Toyota’s plans to slowly electrify its model lineup are coming together with more information about the possible specifications for the upcoming Toyota Fortuner hybrid being released. Reports have indicated that the Fortuner hybrid will still use its 2.8-liter turbodiesel engine, but will be combined with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. It won't be considered a full-hybrid vehicle, unlike the Toyota Corolla Cross and Toyota Yaris Cross. Note that Toyota has not yet released any official specificat

“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

At some point or another, during your elementary and high school days, there was one student who always got a big chunk of the achievement awards. In a similar vein (albeit in the Philippine auto industry setting), that student is Toyota Motor Philippines. According to information gleaned from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (CAMPI), which is the largest automotive group in the country, Toyota once again dominated in 2022 by having eight of the top 10 models and nine o

Looking at the quality of vehicles in this particular segment, it seems that today’s crop of seven-seater MPVs is getting more upscale. Most MPVs on the market are now equipped with all kinds of tech and advanced safety features that used to be unheard of in their class, just like the updated Mitsubishi Xpander Cross, which will be locally launched by the end of this month. Based on the Mitsubishi Xpander Cross launched during the Gaikindo Indonesia International Motor Show last year, there’s mu

The MG RX5 is one of the brand's entries in the Philippine compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) theater of operations. Even after four years of its presence, it still has a steep hill to climb to be on par with the more established nameplates. This is despite its relatively low admissions price (Php 1,058,888 to PHP1,228,888), two transmission options (a six-speed stick shift and a seven-speed dual-clutch slushbox), and Apple CarPlay-ready infotainment system. Not helping matters is its direct co