NO ONE was probably holding their breath when the joint sales figures of the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) and the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) for 2019 came out.

SMC Asia Car Distributors Corp. (SMCACDC), the official importer, distributor, and service provider of BMW automobiles and motorbikes in the country, announced last Wednesday that it will reveal the all-new 1 Series and face-lifted X1 during its “BMW Joyfest” sales event from Feb. 21 to 23 at the Activity Center of Bonifacio Global City. The 1 Series is set to showcase its most modern look, together with a completely new platform designed for ever more performance and versatility. Meanwhile, the latest X1 will flaunt a number of updated features to reinforce why it is a truly captivating Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV, BMW’s term for SUV).

HAVE YOU already tried driving the Kia Seltos? It’s one of Kia’s latest products -- launched just last November, and the third of three new vehicles launched by the brand ever since its distributorship was acquired by Ayala-owned AC Industrials in early 2019. As a matter of fact, this month marks its first anniversary under Ayala management. Its latest contender for the subcompact crossover segment is, in my opinion, a strong one. There is much to discover and to love about the new Kia Seltos.

THE PLUG-IN variants of the Volvo S90 sedan, XC60 compact SUV, and XC90 mid-size SUV are now available in the Philippines -- offering “sleek, smart, and sensible” transportation.

WHAT DO Lexus and Grand Seiko (GS) have in common?

TO PARAPHRASE that almost ubiquitous tee with the swoosh, Toyota knows hybrids -- even if many of us probably do not.

WHERE’S the farthest South you’ve ever been?

MG PHILIPPINES sold a total of 5,085 vehicles on its first year of operations -- averaging 400 units a month -- led by the MG ZS crossover SUV, which accounted for over half of MG sales here in 2019.

ALMOST TWO WEEKS have passed since the historic Senate hearing for the legalization of motorcycle taxis. In internet speak, that means four to five different news cycles; or in the old language, yesteryear’s news. But here’s why you should still care.

RECOVERING from the effects of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN), which helped to contract the market in 2018 due to a general increase in vehicle prices, the Philippine automotive market finished 2019 with a 2.4% growth rate capped by a strong fourth quarter from most industry players.

Yesterday I saw an ad on my Instagram from a website that offers international driver’s permit (IDP). They’ll mail you a printed one, and a digital one in two hours with the fees going from US$56 (one year) to US$66 (three years) for both.

THE ASSOCIATION of Vehicle Importers and Distributors, Inc. (AVID) registered sales of 8,089 units in December 2019, representing a 12% increase versus the same month in 2018. The full-year total was 87,984 units -- a decrease of 0.5% compared to 88,430 units sold the previous year.