It’s easy to get carried away by the hype of an all-new vehicle launch. And that’s what car brands want you to feel after seeing their latest offering roll onto the stage. Let’s take the all-new Mitsubishi XForce, for example. Sure, it looks appealing, has a handsome design, and even a well-endowed feature set. But what if we said Mitsubishi ensured its latest offering had some other tricks up its sleeve for good measure? At a Mitsubishi product conference Autofun Philippines attended on the sec

The Hyundai Stargazer is undoubtedly one of the most eye-catching multi-purpose vehicles (MPV) on sale today. Launched in the Philippines on November 2022, its futuristic styling and crisp, seven-seat interior make it a prime candidate to be one of Hyundai Motor Philippines’ best-sellers. But for those who want a Stargazer with a more off-road appearance, there’s always the Stargazer X that’s launching on Aug. 10, 2023 at the GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show. And even before the offici

Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) has finally spoken about whether or not it will bring in the Honda WR-V. The WR-V is the smallest crossover that the carmaker produces for the ASEAN region and goes right up against the Toyota Raize. For now, the WR-V isn’t a priority for the Philippine market, partly because there is no left-hand-drive version available yet. “The true reason is that we are monitoring Philippine customers’ true needs,” said HCPI assistant vice president Misa Abe at the sideline

Mitsubishi Philippines is set to launch the refreshed 2023 Mitsubishi Xpander Cross this Jan. 26, 2023. The announcement comes from a recent teaser that Mitsubishi Motors Philippines released to the media, showing the silhouette of the vehicle's front fascia and the tagline “Get ready to cross the current.” While its local specifications are still unknown, we can look to other markets to guess what it might bring to the local market. What we do know is that it will go up against the likes of the

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

After dominating the segment for years, the Honda BR-V now has a worthy contender in the form of the all-new 2020 Mitsubishi Xpander. The new 7-seater B-segment SUV arrives in with its facelifted form with 1 variant to offer and is locally assembled (CKD) in Pekan. Sure enough, MMM announced recently that demand for the Xpander has far exceeded the Pekan plant’s production limit for the year 2020 and new bookings will be receiving the 2021-year model make instead. So, how does it compare against