Meet the 4 Chery Crossovers Leading the Philippine Charge (w/ Specs)

Under new distributor United Asia Automotive Group or UAAGI, Chery Auto is returning to the Philippines not just with one, not just with two, but with four new vehicles—all sporting a body style that’s popular with Filipino buyers: crossovers.

People a certain age will remember that Chery used to have a compact crossover called the Tiggo when they first launched here. Today, Tiggo is Chery’s name for its crossover family, much like Arrizo is the name of their sedan family.

With the timing right to bring Chery Auto back to the Philippines, UAAGI selected 4 out of 6 Tiggo family members for the Philippine market; these are the Tiggo 2, Tiggo 5x, Tiggo 7, and Tiggo 8. All of them carry a 5-year bumper-to-bumper warranty and an unprecedented 10-year / 1-million-kilometer powertrain warranty.

Since Chery is fast tracking its dealership network (opting to tap their existing Foton dealer network in the process), it’s time to learn more about each of these Tiggo models. Here’s a rundown of their complete pricing and specs.

Chery Tiggo 2
Price: P 695,000 for the 1.5 MT, P 770,000 for the 1.5 AT

Chery Tiggo 5x
Price: P 818,000 for the MT, P 860,000 for the AT, and P 950,000 for the AT Luxury

Chery Tiggo 7
Price: P 1,195,000 for the 1.5T AT

Chery Tiggo 8
Price: P 1,280,000 for the 1.5T Luxury, P 1,340,000 for the 1.5T Luxury EX

Yes, You'll be Spotting a Subaru Forester Covered in Zebra Pattern This December

Okay, remember when we mentioned that the Forester sounds like a zebra being castrated when pushed hard? Well, okay, we swear we had nothing to do with this promo, but for the sake of our readers, here’s why you’ll spot a Forester covered in a zebra wrap this December.

It’s all part of Motor Image Pilipinas’s “Spot That Subie” promo. If you happen to snap this Forester rocking the zebra livery (please don’t do it if you’re driving; remember, that’s not allowed), you could win some premium Subaru goodies.

All you need to do is to take a photo when you see it cruising the Metro. After that, visit one of Motor Image Manila branches: C5 – Pasig; Greenhills, San Juan; BGC; or Manila Bay and show the photo to any of the Sales Consultants on duty. Then, take a spin in the Forester (don’t worry, the zebra stripes aren’t standard), and you’ll get your premium Subaru merchandise at the end.

If you’re more into surfing the worldwide web (or social media) than driving through Manila traffic, don’t worry, you can win merch too. This time, just find the zebra-wrapped Forester on Facebook, pause the GIF when you see it, and take a screen cap. Then, head over to any of the 4 Motor Image Manila branches, show the photo to the Sales Consultant on duty, and take a test drive. After all that, the premium Subaru merchandise is yours to keep.

You do have to hurry though. Only 10 premium Subaru merchandise is up for grabs at each branch (40 in total). The promo officially ends on December 31, 2019 so better have those phone cameras on the ready.

4 Reasons Why the Volkswagen Lavida is the Smart Choice for Metro Drivers

With German carmaker Volkswagen bringing in the Lavida to our market, driving around the Metro can just be a treat of comfort and luxury. The Lavida has established itself as one of the best-selling cars in the world. In fact, VW says that over 450,000 Lavida units were sold just last year. Its design speaks volumes of Volkswagen as the Lavida hails from a long, multi-awarded line-up. Now that the Lavida is in the Philippines, here are four reasons why you should take the smarter choice, and treat yourself to this best-selling car.

#1. Smart, fresh look

Bringing “smarter choice” to life, the Lavida’s modest design doesn’t take anything away from its elegant, classy look. Offering a full VW vibe, the Lavida banners a horizontal grille design that flows seamlessly to its headlights and the badge in the middle that speaks of all things luxurious. VW toned down on the curves to give it a clean look, and also geared the Lavida with an eye-catching set of wheels with 10-spoke split-type alloys.

#2. Smart efficiency without compromise

Equipped with a light and efficient 1.4-liter Turbocharged Stratified Injection (TSI) engine, and boasting a 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) transmission, the Lavida gives you power by generating 130 PS and 225 Nm. Yet, with its BlueMotion Technology, it doesn’t compromise on fuel efficiency. Overall, the Lavida gives you the power and confidence to cruise the streets of the Metro.

#3. Smart, classy interior

The Lavida’s interior is typical Volkswagen—simple, classy, efficient. With its thin and almost flat steering wheel, leather seats and smooth, dark interior, the new Lavida gives you a sense of roominess that screams luxury. Yet, its smart utilization of space means it has generous head- and legroom for utmost comfort. Recently launched to celebrate Volkswagen’s sixth year in the Philippines, the Club Edition+* banners a smart way to pass the traffic: a Blaupunkt infotainment system paired with Kicker speakers. The Lavida also gives you total control from the inside with automatic climate control, cruise control, and push button start/stop.

#4. Smart yet luxurious experience

From its ergonomic interior design that offers the ultimate in cabin comfort to its timeless exterior that exudes class to its ultra-rigid laser-welded body and well-tuned drivetrain, the Lavida offers the best of Volkswagen without having to break the bank. With pricing starting at P 1.171-million, the Lavida comes with a once-a-year Preventive Maintenance Service schedule (or every 10,000 kilometers) and a 3-year/100,000-kilometer bumper-to-bumper warranty, too. Indeed, it’s a smart choice for people who want to level up their drive.

To learn more about the new Lavida, visit the Volkswagen website, its nationwide network of 9 dealers, and Like the official Volkswagen Philippines Facebook page.

*dealer option at P 1.3-million for the Club Edition and P 1.35-million for the Club Edition+.

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Ford Ranger Raptor is Joining the Police Force

Bad guys in the UK will have no where to go because police forces there will be adding the formidable Ford Ranger Raptor to their fleet of cop cars.

South Wales Police are among the first to trial the Ranger Raptor pick-up which is, of course, capable of traveling off-road almost as quickly as on it. No word if the po-po version features performance upgrades, but what is known is that it comes with Fox shock absorbers and the Terrain Management System with Baja mode just like the civilian version.

With these features, criminals won’t be making a getaway whether its across gravel, mud, or sandy terrain. Perhaps the only weakness of the Ranger Raptor? It’s limited to 105 mph (~ 169 km/h). It’s still pretty fast, but a run-of-the-mill supercar can probably make a run for it; that is, unless the would-be criminal encounters a pothole.

Why Now Is the Time to Bring Chery Auto Back to the Philippines

Under the stewardship of United Asia Automotive Group or UAAGI, Foton has grown to become a powerhouse. From its humble beginnings, it’s now risen to become one of the Top 10 best-selling car brands in the Philippines. With that in mind, UAAGI has set its sights on a new venture, Chery Auto. Will lightning strike twice?

Unknown to many, Chery is the first automotive brand to be exported from China. Suffice to say, things didn’t turn out as they expected. Marred with copycat designs and quality issues, they learned that they needed to step up their game. Facing a fast-growing automotive market there, Chery established a holistic technical and product R&D system, and tired global talents. They even invested in their own powertrain development and rationalized their platform development.

Their investment and hard work certainly paid off. In the latest 2019 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS), Chery ended up with a 92 PP100 score—well above the average of 97 PP100. The study tracks new-vehicle quality by examining problems experienced by new-vehicle owners within the first two to six months of ownership. The overall initial quality score is determined by problems reported per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower number of problems indicating higher quality.

“Chery approached me two years ago,” reveals Rommel Sytin, President of UAAGI. “I was somewhat hesitant until I made a visit to their headquarters in Wuhu, China. Their vehicles, particularly the crossovers, have evolved into truly world-class products in terms of design, specifications, workmanship, and performance. They are already compliant with Euro 5 and even Euro 6 emissions standards. Their manufacturing facility is fully robotized.”

Investment in R&D has helped Chery grow, selling 7.2 million vehicles since its founding in 1997. Additionally, they’ve exported more than 1.4 million units to over 80 countries. In 2018 alone, they exported 126,993 units—more than MG, JAC, and Brilliance (the next three biggest exporters) combined.

“The products and the service weren’t what the market needed then,” says Sytin. “But now, we are confident—we are convinced—that all the ingredients are in place. The timing is right.”

And if Filipino customers aren’t convinced enough, Chery is offering an industry-leading 10-year / 1-million-kilometer powertrain warranty on top of a 5-year general vehicle warranty. Further sweetening the deal, Chery Auto is also throwing in three years of preventive maintenance service for free.

Ford Ranger is the 2020 International Pick-Up Truck of the Year

The Ford Ranger has emerged victorious against its competition once more as its slew of upgrades, including the new 2.0-liter Bi-Turbo engine and 10-speed automatic helped it scoop up the International Pick-up Truck of the Year (IPUA) for 2020.

The new Ranger, with its new cleaner and greener drivetrain, together with a number of technical and safety advancements beat out the new Mitsubishi Strada, revised Nissan Navara, Renault Alaskan, and Toyota Hiux for the top prize.

Voted by 18 members of the International Van of the Year jury, the organization that hands out the award, the Ranger beat out the first runner-up—the Mitsubishi Strada by just 6 points (78 to 72). The Hilux ended up third place. The jury members adjudged the Ranger to “be the best all-rounder.”

The Ford Ranger previously won the IPUA in 2013.

Hope You Love Gauges, Because Chevy's Giving You Gauges in the Colorado

Chevrolet is showing off a pair of Colorado Concepts that highlight the unique ways you can personalize it. Showed off at the 2019 Thailand International Motor Expo are the low-stance Chevrolet Colorado RS Street and the high-stance Colorado Panther.

The Colorado RS Street is supposed to be a “rule-breaking” pickup truck and with that, it’s supposed to evoke Chevrolet’s racing heritage, particularly, NASCAR. And so, what does Chevy do? They get a low stance pickup truck, lowered it further, slapped on 18-inch wheels, and thrown in a racing-style steering wheel, sports-style gear knob, brake, and clutch pedals, and of course, a fuckton of gauges. Then, they go so far as to say, “if it were street legal, you’d already be under arrest.” Yup, under arrest by the fashion police. Well, at least it’s got Brembo brakes (including a rear drum-to-disc swap) and Recaro bucket seats.

On the flipside, there’s the Colorado Panther. And next to the RS Street, this one’s an easier swallow. So, it comes as no surprise that Chevrolet sought GM Australia to create this one. With that, they added an off-road bash plate and Warn winch at the front. Then, it gets tubular side steps, a rear step package, LED light bar, and 17-inch wheels with BF Goodrich tires. Oh, and the suspension’s enhanced by Old Man Emu.