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

When print, radio, and television were the only sources of information, this was how a person, a brand, or even a whole country was brought down. The relentless negative narratives pushed by agenda-driven personalities would ensure that all mass media was fed with the storylines crafted to shape public opinion for or against a target. In today’s age of social media, the same is true but on a magnified scale. News and information travel faster. More opinions are heard by a larger audience than ev

Disclosure: Honda Cars Philippines Inc. kindly lent me a 2023 Honda BR-V S CVT for nine days. It arrived with a full tank of gas and loaded RFID cards. The company also treated me and other motoring media to breakfast, snacks, and lunch during the BR-V media drive. AutoFun Philippines paid for additional fuel, RFID load, and a carwash. When I was in college, I owned an Isuzu Hi-Lander. Those of you old enough to remember that car would know that it was the boxy predecessor to the venerable Isuzu

If you've been itching to be one of the first people to get your hands on the all-new Honda BR-V, it's time to get your checkbooks ready. Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) announced in an October 2022 press statement that it all of its dealers are now accepting reservations for the upcoming compact seven-seater. AutoFun Philippines contacted some HCPI dealers, who said customers can put down a reservation deposit of at least PHP 5,000. The registered owner must also present at least one valid I

The first time the Nissan Grand Livina entered the Philippine market in 2008, it was a three-row hatchback based on the Nissan Tiida platform. It was ahead of its time in many ways, as it offered car-like handling and seating for seven. Typical of what crossovers provide today. As head of the marketing team of Nissan Motor Philippines, Inc (NMPI) at that time, I was tasked to find ways to slot such a strange vehicle concept into the MPV-crazy consciousness of Filipino car buyers. The 2008 Nissan

We Filipinos are practical people. Well, most of us are at least living a practical way of life. We always consider the prices of commodities and the return on investment as we value our hard-earned money. When it comes to cars, there is a specific model that has stood out in the local market for a good number of years. The Toyota Vios has been the undisputed market leader for two decades because it comes at a very affordable and reasonable price - as low as Php 681,000 for the 1.3-liter Base ma