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

To say that the Toyota Fortuner (Specs | News) has been a runaway hit for the brand in the Philippines is an understatement. But after 18 years, two generations, and many enhancements, Toyota is still not yet done with its venerable three-row SUV. The 2023 (yes, our friends from Autofun Thailand continue to call it a 2023 model) Toyota Fortuner with 224 PS and 550 Nm of torque has been unleashed in The Land of Smiles. The same engine that currently powers our Fortuner GR-S, LTD, and Q variants l

Let’s turn the clock back some five years ago. In 2018, I was 40 pounds lighter and working part-time as a motoring contributor to help me through graduate school. This was also the year that I started my racing career. 2018 was also when the cars in this list were showroom fresh. Even without the “new car smell,” which is actually a combination of chemicals from the manufacturing process, these models still have plenty of life left in them. Indeed, five years is typically the time when most com

Toyota Motor Philippines has increased the price of the Toyota Corolla Cross, and Toyota Hilux for 2023. This marks the second time Toyota has increased the pricing of the Hilux since their recent spec upgrade in August 2022. Why the price increase? The Toyota Hilux now gets local data communication modules (LDCM) connected to the car’s electronic control unit that lets the vehicle send data like fuel level, warnings, and kilometer readings to the brand’s local and regional servers. All variants

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

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