The weather has been quite nice for the last week – some days are not too hot and not too rainy. With climate change in full swing, would things be the same next year? Only time will tell. But what hasn’t changed is your fondness for the latest models to debut here and abroad. Here are your top five favorite stories from Aug. 14 to 18, 2023, in this edition of AutoFun Philippines Rearview Roundup. Tamaraw reborn? Many of you were excited when we revealed on March 2023 that the Toyota Tamaraw wou

Last night, July 19, 2023, SAIC Motor Philippines (SMP) formally introduced itself to its dealer principals, bankers, and stakeholders as the new distributor of MG vehicles in the country. After months of speculation, SMP, the fully-owned subsidiary of SAIC Motor Corporation Limited, reportedly China’s largest car manufacturer, finally broke cover. The event officially confirmed its takeover of the MG brand and business starting today, July 20, 2023. As we reported in May, SMP replaces The Coven

Electrification has taken over the Philippines in many ways. There are battery-electric vehicles that offer near-silent, zero-emission mobility, along with truly stunning performance. And for those who don’t want to join the electric revolution quite yet, there are the mild hybrids. These pertain to cars with regular internal combustion engines that have small battery packs to assist with vehicle functions. Unlike a full hybrid, a mild hybrid cannot operate on purely electric power alone. Chery

Local automakers got a big shot in the arm after the Philippine government extended the timeframe of its ₱27-billion program to boost domestic car manufacturing. The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) announced in a May 2023 press statement that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved a five-year extension to the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) Program. PSAC is composed of business leaders and experts across six main sectoral groups: Agriculture, Digital Infrastructur

Looking at the Mitsubishi Xpander (Specs | News) nameplate’s sales performance last year, one can conclude that the entry-level multipurpose vehicle (MPV) is a sought-after brand. The MPV sold some 16,309 units last year – including its top-end Xpander Cross variants - and was number five in the country's top ten selling vehicle models. That said, Mitsubishi felt that the top end of the Xpander line (namely, the ₱1.328 million to ₱1.353 million Xpander Cross) had to be updated to remain a top-of

2022 saw the largest jump in gas prices that we’ve seen this century. Almost overnight, what was once a weekly expense of ₱500 to commute to and from work became ₱1,000 or worse. And for a time, ₱100 per liter of diesel was a real possibility. While prices came down at the start of 2023, they’re steadily going back up, so new car buyers need to take into account the permanence of the fuel prices when buying their next vehicle. To help those still wondering what to buy, here are five of the most