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

Happy Easter, everyone! Christians rejoice worldwide at the new beginning brought about by the culmination of the Holy Week. For us, we're just looking forward to the Manila International Auto Show happening just a few days away. But first, let’s look back at the stories that tickled your fancy in the last seven days. And you read them here first on AutoFun Philippines! More Civic Type Rs coming Despite the recent seat railing recall in the US market, and Honda Cars Philippines Inc.’s assertion

In today’s world, the fight between cars is always about who brings more to the table. The new generation of buyers – millennials, Gen Z, and even Gen Alpha – are looking more at spec sheet than performance, trading speed for sensibility and performance for practicality. The modern driver looks for things old cars don’t have, which might pose an issue for a vehicle such as the Mitsubishi Xpander. Under the hood The Mitsubishi Xpander is part of a long line of MPVs targeted at new and returning f

When the Mitsubishi Xpander multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) launched in the Philippines in 2018, it was arguably one of the very few cars in the segment that could topple the stranglehold of the Toyota Avanza. Fitted with a 1.5-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline engine and mated to either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission, it was as conventional as it gets with these compact MPVs, straying just enough from the norm to get people interested. Now, though, the market has shi

When it comes to small, seven-seater multi-purpose vehicles (MPV), you have as many choices in the market as there are stars. The segment remains highly popular in the Philippines because it combines the utility and practicality of seven seats with the size and ease of a compact sedan. There are established Japanese stalwarts like the Toyota Avanza (and its luxurious Veloz sibling), the Mitsubishi Xpander (and its rebadged Nissan Livina sibling), the Suzuki Ertiga, and the upcoming all-new Honda

With the impending launch of the Hyundai Stargazer, Filipino subcompact MPV buyers will again be given another option to choose from in this hotly contested category. Along with the Suzuki Ertiga, the Toyota Veloz and Avanza, the Honda BR-V, the Mitsubishi Xpander, and the recently launched Nissan Livina, you can see how car manufacturers are going after a bigger slice of this growing pie. The trend is also evident around the ASEAN region, with PT Hyundai Motors Indonesia recently unveiling the