The weather has been funny this past week. Although the smog (supposedly a tantalizing cocktail of volcanic ash and vehicle emissions) seems to have subsided somewhat, each day mixes searing heat with pouring rain. Assuming none of you have gotten a cold by now, here are your five favorite stories from September 25 to October 1, 2023. This is the AutoFun Philippines Rearview Roundup! Chery’s EV trio From being the whipping boy of Chinese car hate locally, Chery Auto Philippines has now become on

Simulator racing (sim racing for short) has grown immensely in popularity, especially when the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 meant trackdays and races were temporarily shuttered. Among the biggest sim racing organizers is Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP), which has extended the success of its long-running Toyota GAZOO Racing Vios Cup one-make series into the digital world. TMP announced in a June 2023 press statement that it will broadcast Round 1 of the Toyota GAZOO Racing Gran Turismo (TGR GT) Cup

Disclaimer: Honda Cars Philippines Inc. very kindly lent me a 2022 Honda HR-V V Turbo for one week full of fuel and RFID cards with enough load for a trip to the moon and back. AutoFun Philippines paid for a car wash and some fuel for the trip back to the HCPI plant in Santa Rosa, Laguna. “Nahulog ata sa likod ng kotse yung earphones ko nung nag-drifting.” [Translation: My earphones might have fallen in the back seat when we went drifting.] So was the rather harried message that I got from my de

Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) is banking heavily on the all-new Honda BR-V to deliver a four-fold increase in market share in 2023. The carmaker announced in a Nov. 21, 2022 press conference following the launch of the BR-V that it is looking to capture 20 percent of the small sport-utility vehicle (SUV) segment next year. “The current market share for the BR-V, we have five percent of the small SUV segment,” said HCPI general manager for sales Louie Soriano. “Remember, we were the first on

Toyota Motor Thailand has just launched what is believed to be the 2023 Toyota Vios this morning. Actually, this model is known as the 2023 Toyota Yaris Ativ in Thailand. While it was originally thought that the Toyota Vios and the Yaris Ativ will remain two distinct models, it is now confirmed that Toyota Thailand will cease production of the former. Underpinned by the same Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) platform also found in the Toyota Raize, Avanza and Veloz, the Yaris Ativ will cov

When we see a good-looking car on the road, a head-turner that seems splendid, we may think that it doesn’t come with flaws. We are attracted to the physical looks of the car to the extent of forgetting that, just like any vehicle, it comes with disadvantages. The Honda HR-V is undeniably a good-looking car ever since, especially now. But does its gorgeous exterior a manifestation of its totality? Pros It has evolved into a more gorgeous-looking car. Throughout the years, Honda HR-V has always b