Following the passage of Executive Order 62, Toyota Motor Philippines and Lexus Philippines have slashed prices of their Japan-made hybrid models. Executive Order 62 has slashed tariffs on hybrids and plug-in hybrids made in countries not covered by existing free trade agreement. For Toyota and Lexus, only imported-from-Japan hybrid models are seeing price cuts. Hybrid variants of the Corolla Cross, Camry, Yaris Cross, and Innova Zenix, which are sourced from neighbouring Southeast Asian countri

Electrification has taken over the Philippines in many ways. There are battery-electric vehicles that offer near-silent, zero-emission mobility, along with truly stunning performance. And for those who don’t want to join the electric revolution quite yet, there are the mild hybrids. These pertain to cars with regular internal combustion engines that have small battery packs to assist with vehicle functions. Unlike a full hybrid, a mild hybrid cannot operate on purely electric power alone. Chery

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

Disclaimer: Jetour Auto Philippines paid for my airfare, transportation and accommodation for a week-long trip with other media practitioners to China, including a visit to Auto Shanghai 2023. Everybody in the Philippines is familiar with the Chery QQ from the mid to late 2000s. The dinky urban hatchback became the symbol of everything that was wrong with China-made cars. With shabby workmanship, questionable aftersales (if there were any) and non-existent warranties, the QQ was China’s first ma

GAC Motor Philippines just launched the all-new GAC GS8 and the GAC Empow, but they revealed more than that at the event. The automaker also revealed its plans for the future, with brand expansion and customer service being their priority. Also read: Revitalized GAC Motor Philippines launches Empow and all-new GS8 Expansion plans in the Philippines GAC Motor Philippines currently has six operational dealerships in the country. However, for 2023 the automaker wants to expand this number to 15, wi

The last time we reported on Spanish-based car distributor Astara, it was finalizing its plans to enter the grueling 2023 Dakar Rally. But the company announced more relevant news in a December 1, 2022 press statement following its formal contract signing with Chinese carmaker GAC Motor in the Philippines. Astara began operations locally on January 2022 and distributes the French car brand Peugeot. The firm also distributes GAC Motor in Peru and Chile. “We are truly honored to continue GAC Motor