HONDA CARS Philippines, Inc. (HCPI), the country’s official importer and distributor of Honda automobiles, showed its enthusiasm regarding the country’s potential for an economic comeback with the twin launch of two of its most popular models in the country: the new Honda CR-V and fifth-generation Honda City.

THE COVENANT Car Company, Inc. (TCCCI), the official and exclusive country distributor of Chevrolet and Morris Garages (MG), recently marked its 11th and 2nd anniversaries, respectively, since taking the helm of the two auto brands in the Philippines.

LAST THURSDAY, Ayala Group-led Kia Philippines launched what it foresees to be one of its game-changing product offerings — its new, stylish and iconic Kia Stonic. The 2021 Stonic is a subcompact crossover that has won several design awards — such as the Red Dot Award — and promises to be easy to drive and maintain, making it an attractive option for first-time buyers.

DURING AN improbable, challenging year, Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMP) has soldiered on and kept a stiff upper lip amid the black swan event of the COVID-19 pandemic.

IT SEEMS, at least for now, that the bulls are back. In its most recent report, the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) revealed that consolidated sales among member-companies totaled 24,523 units last September — growing 37% over the August total of 17,906 units. The August total had put a halt to three consecutive months of growth — declining by 12.8% from 20,542 units sold in July.

THE “OCTOBERFEST” promo of Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC), happening from Oct. 15 until Oct. 30, offers easy-acquisition plans on the Mitsubishi Montero, Xpander and Mirage G4. Buyers can get as much as P230,000 discount or zero-percent interest up to 36 months on the Mitsubishi Montero GT 4x4 SUV.

WHAT IS your fondest memory of Honda? Mine is from way back in the mid-’90s — when the sixth-generation Honda Civic was the biggest craze, and the rust-colored Honda SiR was my aspirational vehicle. Memories from that period never fail to bring me tons of nostalgia. I was a student then; and everything JDM (Japan domestic market) was associated with automotive coolness.

THERE’S NO REST for the wicked — and the wickedly good. After annexing the crown in their respective categories of the GR Supra GT Cup Asia Philippines e-motorsport event staged by Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) with partner Tuason Racing, Terence Lallave, Lance Padilla and Jose Luis Altoveros will now represent the Philippines in the regional finals.

LAST SEPT. 15, Mindanao Integrated Commercial Enterprises, Inc. (MICEI), Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp.’s (MMPC) authorized dealership in General Santos City, South Cotobato, turned 50. In a release, MMPC said that the dealership’s “longevity in the highly competitive automotive industry reflects the resiliency of the organization and its progressive business approach that allows them to quickly adapt to the ever-evolving demand of the market.”

THE NEWLY LAUNCHED Delo 400 SLK SAE 15W-40 is said to boost the performance of various engine designs, allowing one oil for vehicles from different OEMs with or without DPF after-treatment devices, thus reducing inventory costs for vehicle operators.

SUVS HAVE always been extremely popular in the Philippine automotive market and, as of late, we’ve been observing a tremendous upsurge of buyer interest in the subcompact crossover category. These “cuter” segment in-betweeners are cheaper to acquire, easier to park, and still manage to offer a lot of the conveniences that many motorists seek in SUVs. This customer interest is likewise reflected in the luxury segment, and Mercedes-Benz Philippines has promptly responded to this interest by completing its lineup of new SUVs with the recent launch of its second-generation GLA.

STILL WITH six races to go in the series, Audi has already secured the manufacturers’ championship title in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) with a podium lockout of the recent leg at the Nürburgring in Germany.