (Subic-Clark Expressway), and CAVITEX (Cavite Expressway).

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation recently launched its new range of Fuso Canter light-duty trucks with are now fully Euro 4 compliant.

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI), the official distributor of Hyundai vehicles in the Philippines, has registered 2,649 unit sales for the month of February 2018. This leaves the total 2018 year-to-date Hyundai unit sales at 5,552, or a modest 1.5 percent increase compared to the 5,470 units sold during the same period of 2017.

Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) recently held a ground-breaking ceremony for what will be its new site in Minglanilla, Cebu.

Having seven seats is always a great selling point here in the Philippines. While that option is normally reserved for MPVs and larger SUVs, even smaller ones are starting to get into the fray. One such entrant, fighting in the compact crossover genre is the Nissan X-Trail. Being the second of three crossovers that offer three rows of seats, the X-Trail can’t claim to have that as a unique proposition. What it can claim though is that it underwent a bunch of tweaks that make it a more convincing choice now. The question is: are they enough to help keep the X-Trail on stride in the highly competitive market?

First impressions are pretty good. The 2018 update has certainly made the X-Trail look much sportier compared to when it first launched in 2015. Gone is the generic soap bar-shape and in its place is a more angular, more aggressive looking face. The larger grille, LED headlights, and chiseled bumpers all suit the “active lifestyle” commonly associated with SUVs without going overboard. Towards the back, the changes are far less obvious but the new bumper and boomerang-shaped LED taillights do the job of adding a bit of character. The final modernizing touches are courtesy of the new shark’s fin antenna (replacing the old school pole-type) and two-tone 19-inch alloy wheels (replacing the 17-inch ones).



Sadly, Nissan’s efforts seem to be concentrated on the exterior since they’ve largely forgotten to modernize the interior. Though there are various soft-touch plastics and even leather on the steering wheel, dashboard, and shifter base, there are also some hard, scratchy plastics too. It’s well-hidden thanks to its texturized finish, but poke long enough and it’s noticeable—lower dash, door trims, center console—they all fall victim to this. Plus, the doors close with a tinny twang making it feel far less premium than a fair few of its rivals.

For the driver, the X-Trail remains a safe, solid bet. The seat itself is cushy and combine that with a tilt/telescopic steering wheel and it’s easy to find a comfortable driving position. The gauges are large and easy to understand as are the various buttons and switches. The latter is also crisp-feeling with precise, positive engagement.



Surprisingly, the most disappointing parts of the X-Trail has much to do with the 2018 update. The Around View 360-degree monitor is a great idea, but cramming the display into a low-resolution, 5-inch screen makes it pretty close to useless. The same goes for Moving Object Detection or MOD. Instead of pinpointing exactly where the moving object is, the system simply alerts you in which general area (front, back, left, or right) it’s in. The driver will then have to decipher it and that’s quite difficult with the miniscule screen. There’s an audible warning, but it’s easily drowned out. It’s the same problem with the blind spot warning system which has too small an indicator and too soft a warning chime.

Honestly, the only thing that worked perfectly is the Forward Collision Braking and Forward Collision Warning system. It’s perfectly tuned to local road conditions with no false alarms or unwanted emergency braking.



As a family hauler, the X-Trail is packaged pretty well for its size. The first two rows of seats are pretty solid with ample head and generous leg room. However, the third row of seats is best left for occasional use. Getting in and out is easy thanks to rear doors that open almost 90 degrees and a second row that tilts and slides forward, but it’s definitely a “knees-up” situation at the back. The second row is adjustable allowing for additional legroom, but even then, it doesn’t make it more habitable.

Perhaps the X-Trail’s weakest point is when it comes to driving excitement, or the lack of it. The softly-sprung suspension gives an impression of it being cushy and plush, and it is over smooth pavement. But the moment it goes over anything slightly rough, it will bob and thud its way through. What’s more, sharp-edged bumps will cause the entire car to shake and shudder, and it takes a moment to regain its composure. The light steering is a godsend in traffic jams or parking maneuvers, but it takes a bit more lock to get it into corners. It doesn’t feel particularly pointy when pushed, and even in the rare instances when it’s up for a dance, it tips and leans heavily into corners. NVH isolation is one of the X-Trail’s strong suits, with the thin glass being the only chink in that armor.



Under the hood, the X-Trail remains mechanically unchanged. It still runs on a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder motor making 171 horsepower and 233 Nm of torque. It feels sluggish off the line but picks up the pace as it gains momentum. Driven sensibly, it’s smooth but fuel economy could be better (5.40 km/L at 11 km/h, 9.35 km/L at 27 km/h). Start prodding the accelerator though and it’ll always feel like it’s a half step behind. Because of the CVT’s need to adjust its ratios, the coarseness of the engine is made obvious.

In value for money terms, the 2018 update does give the X-Trail much more equipment this time. Now, they’ve thrown everything from powered front seats to a panoramic sunroof to a hands-free powered tailgate to all sorts of driver assistive technology under the Nissan Intelligent Mobility umbrella: Blindspot Warning System with Cross Traffic Alert, Forward Collision Braking, Forward Collision Warning, and of course, the Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection. Honestly, the packaging would have been perfect if not for the lack of a more modern infotainment system with a bigger screen (no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay here) and more standard airbags (it only has, shockingly, two).



With the revised exterior styling, better standard equipment, and slew of Nissan Intelligent Mobility features, the 2018 Nissan X-Trail has become an okay choice in the crowded compact crossover segment. If it were the only one with standard seating for seven, then that would have made it a clear winner. Sadly, there are far more okay choices out there. As it stands, Nissan may have moved the X-Trail onto the right track, it’s just that its competitors have moved on even further.

Setting and breaking lap records on the Nürburgring Nordschleife has become a pissing contest of sorts for car manufacturers. Today, the development of a vehicle, especially those of the high-performance variety, isn’t complete without any sort of mention of lap times at the 22.810-kilometer circuit known as “The Green Hell.” That is, unless you’re Mazda.

GAZ Group, the leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles (CVs) in Russia has officially started selling its models locally through its official Philippine distributor, Gazelle Motors Corp. GAZ is now selling its NEXT minibus and NEXT Citiline frame bus in the country through its own dealer network.

The ASEAN New Car Assessment Program or NCAP is now including blindspot object detection as part of its safety assist technology test under its revised ASEAN NCAP 2017-2020 protocol. Blindspot technology (BST) is now a requirement to obtain points for a higher ASEAN NCAP rating and aims to reduce motorcycle fatalities across the ASEAN region.