IF you are crazy about cars but were not one of the thousands who trooped to the Fifth Philippine International Motor Show held last week, you may take comfort in the thought that, well, you missed a lot.
A whole lot, in fact—from concept cars, a race car, soon-to-launch models and other models already on sale. Here are some of the noteworthy vehicles from the biennial car show staged by the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines. The theme for this year’s show was “Progress in Motion.”
Isuzu MU-X—The seven-seater MU-X shares its skin with the Chevrolet Trailblazer but the engine is pure Isuzu. Isuzu says this engine is one of the company’s most fuel-efficient engines to date.
Nissan X-Trail—This compact SUV sheds the boxy styling of the first two generations and gets a more curvaceous exterior—and extra seats for two really tiny people, making it a seven-seater (sort of).
Honda NSX—The second-generation of Honda’s supercar was without doubt one of the show’s biggest attractions. It might go on sale in the Philippines in two years and will likely cost as much as three Honda Pilots. Volkswagen Golf GTi—This hot hatch goes on sale first quarter of 2015, making it the most driver-oriented car in the local Volkswagen lineup. Ummm…
Lexus NX 300h—This compact SUV combines luxury, gorgeous looks, and—thanks to its hybrid powertrain—fuel efficiency.
Mitsubishi Outlander—Still mourning the demise of the awesome-looking Mitsubishi Outlander? Dry your tears for its successor is here. Mazda MX-5 25th Anniversary Edition—The 25 units allocated for the Philippines have all been sold, instantly making them a prized collector’s item. Toyota Fun Vii concept—Images on this concept car’s seamless exterior panels can be changed just like the wallpaper on a smartphone’s. Could a future Corolla Altis possibly look something like this?
BAIC X424—This Chinese SUV isn’t bad-looking at all but what really impressed us was its build quality.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class—The fourth-generation C-Class may no longer be the baby in the Mercedes-Benz lineup but it does seem like a baby S-Class in terms of styling and features. BMW X4—Like its X6 big brother, the X4 combines the ruggedness of what BMW calls a sport activity vehicle with the sporty styling of a coupe.
Kia Sorento—The Korean carmaker’s already handsome flagship SUV shows off its most recent facelift just in time for the debut of its namesake Philippines Basketball Association basketball team.
JMC Orion—Is there a Chinese SUV in your future? This could be it.
Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk—With its tough and sophisticated 4×4 drivetrain, this Jeep will do just fine even with only three wheels on the muddy ground. Suzuki Ertiga—An entire barangay of, well, seven will fit in this multipurpose vehicle.
Peugeot 508 Hybrid4—This car is special because it is one of the few diesel hybrids in the world although it’s unlikely to go on sale here.
Image credits: Eric Ayrton S. Soriano