High-end European sport-utility vehicles (SUV) from Audi, Porsche, BMW and Mercedes-Benz are often found inside exclusive residential enclaves in Makati or Alabang. These luxurious leviathans are meant for families who want the ultimate creature comforts, while having supreme practicality and space. Put another way, it’s for the sort of Filipinos who wouldn’t be caught dead in a Toyota Innova. Given that these posh SUVs are so expensive, their generous ground clearance will never be troubled by

A coding-exempt pickup? Maybe, maybe not? Toyota plans to build a "mild-hybrid" version of the Toyota Hilux by adding a 48-volt system to the pickup truck. A report from Toyota Australia has confirmed that the GD mild-hybrid system is a go and that the Hilux will be the first to get the new mild-hybrid assist feature in 2024. For those who don’t know, the Philippine version of the Toyota Hilux is equipped with the 2.8-liter 1GD-FTV turbo diesel engine. The hybrid version of this engine will repo

Disclosure: SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp., the official importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines, very kindly lent me a 2022 BMW X5 xDrive30d M Sport for five days. The test car came with a half tank of diesel and loaded RFID cards. AutoFun Philippines paid for additional fuel and a car wash. The notion of “premium” has long been a source of contention in various industries and ideologies. It boils down to this – what’s the point of paying more for something that can be bought for a

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is undergoing a significant brand change as it prepares to reinvent itself for the future. The change starts with its production plants as the British automaker is shifting towards electric vehicle (EV) technology for its new generation of luxury SUVs. JLR has invested £15 billion to transition itself to the change to EV production by opening a new plant and upgrading another to meet future production demands for electrified vehicles. Also Read: Here to stay: Land Rover n

Kia Motors has just unveiled the production version of the 2024 EV9 at the Seoul Mobility Show 2023. The South Korean carmaker’s all-new flagship luxury SUV is currently the largest and most powerful EV in Kia’s lineup. And is set to make a huge impact globally as a halo model for the brand. But will the Philippines get it? “We are considering it,” says Manny Aligada, President of KP Motors Philippines, the distributors of Kia vehicles in the country. AutoFun Philippines spoke with Aligada at th

Over the past decade, an oft-repeated but rarely turned into concrete action posit of the local auto industry was a need to shift to electric and hybrid cars. The 2022 Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS) showed attendees that the shift above wasn't just idle chat. Pure battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid vehicles (HEVs) were highlights of more than one automaker at PIMS. For example, Kia's EV6 full-electric compact crossover sport utility vehicle (SUV) was front and center at the