The weather seems to have improved this week! All that smog seems to have lessened considerably, while the occasional rain showers help keep things cool in the day or night. This week in motoring seems to have replicated that pleasant climate, with exciting new-car launches and even a rumored new Toyota in the works. Here are your five favorite stories from Oct. 2 to 8, 2023 in this edition of the AutoFun Philippines Rearview Roundup. Toyota Land what? The Toyota Land Cruiser is a name that is a

Mazda fans, rejoice! Mazda Philippines has given the 2024 Mazda3 a quiet update, giving the vehicle more human-centric technologies and promoting the brand’s Jinbai-Ittai philosophy while reinforcing the car as one of the most feature-packed in its segment. Enhanced connectivity Enhancements to the 2024 Mazda3 start with its bigger Mazda Connect infotainment system. From its original 8-inch configuration, the Japanese automaker has given the vehicle a much larger 10.25-inch display with better g

The all-new 2024 Toyota Wigo made a huge splash when it was launched in the Philippines on July 14, 2023. Aside from the new chassis, transmission, and styling, the pricing really grabbed people’s attention. Starting at ₱609,000, the all-new Toyota Wigo undercuts its major rivals, such as the recently refreshed Honda Brio and the rather dated Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback. But the base-model 2024 Toyota Wigo J also takes on one of the biggest names in small cars – Suzuki. And at this price, its ri

Local automakers got a big shot in the arm after the Philippine government extended the timeframe of its ₱27-billion program to boost domestic car manufacturing. The Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) announced in a May 2023 press statement that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved a five-year extension to the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) Program. PSAC is composed of business leaders and experts across six main sectoral groups: Agriculture, Digital Infrastructur

The Mazda 2 is one of the brand’s older models still available in the global market. It's already in its 9th year of production, way past the prime age for a replacement. In car years, it should have been at the end of its succeeding generation by now. The nameplate already received a facelift in 2019 in which the model got a sleeker front and rear design and the inclusion of G-Vectoring Plus (GVC Plus). However, instead of launching a replacement, it appears that Mazda wants this B-segment hatc

The Hyundai Eon was ultimately pulled out of production for not meeting safety-emission regulations, much to the disappointment of the fun-loving folks out there who came to regard the uncomplicated "driving-aesthetics" of the aforementioned, er, small car. It's therefore not surprising that the sudden announcement of this car's disappearance from the spotlight had sparked a plethora of raw opinions that range from the nonsensical to the absurd, as the intriguing nature of the said incident woul