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

When Suzuki Philippines first launched the Suzuki S-Presso in the country, It knew that the small hatchback would be a hit thanks to its affordable pricing and sensible features. However, there was just one flaw with the vehicle that many would-be customers found to be a deal breaker in some instances – the S-Presso did not come with an automatic transmission. Fast forward to 2023 and Suzuki has finally brought in a new S-Presso variant with its Auto Gear Shift (AGS) transmission. The gearbox is

The subcompact Mitsubishi Mirage may be a strong seller in the Philippines, but it’s saying “Sayonara” in its home country. Mitsubishi Motors announced on its Japanese website that it would no longer be producing the Mirage for the Japanese market. “Due to the end of production of the Mirage, we may not be able to meet the customer’s request for body color, options, etc.,” the Japanese carmaker said in a translated message. It remains unclear what would replace the Mirage in the Japanese market.

Ford Philippines conducted on Sept. 29, 2022, its first face-to-face session of its Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) workshop since the COVID-19 pandemic started two years ago. Hundreds of participants, which included students, professional drivers, traffic enforcers, and the media, gathered at The Levels by Filinvest in Alabang to attend training sessions conducted by Tuason Racing School. The program, now in its 14th year, covered various topics to keep drivers safe on the road. These include ba

The first time the Nissan Grand Livina entered the Philippine market in 2008, it was a three-row hatchback based on the Nissan Tiida platform. It was ahead of its time in many ways, as it offered car-like handling and seating for seven. Typical of what crossovers provide today. As head of the marketing team of Nissan Motor Philippines, Inc (NMPI) at that time, I was tasked to find ways to slot such a strange vehicle concept into the MPV-crazy consciousness of Filipino car buyers. The 2008 Nissan

(Images from Toyota PH) The Toyota Rush is a seven-seater SUV, with a ground clearance of 220mm. It has a 4 Cylinder, In-line, 16 Valve DOHC, Chain Drive with Dual VVT-I engine, which has a power output of 102 horsepower and 134 Newton meters of torque. Its engine is paired with either a manual transmission or an automatic. Released in 2018, the Toyota Rush was seen as a mini version of the best-selling Toyota Fortuner, and the latter’s success was almost rubbed on it. Soon, the Rush became a ma