When you think of accessorizing, the Isuzu D-Max rarely makes it on top of most project car lists. Though it’s been proven to look great with the Boondock Edition, most would consider other pickup trucks as their starting point. It’s for this reason that Isuzu UK has come up with this one-of-a-kind D-Max: to show the pickup’s aftermarket potential. Meet the Isuzu D-Max GO2.

One of Isuzu Philippines Corporation’s dealer groups, INTECO (Industrial & Transport Equipment Inc), has been in the forefront of the automotive industry’s all-out efforts to assist the country’s front liners in the medical, hospital, armed forces and essential industries in their fight to halt the further spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines.

To create a world-class car, you need a team that knows the world. With the Coolray, the result is a global collaboration between teams of designers and engineers.

Fifty-three years ago, three letters came together to become synonymous with the ultimate in Mercedes-Benz driving performance: AMG. Those letters, and the company it represents today is world-renowned for supreme automotive performance, exclusivity, and highly dynamic driving pleasure.

With the multitude of driver assist technologies like blind spot warning and lane keep assist, the question now beckons: which tech actually prevents accidents?

This year, Peugeot is celebrating a decade of the i-Cockpit—one of the French carmaker’s most distinct design features that’s been standard on all their cars since the first-generation 208.

After 27 years and four generations, Lexus is bidding adieu to its sporty GS sedan this August. And with Toyota’s announcement of the model’s discontinuation, they’re sending it off in style with this special “Eternal Touring” edition.

Secretary Ramon Lopez of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has formally responded to the request by the Philippine Automotive Dealers Association (PADA). Unfortunately for PADA, the DTI is not allowing them to re-open.

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) has lent out 15 cars to medical front liners who are battling the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

HCPI provided various models of the cars comprising of the City, Brio, Jazz, Mobilio, BR-V, HR-V, and CR-V models, to doctors and nurses of various hospitals including: the New Sinai MDI Hospital in Tagapo, Santa Rosa, Laguna; The Medical City South Luzon in Santa Rosa, Laguna; Unihealth-Southwoods Hospital and Medical Center in Biñan, Laguna; Westlake Medical Center in San Pedro, Laguna; and, the Carmona Hospital and Medical Center in Carmona, Cavite.

Honda will be providing each car with free gasoline good for one month.

Because everyone’s dreaming of road trips during this Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), Mazda Philippines is holding a Facebook contest to recall your fondest Mazda memories.

Sharing your Mazda story will be treated to a dinner for two at Escala Tagaytay once the quarantine is lifted. This is open to anyone who follows the Mazda Philippines Facebook page, resides in Luzon, and with a valid driver’s license.

See the full mechanics below:

• The contest is open to any Facebook user who follows the Mazda Philippines page (you do not need to own a Mazda), resides in Luzon, Philippines, and with a valid driver’s license.
• For 10 weeks (on April 24th and every Wednesday beginning April 29) at 12 noon, Mazda Philippines’s Facebook page will post a contest, guiding participants to share their Mazda story. Qualified contestants can submit their answers via the post’s comment section.
• Mazda Philippines will select a winner by Monday 6 PM of the following week. The winner will be announced through a Facebook post on the same day, and the page will reply to their comment for next instructions.

Auto dealers and auto service centers will be allowed to open in areas covered by the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) which will take effect in certain provinces starting May 1.

The announcement is part of Malacañang’s revised measures against COVID-19. Under the guidelines of GCQ, businesses catering to manufacturing, electronics and exports, e-commerce, and delivery for essential and non-essential items, repair and maintenance services, housing, and office services may open in a 50 percent capacity (up to 100 percent if social distancing measures are met). Meanwhile, auto sales (part of retail trade) can resume, but only in a 50 percent capacity.

That said, people aged 0-20 years old, and those above 60 years old are still not allowed to go out, as are people with high-risk factors such as lung and heart disease and diabetes.

The General Community Quarantine will take effect starting May 1 in the following areas:

• Abra
• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Aklan
• Apayao
• Aurora
• Basilan
• Batanes
• Biliran
• Bohol
• Bukidnon
• Cagayan
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Camiguin
• Capiz
• Davao del Sur
• Davao Occidental
• Davao Oriental
• Dinagat Island
• Eastern Samar
• Guimaras
• Ifugao
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• Isabela
• Kalinga
• La Union
• Lanao del Norte
• Lanao del Sur
• Leyte
• Maguindanao
• Marinduque
• Masbate
• Misamis Occidental
• Misamis Oriental
• Mountain Province
• Negros Occidental
• Negros Oriental
• North Cotabato
• Northern Samar
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Palawan
• Quirino
• Romblon
• Samar
• Sarangani
• Siquijor
• Sorsogon
• South Cotabato
• Southern Leyte
• Sultan Kudarat
• Sulu
• Surigao del Norte
• Surigao del Sur
• Western Samar
• Zamboanga del Norte
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Zamboanga Sibugay

Customers who are part of areas covered by General Community Quarantine should contact their respective dealerships / service centers on May 1 as to their revised operating hours/conditions.

Areas including Metro Manila though will continue to be under the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) until May 15.

With Chevrolet completely discontinuing production in Thailand, the question now is where will Chevy Philippines source their vehicles? Well, North America is the safe bet for high-value vehicles such as the Camaro, Corvette, Tahoe, and Suburban; but what about more mainstream ones?

Well, China looks like a safe bet. Chevrolet has a joint-venture there with SAIC (yes, the same group responsible for MG), and one of their newest products is this: the mid-sized Blazer SUV.

With an overall length of 4,999 mm, a width of 1,953 mm, and a height of 1,736 mm, the 7-seater Blazer seems like a shoo-in in the mid-sized SUV segment replacing the aging Trailblazer. Unlike the Trailblazer though, the Blazer isn’t a pickup-based SUV but rather a unibody crossover.



The Blazer adopts the newest Chevrolet design cues such as the dual-port X-shaped grille, sharp-split LED headlights, and Y-shaped LED taillights.

The same “sportscar-inspired” styling continues inside with the “flying-wing” dual cockpit design, 8-inch LCD digital gauges, and 10-inch floating center touchscreen. And like most SUVs in China, it has a large panoramic sunroof that measures over one square-meter in size.

Powering the Blazer is a turbocharged 2.0-liter Ecotec engine making 236 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque. Mated to a 9-speed automatic with idle start/stop tech, Chevrolet says it goes from 0-100 km/h in 9 seconds, while just sipping just 13.51 km/L.



An available all-wheel drive system can switch between front- to all-wheel drive in as little as 0.12 seconds, while also being able to split torque between left and right wheels.

If Chevrolet Philippines does decide to bring in the Blazer to replace the Trailblazer, expect it to retail at roughly the same price: P 1.86-million to P 2.36-million.

While Subaru’s been busy making their Forester more mainstream (i.e. boring), Hyundai is heading in the opposite direction. Aside from giving their Tucson the N Line treatment, the Korean carmaker is gearing up for a Kona N.

At this point, Hyundai hasn’t revealed solid details about the Kona N, but several prototype mules have been spotted running around not just at its namesake, the Nürburgring racetrack, but at snow-packed test circuits as well. With that, it’s likely this high-performance variant of the Kona will pack all-wheel drive.

As for the powertrain, speculations have been running wild to include a new 2.5-liter Theta III Smartstream engine putting out 300 horsepower. However, at this point sharing the Veloster N’s 250-horsepower 2.0-liter unit seems like a safer bet.

Additional grunt aside, the Kona N will carry beefier brakes and larger wheels.

The Kona N also looks to paint the sub-compact crossover’s trademark cladding in body color while also sprouting a larger rear spoiler. Exposed dual exhaust will complete the changes outside.

With the prototypes looking to be close to production ready, the Kona N is expected to bow sometime late this year as a 2021 model.

It won’t hurt your ears and doesn’t use a drop of fuel, but it’s projected to crush the quarter-mile in the low-8-second range at more than 273 km/h. For the first time ever, Ford Performance introduces a one-off Mustang Cobra Jet factory drag racer with all-electric propulsion.

The battery-powered Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 prototype is purpose-built and projected to deliver over 1,400 horsepower and over 1,491 Nm of instant torque to demonstrate the capabilities of an electric powertrain in one of the most demanding race environments.


Following the debut of the all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E SUV, the Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 prototype represents another opportunity to advance its performance while simultaneously incorporating some of the technology coming to Ford’s future powertrains.

Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 also honors the original Cobra Jet that first dominated drag strips in the late 1960s and still is a major force in sportsman drag racing today.

Ford Performance continues to test Cobra Jet 1400 ahead of its world debut later this year at a drag racing event where fans, media and competitors alike will get to meet the race car, as well as see exactly what it’s capable of up on the asphalt.

It’s official: the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) is being extended once more to May 15, 2020. In a televised address, President Rodrigo Duterte says the ECQ will remain up over Metro Manila until the middle of May, and the ECQ coverage will be expanded as well.

Aside from Metro Manila, ECQ will now cover the following areas:

• Benguet
• Pangasinan
• Bataan
• Bulacan
• Nueva Ecija
• Pampanga
• Tarlac
• Zambales
• Batangas
• Laguna
• Cavite
• Rizal
• Quezon
• Albay
• Mindoro (Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro)
• Catanduanes

The rest of the country will be placed under general quarantine starting May 1, meaning people are allowed to go out of their homes for as long as social distancing requirements are met, and public transportation will resume at a reduced capacity.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases recommended the extension to the President after experts warned that lifting restrictions too soon could spark a second wave of infections.

The May 15 lifting target is the second extension.

Porsche is now giving owners of older models the chance to jump onto the Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay bandwagon with these special 1- or 2-DIN infotainment systems from Porsche Classic.

Now available for order through the Porsche Centre or the Porsche Classic online shop, the Porsche Classic Communication Management (PCCM) fist into the 1-DIN slot which was standard in sportscars for many decades. The PCCM is operated via two rotary knobs, six integrated buttons and a touch-sensitive 3.5-inch display.

It’s made to blend into the dashboard of classic Porsche cars, especially in the way the knobs are designed and finished. The German sportscar maker says the PCCM is suitable for 911 models of the 1960s to the last 911 with air cooling—the 993. Use in earlier front- and mid-engine models is also possible.


Aside from giving it Apple CarPlay, the PCCM also adds digital radio (DAB+), Bluetooth, USB, and SD Card inputs as well.

Meanwhile for 911 models and Boxster models from the 1990s onwards can also upgrade their original Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system to the Porsche Classic Communication Management Plus (PCCM Plus) system. This system not only adds Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but it also swaps the screen to a high-res 7-inch touchscreen display while still supporting navigation/audio track display on the instrument cluster.

Porsche says installation can be done DIY, but they do recommend a Porsche Centre do it for the owner. Prices don’t come cheap though with the 1-DIN PCCM at 1,439.89 Euros (P 78,617.36~) and the PCCM Plus going up to 1,606.51 Euros (P 87,714.74~).

After a canceled launch at the 2020 Geneva International Motor Show, Toyota is now unveiling its all-new Yaris Cross—an urban-centric crossover tailor-made to suit the city, but with still enough credentials to call it a true SUV.

Underpinned by Toyota’s new GA-B platform, the Yaris Cross features a “big small” design that also characterizes its sibling, the Yaris hatchback. Competing in the B-segment along with the Nissan Juke and the Ford Puma (no, not the Ford EcoSport), the Yaris Cross features the same wheelbase as the all-new Yaris but is 240 mm longer with a 30 mm taller ground clearance. It will slot below the C-HR and RAV4 in terms of exterior size and positioning.



Europe is highlighting the use of their fourth-generation hybrid in the Yaris Cross. Displacing 1.5-liters, this 3-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine puts out 116 horsepower driving either the front- or four wheels. Meanwhile, for the Japanese market, it’ll still have a non-hybrid version. This Dynamic Force 1.5-liter 3-cylinder will be solely available in front-wheel drive, and comes with a choice between a 6-speed manual or CVT.

The simple, spacious interior comes with all sorts of storage solutions adding to the Yaris Cross’s practicality and versatility. This includes a power tailgate, a split-adjustable cargo floor, and a rear seat with a 40/20/40 split-fold.



The foundation of the Yaris Cross’s safety performance is its GA-B platform, giving the car an exceptionally rigid body. With the intention of meeting the highest and most rigorous independent test standards, it will further benefit from Toyota Safety Sense active safety systems and advanced driver assistance functions as well.

The Yaris Cross will be manufactured at Toyota Motor East Japan Co., Ltd. for the Japan market, and at Toyota Motor Manufacturing France for the European market.

The 2020 Hyundai Palisade has now received the highest possible overall safety rating from the U.S.-based National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Under the New Car Assessment Program or NCAP, both the front- and all-wheel drive versions of the Palisade earned the maximum five-star scores for safety in frontal and side crash evaluations.

This is on top of the Palisade receiving a 2020 Top Safety Pick from the U.S.-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) when equipped with the LED headlights.

The Palisade strategically uses Hyundai’s Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS) to greatly increase structure strength without the weight penalties or excessive cost of more exotic lightweight materials such as aluminum.

Hyundai says the Palisade is not only formed from 59 percent high-strength steel—versus just 25 percent for the new Explorer—but uses 19 hot-stamped components that reduce weight by requiring less metal overall. Moreover, the structure is optimized in a way that produces a safety cage for side and roof protection, as well as critical small overlap front crash testing.

The Palisade is available on an indent order basis in the Philippines with a price of P 3.240-million.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has confirmed that Jeep Philippines will now start sourcing some of its products from Mainland China. This makes the Philippines the first overseas market for FCA’s Chinese operations.

Land Rover unveiled its newest engine, and it’s one that you’re not expecting: a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine. This becomes the cornerstone in Land Rover’s first-ever Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV) in the form of the Range Rover Evoque P300E and Discovery Sport P300E.

The low friction, lightweight engine is joined by an electric rear axle motor giving it a total of 309 horsepower and 540 Nm of torque (the internal combustion engine alone delivers 200 horsepower). Together with a 15-kWh lithium-ion battery, it can run solely on electric power by up to 66 kilometers and return 71.42 km/L.

According to Land Rover, the Range Rover Evoque goes from 0-100 km/h in 6.1 seconds, while for the Discovery Sport, the figure stands at 6.6 seconds. In both cases, it can use electric power at speeds up to 135 km/h.

For those who still go off-road, these PHEVs are designed to take some punishment. With new Premium Transverse Architecture designed to accommodate a plug-in variant from the get-go, the battery is protected by a 6-mm steel under tray. Furthermore, it’s packaged beneath the cabin floor without compromising interior space.

The placement even improves dynamics, lowering its center of gravity by 6 percent and further optimizing the front-rear weight distribution.

The engine is mated to a new 8-speed automatic. Not only is it lighter than the 9-speed gearbox used in other models, but it’s specifically designed to match the PHEV’s power and torque delivery.

With almost every carmaker saying that their future business relies on CASE or Connected Autonomous Shared and Electric, a new survey just released by J.D. Power says carmakers may want to dial back on those mobility dreams. Why? Buyers may not want them anymore.

The 2020 Q1 J.D. Power Mobility Confidence Index Study points out that for the first time, consumer confidence on self-driving and battery-electric vehicles have dropped.

The quarterly study is the pulse of market readiness and acceptance for self-driving and battery-electric vehicles, as seen through the eyes of consumers and industry experts. The 2020 Q1 study includes insights from the United States and Canada where more than 8,000 consumers and industry experts gave their opinions about self-driving vehicles and battery electric vehicles.

“Frankly, we’re concerned for automakers,” said Kristin Kolodge, executive director of driver interaction & human machine interface research at J.D. Power. “They’re pushing forward with technology that consumers seem to have little interest in. Nor are they making the strides needed to change people’s minds. Especially now, automakers need to reevaluate where they’re spending money. They are investing billions in these technologies but they need to also invest in educating consumers. Lack of knowledge is a huge roadblock for future adoption.”

When it comes to self-driving vehicles, J.D. Power finds that majority of respondents (67 percent in the U.S., 75 percent in Canada) don’t believe the technology or society is ready. With the slow rollout of technology from automakers, predictions for when self-driving vehicles have gone up to 18 years—five years later than the last Mobility Confidence Index Study. Respondents also fear in creating “a lazy society dependent on technology and with diminished driving skills.”

J.D. Power also says that the COVID-19 pandemic may steer people away from the notion of shared transportation and more towards private vehicle ownership once more to minimize physical contact. Having said that, driverless delivery vehicles may gain a higher level of acceptance.

When it comes to battery-electric vehicles, consumer confidence is still fairly low with respondents (70 percent in the U.S., and 67 percent in Canada) showing concern regarding long-term usage, cost of ownership, and overall environmental impact. Surprisingly, previous ownership of EVs don’t guarantee future purchases. Among respondents who’ve owned a battery electric vehicle, around 30 percent of them won’t buy again due to high maintenance costs, purchase price, limited range, and performance in extreme weather.

The J.D. Power survey also notes that the same three barriers to the acceptance of battery-electric vehicles—charging station availability, driving range, and purchase price—remain. These were the very same barriers in 1997. It shows that 23 years on, consumer perceptions haven’t budged. Even those who have owned a battery-electric vehicle previously have these items as their top 3 barriers.

One of the car launches greatly affected by the Enhanced Community Quarantine is this: the Geely Azkarra. Supposed to have launched at the Manila International Auto Show (MIAS), local distributor Sojitz G Auto Philippines instead had to press pause to all activities surrounding its compact SUV.

Still, before the ECQ, Geely was able to reveal some of the Azkarra’s vital statistics—there will be two variants, a 4x2 Premium that costs P 1.438 million, and a 4x4 Luxury that bumps up the price to P 1.598 million. Both share the same engine with the Coolray—a turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine with 177 horsepower and 255 Nm of torque, though the 4x4 Luxury adds a mild-hybrid system that bumps up the figures to 190 horsepower and 300 Nm of torque. It also comes with an N95-certified air filtration system perfect in this COVID-19 world, too.

The rest of the Azkarra’s details—specs, features, and the like were supposed to come out at MIAS. But with the official launch scuttled, those juicy bits remained a mystery, until now. Sojitz G was kind enough to give us a full copy of the Azkarra’s feature set, including the full brochure if you scroll below:

2020 Geely Azkarra Premium (Luxury) Specifications:

• Engine: 1.5 DOHC, turbocharged, 3-cylinder (1.5 DOHC, turbocharged, 3-cylinder w/ 48V EMS)
• Fuel: Gasoline
• Displacement: 1,477 cc
• Transmission: 6-speed AT (7-speed wet-type Dual Clutch)
• Drivetrain: 2WD (4WD)
• Horsepower: 177 PS @ 5,500 rpm (190 PS @ 5,500 rpm)
• Torque: 255 Nm @ 1,600-4,000 rpm (300 Nm @ 1,500-4,000 rpm)
• Drive Mode Selector: With
• Overall Length: 4,544 mm
• Overall Width: 1,831 mm
• Overall Height: 1,713 mm
• Wheelbase: 2,670 mm
• Front Suspension: Independent, MacPherson Strut
• Rear Suspension: Independent, Multi-Link
• Power Steering: Electric, w/ 3 Modes
• Adjustment: Tilt & Telescopic
• Audio Controls: With
• Cruise Control: With
• Parking Brake: Electric, w/ Auto Brake Hold
• Front Brakes: Ventilated, Disc
• Rear Brakes: Disc
• Brake Assist: With
• Tires: 225/60 R 18
• Airbags: 6
• Electric Stability Control: With
• Traction Control: With
• Hill Start Assist: With
• Hill Descent Control: With
• Rear Spoiler: With
• Headlights: Full LED w/ Daytime Running Lights
• Outer Door Handles: Body-colored with Chrome Accents
• Sideview Mirrors: Power Fold with Puddle Lamps, Side Turn Signals
• Antenna: Shark’s Fin
• Seating: PVC (Nappa Leather)
• Driver’s Seat: 6-Way, Power Adjust
• Passenger Seat: 4-Way, Manual
• Rear Seats: 60/40 w/ Two-Position Recline
• Wireless Charging: No (With)
• Console Storage: with Cooling
• Climate Control: Dual Zone w/ Rear Vents
• Infotainment System: 12.3-inch, 720P w/Phone Integration
• Speakers: 8
• Parking Sensors: Front & Rear, w/ 360 Camera

If you’ve been to Japan before all this COVID-19 business, you would have noticed this quirky Toyota taxi, particularly around Tokyo.

Called the JPN Taxi, it’s a specialized Toyota model that would have served tourists for the 2020 Olympics. With the Olympics now postponed, the JPN Taxi is doing a different job now: transporting COVID-19 patients.


Like Honda’s move with their Odyssey MPV, Toyota has quickly transformed a fleet of its JPN Taxi to safely transport COVID-19 patients while preventing any potential spread of infection to the driver. A plastic partition has been installed between the front and rear seats, while the climate control has been re-engineered for a one-way air flow from the front to the rear seats.

So far, Toyota has re-configured five of their JPN Taxi units to serve hospitals around the Chiba prefecture.