The Toyota Alphard has been a surprise hit in the Philippines. Even though it’s a gasoline-powered minivan, it’s boxy yet stately styling, combined with its vast and luxurious cabin, meant it was a hit for everyone from politicians to high-roller gamblers. Indeed, no five-star casino in Metro Manila is complete without its own fleet of black or white Alphards. Given its success, Toyota decided to make subtle but significant changes to the all-new Alphard and its sportier sibling, the Vellfire. T

The all-new 2024 Toyota Innova Zenix Hybrid is set to launch in the Philippines on June 22. It will be available in the country with a gasoline-powered model and the much-awaited hybrid variant. The new model brings a new TNGA-based monocoque chassis and new technology, such as a large 10.1-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Toyota Safety Sense to make it the safest Innova yet. However, some prospective buyers still have mixed feelings about the upcoming h

Honda Cars is taking on the ASEAN subcompact crossover segment with its WR-V, which slots below the compact HR-V crossover. The Japanese carmaker launched the model in Jakarta, Indonesia on Nov. 2, 2022. According to a report from our friends at AutoFun Indonesia, Honda Cars said the WR-V is targeted at people who are persistent, tech-savvy and enjoy socializing. "Kami menyebut sebagai Hustler Generation, Dimana Honda WR-V menyasar para hustler di Indonesia yaitu berusia 22-40 tahun yang dinamis

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

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

Once upon a time, vehicles like the Toyota Hiace which is the most economically-sound decision to make when deciding to buy a can either for personal or for commercial purposes. Now, is it still the same or has the rising price of diesel enough to make the Hiace on the bad side of the fence? To begin with, vehicles like the Hiace has many variants, and most if not all of them are now diesel. It is an economically-sound decision as diesel before is always cheaper than petrol. Besides, a huge vehi