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

March 18, 2015

Honda Cars Philippines Garners 100+ Reservations on All-New Odyssey

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) has announced that its new luxury MPV, the all-new 2015 Odyssey has garnered strong traction straight out of the starting block. After the official launch earlier this month, HCPI has revealed that Filipinos love the smartest MPV in the market. They love it so much that more than 100 reservations have already been made.

In celebration of BMW’s continued leadership in the premium automotive segment Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC), the exclusive importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines, will be sending lucky BMW buyers to the BMW Alpine xDrive Experience, in Queenstown, New Zealand.

This year marks the 10th season of the Lateral Drift Championship Series, which started with the goal to introduce drifting as a motorsport to Filipino enthusiasts. Since 2005, its first season, drifting in the Philippines has come a long way. Amateur and professional drifters have multiplied, cars have evolved, and the number of drifting fans is still growing continuously.

Summer is just around the corner and to make sure that your vehicle is in tip-top shape during your much awaited road-trip, Toyota will once again offer FREE 20-point safety inspection in all 45 dealerships nationwide from March 16-31. Simply bring your car at your preferred Toyota dealership and avail this service for FREE.

Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) sustains its strong sales as seen in its February performance. Based on the most recent CAMPI report, the number one automotive company in the country records a 28% increase versus the company’s figures from the same period of last year. Moreover, this is TMP’s highest February sales to date at 8,870 units. With a market share of 42.9%, TMP continues to uphold its lead amongst other makes.

Knowing how much Filipinos love road trips during summer, Columbian Autocar Corporation (CAC), exclusive distributor of Kia Motors vehicles in the Philippines, offers Kia Sorento, Kia Rio, and Kia Picanto at significantly discounted prices.

Review: 2015 Toyota 86 M/T

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Out of the box, the Toyota 86 feels like a champ. Yes, there are some people who grumbled that it needs a hundred horsepower more, but consider that the extreme minority. For everyone else, the love affair with the 86 is not found in its straight-line tarmac tearing ability, but in its astute handling. By and large, it’s one of the purest and unadulterated sports cars on the planet. It sticks to the right stuff: lightweight, low center of gravity, engine in front and drive wheels at the back. Show it a tight, hairpin-filled road and it will pretty much oblige while putting a smile on your face.

Mitsubishi Kicks Off Summer with Summer Expo on March 20-22 at SM Mall of Asia

Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) invites everyone to kick-off the summer in a fun and unique way by visiting the Mitsubishi Summer Expo. From March 20 to 22, 2015, MMPC will be holding a Summer Expo at the Block 22 of SM Mall of Asia (in front of One Esplanade).

Ford Motor Company has been named to Ethisphere Institute’s 2015 list of World’s Most Ethical Companies.

The honor comes at a time in which the way a company conducts its business is viewed as every bit as important as the products and services it provides, new research shows.

Sheldon Chua bested the field while the usual top-runners struggled with mechanical issues at the 2nd leg of the 2015 National Drag Racing Championship (NDRC) Southern Series, held at the Batangas Racing Circuit last March 7.

Foton Thunder Takes on Off-Road Challenge

After the announcement of the 5-year warranty for the Foton Thunder Pick-up, Foton Philippines continues to surprise with even more exciting things.

Aiming to showcase the powerful and reliable Cummins engine of the Foton Thunder 4x4 Pick-up, Foton Philippines will stage its first ever Thunder 4x4 Outdoor Action Event on March 20-21 at the Parking 4, NE Pacific Mall, Cabanatuan City. The event will start at 10 am and will end at 6 pm.

Volvo continues to offer a spectrum of rewarding experiences for its valued clients as it ushers in the summer with its Key to a Gourmet Experience. From today to May 31, 2015, Volvo car owners get 50% off on buffet dining at Spectrum at the Fairmont Makati just by presenting their Volvo car key.

Sixteen year old Slalom and Circuit racer champion Patrick Oliver “Polo” Bautista recently joined Team Carmudi to race at the 2015 Flat Out Race Series (FORS).

The municipal police in San Pascual, Batangas has reinforced its e-blotter system recently with the use of computers and printers donated by Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI), marketer of the Caltex fuel and lubricants, and Chevron Holdings Inc. (CHI), a pioneer multi-functional shared services center, in partnership with the American Chamber Foundation Philippines Inc. (AmCham Foundation).

Your Awesome Nissan Pick-Up Truck Timeline is Here

With the launch of the NP300 Navara, Nissan is capping off 80 years of pick-up truck expertise which can be traced to the time when they were still called ‘Datsun’. If you want to brush up Nissan pick-up truck history for a bit, hit the photo (after the break) and download the awesome timeline.

To help its customers get ready for long road trips during the coming Lenten season and summer months, Ford Philippines and its nationwide network of dealerships has launched its new service campaign, “Ready For The Long Drive”.

Photos by Ulysses Ang

The CR-V was once regarded as the default crossover of choice. When it comes to buying a crossover blindly, the girlfriend, the wife, or the daughter would look at the CR-V and nothing else. Well, it seems Pinoys are a fleeting bunch and the zeitgeist has move on. Today, buyers favor crossovers that provide a particular trait (sporty driving, fuel economy, cavernous space) as opposed to being a master of none. And although mid-cycle refreshes can’t do much to fundamentally change a car’s characteristics, Honda has done all they can with the 2015 CR-V. It behaves pretty much as it ever has, but at least it’s got much more kit to keep up with the Joneses.

Ford Focus RS Goes Global, Packs 320-Horsepower EcoBoost Engine and All-Wheel Drive

Ford enters the hot hatch foray with its Focus RS which has been officially shown at the Geneva Motor Show. The highest performing variant of their compact hatchback, the Focus RS slots above the Focus ST and is part of the Blue Oval’s plan to deliver 12 new vehicles (including the Ford GT) under the Ford Performance brand by the year 2020. The all-new Focus RS gets a 2.3-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder engine and all-wheel drive for the very first time.

Maserati showed off its collaborative effort with the maison of Trivero, Ermenegildo Zegna at the Geneva Motor Show. Available starting later this year, the Ermenegildo Zegna editions of the Maserati Ghibli and Quattroporte models carry new exterior and interior elements and will be offered as an option.

The Ford Fiesta R2 is the Perfect Grass Roots Rally Car

Fancy doing some sideways dirt rallying action in a Ford Fiesta EcoBoost? And we’re not talking about the purpose-built WRC car here; we’re talking about the 1.0-liter EcoBoost. Well, your wish has just been fulfilled as Ford Motor Company announced that its 1.0-liter 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine equipped Fiesta has just been homologated by the FIA in the R2 rally class.

Goodyear rolled out two concept tires at the Geneva Motor Show which the company says will radically change the role of tires in the cars of the future. Though they are purely concepts at this point, Goodyear says they may play a role in developing practical innovations in the near future.

Philippine Car Price Guide: March 2015

Normally, you’ll expect our monthly price guide to appear on the 15th or thereabouts. This time around, we’ve made an exception because we finally have the most-awaited pricing info of all: the 2015 Mitsubishi Strada. Of course, we also have the brochure in a separate link right here.

The Strada though isn’t the only new entrant in this month’s update. We finally were able to update the following:

Audi
BMW
Geely
Haima
Honda Odyssey
JAC
Jeep
Jinbei
JMC
King Long
Mercedes-Benz
MINI
Porsche
RAM
Volkswagen Golf GTI

We also implemented a new format to make sure it’s more mobile phone friendly. Hope you like it!

UPDATE 1: The all-new 2015 Strada has officially launched! (3/20).

We’ll just leave this here for you even the official launch is still on March 19. Happy weekend.

Video: Ford Drifts 2015 Mustang in China

How do you celebrate the 2015 Ford Mustang’s arrival in China? Send drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. to drift it around the streets of Ordos in Inner Mongolia. Happy weekend.

Video after the break.

Honda just turned bat shit crazy and pulled the curtains off their most insane car yet: the 2015 Civic Type-R. After a long five-year wait, Honda’s hot hatch has returned (at least in Europe) packing a 310-horsepower engine driving the front wheels. The front wheels. Oh, the insanity.

Caltex’s latest boroscope test in Asia, conducted throughout 2013, has revealed the harmful effects that lower quality gasoline have on motor engines, while highlighting the cleaning proposition that Caltex with Techron offers as the ideal solution for motorists. The boroscope test utilized a specially designed camera to examine the interior of a vehicle’s fuel system to inspect the cleanliness of critical engine parts.

Ford Philippines today announced its best-ever February performance with retail sales rising 38 percent year-over-year to 1,759 units, led by the EcoSport, Ranger, Explorer and Fiesta nameplates.

A Gem of a (STI) Gallery

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Should you find yourself with a free day in Tokyo, try one of Tokyo’s little-known gems for car aficionados and Subaru enthusiasts – the STI Gallery. Located just 30 minutes away by train from Tokyo, the STI Gallery is part of the Tokyo Subaru/Car Do, a super Subaru dealership which houses the head office in Tokyo as well as the products and activities of the Subaru racing unit in Mitaka.

Honda Launches Smaller but Smarter 2015 Odyssey MPV (w/ Specs)

Bigger isn’t necessarily better; what counts is the smarts. It’s a trend you see everywhere from toys to gadgets to houses. Now that trend has entered the automotive market, and in a segment you least expect: the premium MPV. In a world where gargantuan people carriers rule, Honda Cars Philippines is taking a bold, new direction; one that takes it to an undiscovered country. And there’s no better ride to take you there than the all-new Odyssey.

Ford Philippines officially introduces its partnership with triathlon team, Ford Forza.Triathlon is a versatile multi-stage sport that tests athletes in the form of swimming, cycling and running. The Ford Forza partnership showcases the personality and lifestyle match of the Ford vehicles with the fast-growing multi-sport.

BPI Auto Madness, the most awaited car selling event of BPI Family Auto Loan, provides you irresistible car offers wherever you are 24/7; making it convenient and affordable for you to own that brand new car you have been dreaming to have! This mad car sale kicks off this March 1 at www.bpiautomadness.com and runs simultaneous in several shopping mall venues all throughout the country until March 31.

Review: 2015 Peugeot 208 GTi

Photos by Ulysses Ang

Even if regular Filipinos didn’t exactly connect with its naughty heritage, Peugeot’s been rolling out the memory of its legendary 205 GTi in marketing its hot hatch offering, the 208 GTi. Keen to trade on the sex appeal of the legendary badge, the latest GTi keeps close to its namesake by offering a genuine fun-to-drive experience without compromising the broad requirements of an everyday driver. Indeed, it’s the automotive equivalent of Christian Grey: a straight-forward boardroom guy by day, a crazy sex machine at night. And if you find yourself behind the wheel of one, you’re definitely playing Ana Steele. Laters baby.

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