Chinese carmaker Jetour has finally arrived in the Visayas region! The company announced in an October 2023 press statement that Jetour Auto Bacolod is now open for business. It features a 284-square-meter showroom that can display six Jetour models and a shared service area that can accommodate up to five cars. “Now that Jetour Auto Bacolod is here, we can pursue our goal of providing quality value-laden vehicles to our kababayans [countrymen] in Negros Occidental and neighboring provinces in t

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

Let’s turn the clock back some five years ago. In 2018, I was 40 pounds lighter and working part-time as a motoring contributor to help me through graduate school. This was also the year that I started my racing career. 2018 was also when the cars in this list were showroom fresh. Even without the “new car smell,” which is actually a combination of chemicals from the manufacturing process, these models still have plenty of life left in them. Indeed, five years is typically the time when most com

Everyone knows by now that the all-new Ford Ranger Raptor will be launched in the Philippines on May 18, 2023. And everyone also knows by now that the ultimate version of Ford’s pick-up truck is expected to arrive on our shores with a biturbo diesel engine, although there is still hope that the mighty twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 gasoline variant could still be part of the lineup. But what everyone might not know is that you can try out the all-new Ranger Raptor the day after its launch, with Ford Ph

Let’s say that you’re eyeing a seven-seater car, but don’t want to end up in a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). You also aren’t keen on spending boatloads of money on a large, pick-up-based sport-utility vehicle (SUV). Where shall you go? Well, the 2023 Geely Okavango presents itself as a viable alternative to regular SUVs like the Toyota Fortuner and the Mitsubishi Montero Sport. But there’s a new kid in town – and it’s out for the Okavango’s slice of the pie. The 2023 Jetour X70 Plus is the top-of

The Toyota Fortuner is essentially a 7-seater SUV version of the Toyota Hilux. It’s mechanically identical as the Hilux, sharing the same ladder frame chassis as well as the 2.4-litre intercooled VNT turbo diesel and 6-speed automatic transmission. Of course, the Fortuner also has a 2.7-litre naturally aspirated petrol-powered variant, but it’s a rather weak engine and that’s not the one that you want. Like the Hilux, the Toyota Fortuner also comes with A-TRC. Short for Active Traction Control,