DISCLOSURE: Nissan Philippines Inc. kindly lent me a 2023 Nissan Terra Sport for one week. It arrived with a full tank of fuel and loaded RFID cards. Special-edition vehicles typically bring something fresh to the market. They often have features previously unavailable with the nameplate to differentiate them from the standard model. This is what Nissan Philippines did with the Nissan Terra Sport as it reignites the nameplate with a few aesthetic additions that give the vehicle a new lease on li

Honda Cars Philippines Inc. said on March 2023 that it would bring in a hybrid model this year, following the phaseout of the Honda Legend luxury sedan a few years ago. The Japanese carmaker has made good on its promise with the launch of the all-new 2024 Honda CR-V on Sept. 13, 2023. AutoFun Philippines was the first to report that the brand’s venerable crossover would be launched with an electrified powertrain. The top-spec CR-V RS e:HEV packs a 2.0-liter, twin-cam, 16-valve inline-4 gasoline

Fledgling Chinese car brand JETOUR is growing its local dealer network at a rapid pace. The company announced in an August 2023 press statement that it has finalized and established its 16 dealerships for this year. “From the beginning, JETOUR Auto Philippines has envisioned making access to its model lineup and services as easy and hassle-free as possible,” said JETOUR Auto Philippines managing director Miguelito Jose. “Guided by our management team’s decades of experience in dealership operati

Chery Philippines has reached a new high for June as the Chinese automaker has surpassed its highest monthly record of 323 units sold, established in May 2023. Despite total industry sales decreasing by 5% from May, the automaker avoided the downturn and grew by 18%, securing the 10th spot in total sales rankings for June. Chery Tiggo 5x leading the charge Leading the brand’s sales success was the Chery Tiggo 5x; note that this is not yet even the pro hybrid variant, which is set to officially l

The Toyota Raize crossover is facing off once again with its biggest rival, the Honda WR-V – this time in Thailand. Honda Cars unveiled its smallest crossover on March 2023, days before the Bangkok International Motor Show. Two variants are available, the SV and the RS. This comes after the WR-V made its global debut in Indonesia on November 2022. Sleek styling The WR-V for the Thai market is no different from the Indonesian model. Matte-black cladding is kept to a minimum, mostly for the bottom

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