Volkswagen Philippines has been quiet in the automotive market for some time, with its last launch being the Volkswagen Cross Santana and new colors for the Volkswagen T-Cross. However, something interesting happened with the launch of the Volkswagen Tharu as the newest crossover to join the brand’s local lineup. It is positioned above the T-Cross and where the Volkswagen Tiguan used to be in the lineup. Today, we will compare it against another new vehicle within the same price bracket with the

Safety is one of the key categories you must look out for when buying a car. It is the one aspect of a vehicle that you shouldn’t skip out on, and you need to prioritize not only for yourself but for the safety of your passengers. We have created a quick list of vehicles under the ₱1 million price with high safety ratings from the ASEAN NCAP. Note that to make it onto this list, the cars must have, at minimum, a 3-star crash safety. The list also includes vehicles from other markets similar in s

Recent rumblings in the automotive industry talk about Chinese brands changing management hands. And from what we've heard, there will be a few. But why do the principals feel the sudden need to come in lock, stock, and barrel to take over the Filipino-run local distributorships? Haven't they done enough to promote the brand? Did the distributors fall short of sales targets? Or have the distributors failed in the perception game despite the uptick in Chinese-made cars' build, tech and quality in

Disclaimer: Jetour Auto Philippines paid for my airfare, transportation and accommodation for a week-long trip with other media practitioners to China, including a visit to Auto Shanghai 2023. Everybody in the Philippines is familiar with the Chery QQ from the mid to late 2000s. The dinky urban hatchback became the symbol of everything that was wrong with China-made cars. With shabby workmanship, questionable aftersales (if there were any) and non-existent warranties, the QQ was China’s first ma

Whatever the reason, there are now more women who are spending a lot of time behind the wheel. In fact, women car buyers now account for nearly half of total car sales, according to industry estimates. This can be attributed to more women joining the workforce, starting their own businesses, increased purchasing power and other factors. As such, car manufacturers have even started to take into account what women drivers want. These include convenience features that drivers of all sexes will appr

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