The weather is back to maelstrom-grade wind and rain this weekend, in light of two severe tropical storms that swung by the Philippines. The downpour (of hate) has also been relentless among Chinese carmakers, in light of Geely Philippines’ aftersales fiasco. Will there be sunshine after the rain for the car brands from the People’s Republic? This and many more are on this edition of the AutoFun Philippines Rearview Roundup. Here are your favorite stories from Aug. 28 to Sept. 1, 2023. BYD Phili

Disclosure: GAC Philippines lent us a 2024 GAC GS3 Emzoom R-Style unit with a full gas tank for seven days. When GAC Philippines launched the 2024 GAC GS3 Emzoom, it set its sights on the very lucrative subcompact crossover segment. The new crossover would have to fight against established nameplates such as the Geely Coolray, MG ZS-T, and the Changan CS-35 Plus. However, the automaker was confident it could take on these established players thanks to the specifications it brought in with the ne

Back when I was a kid, having a turbocharger meant you had a car with plenty of grunt. These were the days of the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 5, the GC8 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R and even the 993 Porsche 911 Turbo – all high-performance machines that used forced induction to make their magic happen. Nowadays, turbos are popping up even in subcompact sedans like the Honda Civic supposedly in the name of better efficiency and higher fuel economy. But owning a turbocharged

Jaecoo is an upcoming automotive brand to enter the Philippine market in 2023. It will launch with its sister brand Omoda to bring a new generation of Chinese vehicles into the market. Both Jaecoo and Omoda are sub-brands of Chery, albeit with different market positioning and design languages. Also Read: Omoda to bring sister brand Jaecoo with it, to launch late 2023 Jaecoo is set to bring in the Jaecoo 7, a 5-seater crossover that brings the performance of an SUV while boasting the technology a

Geely has officially started producing its new 1.5-liter 4-cylinder hybrid gasoline engine that boasts 44.26% thermal efficiency. Thermal efficiency is the energy an engine can extract from its fuel source. A regular internal combustion engine (ICE) has about 20% to 30% thermal efficiency, though some automakers such as Hyundai, Toyota, and GAC motors have registered higher figures well into the 40% range. For comparison, a current Formula 1 power unit registers 52% efficiency while a battery el

The fastest-growing segment in the Philippines is arguably the one most confusing – the Subcompact Crossover SUV. What even is it? It’s a minuscule SUV based on an already tiny Hatchback. Think high-riding Toyota Yaris. So why is it in demand? Simple: It’s an SUV minus the size. It affords people the Adventurer lifestyle without sacrificing practicality, ease of drivability, and fuel consumption. No surprise, companies that cashed in on the trend mostly come from China, a country that’s effectiv