It’s Sunday again, which means it’s time for the AutoFun Philippines Rearview Roundup! You read this the day before Independence Day, which is the date when the Philippines was freed from the shackles of over three centuries of Spanish colonial rule (that was then followed by decades of additional colonial rule under the Americans and the Japanese). It’s also the rainy season now – strong showers are now hitting various parts of the country as a counterbalance to the searing heat in the first ha

“Wala sa pana ‘yan, nasa Indian! [It’s not in the bow and arrow, but in the Indian!]” This old saying rang true for Richard Gallardo, who still snagged the Overall title at Round 5 of this season’s Philippine Autocross Championship Series (PACS) on April 2023, despite not having his trusty Honda Civic EF by his side. For this round, Gallardo shared the driver’s seat with Don Pablo Abadicio and his bright yellow Honda Civic EG. The former bagged the top spot with a total time of 1:23.97. Rounding

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

The Toyota Vios remains to be one of the best-selling cars in the Philippines. Since its debut in 2003, it has dominated the B-segment by offering the ideal blend of practicality, performance and running costs. Indeed, it is the go-to choice of fleet buyers who need a tough subcompact car, such as taxi operators, driving schools, the police and even racing drivers. That’s why when a new Vios arrives, it’s always big news. Indonesia was the third Southeast Asian country after Thailand and Laos to

One of Suzuki’s most famous people carriers will soon come with numerous exterior and interior upgrades, but it’s made even better as it will soon boast a mild-hybrid powerplant. Dubbed by Suzuki as the “Smart Hybrid Technology,” it utilizes a K15 engine that’s mated to an integrated starter generator (ISG) and a 6Ah 12-volt lithium-ion battery. Power to the wheels continues to be sent through a 4-speed automatic transmission. Factory rated to put out 104.7 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and torque lev

Just to clarify, we are talking about the Mitsubishi Mirage and not the Mirage G4, as the latter has had some updates in the past months. The Mirage, however, has had updates few and far in between. Let’s read on the pros and cons of owning a Mitsubishi Mirage. PROS The Mitsubishi Mirage is a very versatile and fuel economical car. Its sleek design makes it nimble enough to cut across traffic and navigate tight spaces and corners on Metro Manila highways and side streets. It’s a great first car,