“In this business, you gotta have a tough skin.” This is what Visor.Ph Editor-in-Chief Vernon Sarne told me at last week's BMW M2 launch event. Chief, as I fondly call him to this day (he got me to join Top Gear Philippines magazine as a cover photographer and writer back in 2010), has seen it all and has been through wars ordinary people would have waived the white flag early on. The mental and physical stress this job entails can be too much for someone who cares about his craft. So when we he

The all-new Toyota Yaris Cross is now in left-hand drive! The Japanese carmaker launched the crossover on July 11, 2023 in Cambodia, which also drives on the right like the Philippines. The model slots between the smaller Toyota Raize and the larger Toyota Corolla Cross. Although there is no official confirmation from Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) yet, PT Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indonesia (TMMIN) confirmed in an official presentation that the Philippines will be one of the export markets tha

Subaru Philippines is set to launch the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek on July 19, 2023, replacing the Subaru XV. It will be available in two variants: the 2.0-iL EyeSight and the top-spec 2.0-iS EyeSight. That said, we will look at what the new crossover will bring to the table in terms of the features that the Japanese automaker might bring to the Philippine market. Updated exterior design The new Subaru Crosstrek has a sleeker design language compared to its predecessor. While the body shape remains s

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) is bringing out all its wares at the September 15-18, 2022, Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS). However, one question that the Japanese automaker went omerta upon is what all-new model they will unveil at PIMS. The current BR-V was launched at the 2016 PIMS as a completely built-up (CBU) unit. Since then, the brand got produced locally, then reverted to CBU status when HCPI closed its Sta. Rosa (Laguna) plant in early 2020. In addition, fellow ASEAN co

If you think Lexus is a brand that caters only to middle-aged men, loaded car enthusiasts, and company CEOs, then you must not have heard of the UX yet. Lexus considers the UX subcompact crossover as its gateway model, meaning it is the most affordable crossover in the lot. It still showcases the brand’s design and technologies despite being in the lower tier of the lineup. But there’s nothing much lower-tier about the Lexus UX as it now sports a Hybrid Electric powertrain under the hood for 202

As a Filipino, I am aware that hybrid vehicles like the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid are already standard fare in other countries. They are, after all, more advanced in exploring ways to promote fuel efficiency and sustainability. The proliferation of hybrid vehicles is also helpful to car buyers concerned about the continuous fuel price hikes all over the globe. And perhaps it is high time for Filipinos to consider transportation alternatives like this. Automotive technology is surely takin