Toyota’s plans to slowly electrify its model lineup are coming together with more information about the possible specifications for the upcoming Toyota Fortuner hybrid being released. Reports have indicated that the Fortuner hybrid will still use its 2.8-liter turbodiesel engine, but will be combined with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. It won't be considered a full-hybrid vehicle, unlike the Toyota Corolla Cross and Toyota Yaris Cross. Note that Toyota has not yet released any official specificat

Disclosure: Astara Philippines, the official importer and distributor of GAC Motor in the Philippines, took us on a two-day media drive with the all-new 2024 GAC GS8 4WD. The company paid for all our meals and accommodation. GAC Motor Philippines invited us to go on a media drive to test out the all-new 2024 GAC GS8 4WD in the mountains of Tanay. The new variant of the sport-utility vehicle (SUV), which was launched on August 2023, delivers the same luxury and comfort as its front-wheel-drive co

At some point or another, during your elementary and high school days, there was one student who always got a big chunk of the achievement awards. In a similar vein (albeit in the Philippine auto industry setting), that student is Toyota Motor Philippines. According to information gleaned from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (CAMPI), which is the largest automotive group in the country, Toyota once again dominated in 2022 by having eight of the top 10 models and nine o

With more than 10,000 examples on Philippine roads, the Ford Territory can be considered a runaway hit. Ford took a risk to launch the compact crossover in the middle of a pandemic two years ago. People have learned to adapt to the new normal, and they’ve held their finances in anticipation of Covid-19 exposure. But the Ford Territory has proven itself a value proposition too good to ignore. We recently got behind the wheel of a Territory Titanium+, the sole remaining variant now sold in Ford sh

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

The Toyota Fortuner is essentially a 7-seater SUV version of the Toyota Hilux. It’s mechanically identical as the Hilux, sharing the same ladder frame chassis as well as the 2.4-litre intercooled VNT turbo diesel and 6-speed automatic transmission. Of course, the Fortuner also has a 2.7-litre naturally aspirated petrol-powered variant, but it’s a rather weak engine and that’s not the one that you want. Like the Hilux, the Toyota Fortuner also comes with A-TRC. Short for Active Traction Control,