5 Honda Cars PH models awarded for best design, engine, performance

Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) bagged numerous accolades at the 2022-2023 Auto Focus People’s & Media’s Choice Awards last Dec. 15, 2022.

In a December 2022 press statement, the Japanese carmaker announced that the Brio, City Hatchback, Civic, Accord, and HR-V all won in various categories. These include:

• Standard Small Hatchback Category: Honda Brio – Best Design, Best Engine Performance, Best Features

• Standard Subcompact Hatchback Category: Honda City Hatchback – Best Safety Features

• Standard Compact Sedan: Honda Civic – Best Design, Best Engine Performance, Best Safety Features

• Standard Subcompact SUV/Crossover Category: Honda HR-V – Best Safety Features

• Standard Midsize Sedan Category: Honda Accord – Best Engine Performance

HCPI president Masahiko Nakamura thanked the awards body for the recognition.

“These awards give us more inspiration in our efforts to realize “Safety for Everyone” while also providing the joy and freedom of mobility through our products and services,” he said.

All variants of the Civic and HR-V are available with the company’s Honda SENSING active safety suite, which includes systems to prevent drivers from getting into a road crash.

These include adaptive cruise control, stability control, collision-mitigation braking, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning.

17 years of recognizing exemplary cars

The Auto Focus People’s & Media’s Choice Awards has been managed by local TV network Sunshine Television Ventures (STV) since 2005.

STV also produces the Philippines’ longest-running motoring program, “Motoring Today.” This is hosted by Wee and Tin Gamboa, the children of STV chair, veteran motoring journalist, and former host Butch Gamboa.

Entries to the awards are nominated by the manufacturer or distributor and must have been available on the market on or before Nov. 30, 2022.

Among all of HCPI’s models, only the Honda Accord was quietly dropped from the HCPI lineup on September 2022.

The awards feature nine categories:

• Standard Sedan (Mini, Subcompact, Compact, and Midsize)

• Standard Sports Car

• Standard Sport-Utility Vehicle (SUV)/Crossover (Subcompact, Compact, Midsize, Large)

• Standard Van/Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV)

• Standard Pick-Up

• Premium/Luxury Sedan (Mini, Subcompact, Compact, and Midsize)

• Premium/Luxury Sports Car

• Premium/Luxury Sport-Utility Vehicle (SUV)/Crossover

• Premium/Luxury Van/Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV)

In addition, there are two Automobile of the Year awards, one each for the Standard and the Premium/Luxury categories.

The winners are determined by a public Facebook poll conducted from July 1 to Nov. 30, 2022 (80 percent) and month-to-date unit sales from Jan. 1 to Nov. 30, 2022 (20 percent).

What do you think of HCPI’s achievements this year?