Minute dimensions, generous ground clearance, and no clutch pedal. These three ingredients form the recipe for sales success in the Philippines. And no car has done it quite as well thus far as the Toyota Raize subcompact crossover. But the little Toyota faces stiff competition from the Chinese carmaker that’s always full of surprises – the new Geely GX3 Pro is priced close to the Raize E CVT, while offering more generous equipment levels. Let’s pit these two in a Spec Showdown to see which come

When Suzuki Philippines first launched the Suzuki S-Presso in the country, It knew that the small hatchback would be a hit thanks to its affordable pricing and sensible features. However, there was just one flaw with the vehicle that many would-be customers found to be a deal breaker in some instances – the S-Presso did not come with an automatic transmission. Fast forward to 2023 and Suzuki has finally brought in a new S-Presso variant with its Auto Gear Shift (AGS) transmission. The gearbox is

It looks like Suzuki Auto Philippines isn’t done electrifying its lineup. An anonymous source from the Japanese carmaker initmated at the Jan. 16, 2023 launch of the Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid that the company is evaluating plans to bring in a mild-hybrid version of the Suzuki XL7. However, it did not mention a launch date or final specifications. The Ertiga and the XL7 are almost identical, with the latter sporting a more off-roader aesthetic. The XL7 gets a massive front grill and generous amounts o

Buying an electrified vehicle is going to be a whole lot easier, at least in Indonesia. Our friends from AutoFun Indonesia reported that the Indonesian government is finalizing a host of financial incentives for people looking to buy a hybrid-electric or fully electric vehicle (EV). As of press time, an estimated 80 million rupiah (₱283,000) discount may be given to full EV buyers, while hybrid owners may get 40 million (₱141,000) rupiah off. However, these will only be offered to models that ar

The MG RX5 is one of the brand's entries in the Philippine compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) theater of operations. Even after four years of its presence, it still has a steep hill to climb to be on par with the more established nameplates. This is despite its relatively low admissions price (Php 1,058,888 to PHP1,228,888), two transmission options (a six-speed stick shift and a seven-speed dual-clutch slushbox), and Apple CarPlay-ready infotainment system. Not helping matters is its direct co

These past few weeks, I have been given the opportunity to catch up with my college friends at BGC. Then when we were about to part ways and head home, I found out that one of my friends, Jovie, still drives that car she used when we were still in college. I was amazed at how long she managed to keep it working perfectly fine. It was a Ford Fiesta, by the way. I was surprised because I was already aware that the Ford Fiesta is no longer available in the Philippines. Though, I am not aware that t