Largely wonderful weather this last week! As the holiday season draws near, it’s been clear skies with cool, refreshing breezes that can help us lay off the air-conditioning (and, consequently, bring our sky-high electric bills down). Despite the chilliness rolling in, it’s been a hot week for one Asian carmaker – and for once, it isn’t from China! Hyundai Philippines launched two new models last week and is mulling over bringing even more. The South Korean company is among your five favorite st

Suzuki launched the latest version of the XL7 multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) in Indonesia on June 15, 2023. Similar to the Ertiga Hybrid, the XL7 Hybrid features a mild-hybrid powertrain that uses a 1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline engine. This is connected to an Integrated Starter Generator (ISG) that replaces the alternator and charges the battery. It also doubles as an electric motor that provides assistance to the vehicle when accelerating from a standing start. Meanwhile, the ba

Kia Philippines Motor Corporation (KPMC), the official importer and distributor of Kia vehicles, has announced the leadership appointment of Brian Beundia as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO) starting July 1, 2023. As a bit of history, Kia in the Philippines was relaunched in 2019 under Ayala Corporation (AC) Industrial’s automotive arm, AC Motors. It is one of the largest automotive distributors in the country, which includes global mobility brands such as Honda, Isuzu, Maxus, and Volkswage

Suzuki Philippines officially launched the 2023 Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid on Jan. 16, 2023 as its new entry into the electrification era. It was originally previewed at the 2022 Philippine International Motor Show to give fans and interested customers a taste of what they can expect from the country's first electrified multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). Now officially on the market, the 2023 Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid is the brand’s most affordable mild-hybrid vehicle, as of press time, and could be a game-chang

A lot were impressed when the 2022 version of the Toyota Avanza came to the Philippines, as the model has been enormously improved by its Japanese automaker - Toyota. However, it was noticeable that its top-of-the-line variant – Toyota Avanza Veloz wasn’t a part of the lineup. Little did we know, Toyota Motor Corporation was in the process of developing the Veloz to stand up on its nameplate. A few months later, Toyota Motor Philippines launched a more premium version of the subcompact MPV Avanz

No doubt about it, the family car can be likened to one magic carpet ride transporting a bunch load of people from point A to B in a matter of seconds. While this metaphor sounds greatly exaggerated, it’s a known fact, however, that family or commercial vehicles (CV) truly do a wonderful job not only of hauling up families on long trips but they can also become reliable work fleets for storing up supplies or other loads as well. So far, Toyota, KIA, Ford, Suzuki, and Honda are the big-name car g