“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

Hybrid vehicles have slowly begun to become popular in the Philippine market. Automakers are increasingly releasing these kinds of cars, hoping to capitalize on the growing demand. Recent additions to the Philippine market include the likes of the Toyota Corolla Hybrid, Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, Haval H6 and the Haval Jolion. Meanwhile, the likes of the Geely Okavango and the recently launched Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid are classified as "mild" hybrid vehicles. But just how do mild hybrids work? Wh

Although the rear-wheel-drive Mazda CX-60 and Mazda CX-90 have been hogging the headlines recently, Mazda has another sharp-looking crossover. The Mazda CX-50 isn’t poised to take on the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz unlike its larger stablemates. Instead, it uses a larger version of the excellent-handling, front-wheel-drive Mazda3 platform and is a bit larger than the Mazda CX-5 crossover. But the mere fact that Mazda has just introduced the CX-50 in China and has assigned local assembly to th

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

Photos courtesy of Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation For a time in the early 2000s up until the mid-2010s, the Mitsubishi Strada was considered a pure urbanite pickup. A seemingly short bed aft of the cabin, a torquey engine, and a sturdy build made the beast of burden more fit as an urban hauler or occasional minimal cargo out-of-town traveler. The 2022 Mitsubishi Strada has now gone back to its carry-all origins. The unit currently has a bed that can handle a bevy of agriculture, a mai

After nineteen years since American international automotive manufacturer, Ford Motor Company first launched Everest, its 2022 version is now out in the market. The Ford Everest also called the Ford Endeavor in India, is a mid-size sport utility vehicle developed by Ford initially destined for the Asia Pacific region. This SUV model is based on the pickup truck Ford Ranger. After Ford popped the curtains to unveil the third generation, Everest, in March 2022, its popularity became fiercer as thi