By Ronald Rey M. de los Reyes
WHEN the e-mail arrived with a message inviting us for Toyota Motor Philippines’s (TMP) 12th Road Trek to be staged in Palawan, there was one figure or phrase that immediately caught this writer’s eye, the thematic tagline: “A Life Full of Drive.”
More than just for branding purposes per se, the catchphrase, indeed, not only gave a glimpse of what was to be expected out of the four-day adventure, but of the giant Japanese carmaker itself.
Drive—yes, it’s the verb or noun that describes the action done to move the car from point A to B; but it also means a person’s will to achieve, that certain fire in the belly, that insatiable force to win. And for all their “countless” years of being on top and dominating the market, TMP, no doubt, like seemingly no other entity, had the lone right for the distinguished pseudonym.
Thus, for all their sheer hard work, it is yet again that epoch of the year to take time off and enjoy a little taste of bliss.
Good thing, some of us in the beat were lucky enough to join them in their field day to paradise—but not with a few fun challenges along the way, of course—the way tradition has always been for the Road Trek.
From their Puerto Princesa showroom, the competitive team of the BusinessMirror, headed by our beloved Motoring Editor Tet Andolong, and Business World’s Aries Espinosa, and this scribe first boarded the Toyota Fortuner V 2.4 4×2 A/T variant for the fuel economy challenge. With the fun-sized yet brainy Aries on the helm feathering his foot on the pedal as we traversed the North Road, we managed to arrive at our first pit-stop station, the Astoria Palawan Resort in San Rafael, some 54 kilometers from the city, squeezing in an impressive 17 km. It was 36.47 percent better than its referenced 10.8 km—good for a second-place outing.
Next to test our fiery enthusiasm was the “Ping Pong Pang” challenge, wherein we had to shoot three ping-pong balls in a basket using cardboards. With our improvised technique and unassuming artistry to make things happen, we were able to finish first in the activity.
From the beach resort, pitting our wits to the fray this time was the “Treasure Hunt” contest, wherein we had to spot names of restaurants, schools, churches, gas stations and resorts along the way. With our eyes as sharp as a hawk’s, we surely were able to ace the game.
Now being transported via a Toyota Fortuner G 2.7 A/T variant since pulling its key from earlier draw, we somehow were able to compare the two specs. Transferring from V to the G variant of this behemoth was quite refreshing.
First off, after 10 years, the first generation bows out to this next-gen Fortuner, with the latter offering fresher engines, transmission and technologies, along with a pile of new safety features. Not to mention, NVH (noise vibration and harshness) levels toning down a notch. Blame it on the improvements on lift, drag force and insulation. Not the suspension setup though, as one can just do so much with Double Wishbones at the front, four-link with coil springs at the back.
The V variant, for one, stands on 18-inch alloy wheels and, thus, dons a more aggressive look than its gasoline sibling, G, with only 17 inches. Inside, while the diesel variant, sports a nifty leather upholstery and dual-zone automatic climate control, the other one does otherwise. The G variant, however, produces more output with 163 hp at 5,200 rpm and 245 N-m of maximum torque at 4,000 rpm, despite pitching its price at P1.3 million. Fuel economy-wise, it spits about 10.3 km. The 2.4 V variant, meanwhile, tips in at P1.7 million.
After three hours of driving, we checked in at Taytay for our late lunch. A hearty meal was enough to keep our spirits rearing for yet another challenge, that for the moment involved clues and trivias intimated to us by our bubbly host, Phoebe—which was useful at the crossword puzzle later that night.
From there, we clocked in the port by dusk, we boarded a 45-minute boat ride, then finally greeted by a lovely panoramic sunset on our way to the famed Lagen Resort in El Nido.
“The purpose of the ride and drive was to enable you to test the cars while enjoying the good roads and the natural beauty of this famous island,” conveyed TMP President Satoru Suzuki during the awarding ceremonies.
“Indeed, this is a life full of drive,” he then added.
And as if this carmaker’s spunk is inexorably contagious, our searing thirst for victory was quenched when our team was proclaimed the Road Trek 12 undisputed overall champion with 137 points, beating nine other motoring teams.
With this, we learned one thing: “If your life is full of drive, then you’re sure to be requited with all the good things the world has to offer.”
Such is the case with Toyota Motor Philippines, the country’s irrefutable No. 1.
Image credits: Ronald de los Reyes, Homer Medici