Guide Car

Photos by Ulysses Ang

This isn’t a full on test drive, but rather a very quick spin in the 2015 Nissan NV350 Urvan. How quick? Think around the block with some hilly roads and some good open stretches. Cutting to the chance, how does it perform? Well, it performs very well. Extremely well. If you’re in the market for a commuter van, that is.
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UPDATE 2: Read our First Drive here (5/5).

UPDATE 1: Photos from the launch proper, more interior shots, and the spec sheet (5/1).

For a carmaker, a product’s importance falls in one of two categories: a halo model or a sales leader. And though everyone dreams of having the new NSX, Honda knows quite well that’s not going to sell in critical numbers here in the country or even globally. On the other hand, you have the all-new Mobilio, Honda’s first crack at the lucrative but highly competitive Asian Utility Vehicle (AUV) market. Single-handedly, it’s poised to be their make-or-break model. And by sticking true to the company’s philosophy of being engineering-centered, it looks like it’s going to be a winner.
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Photos by Ulysses Ang

UPDATE 2: This is how the Honda HR-V squares up against the competition. (6/9)

UPDATE 1: Honda Cars Philippines just launched the HR-V for the Philippines. (6/7)

Readying its assault in the growing sub-compact crossover segment, Honda finally pulled the wraps off the Jazz-based HR-V at the 31st Bangkok Motor Expo 2014. Dubbed the “Premium Sport Crossover”, the HR-V gets a unique powertrain configuration for the Thai market which will most likely be carried over to the rest of the ASEAN region.
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Nissan is continuing to modernize its commercial vehicle offering by unveiling the 2015 NV350 Navara. The fifth-generation van comes from a storied line of Nissan family and cargo haulers dating back to 1973. The all-new model aims to meet the demands of entrepreneurs, shuttle operators, and family users.
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Photos by Ulysses Ang

Just when you thought the AUV kingdom was dead and buried, a new crop of vehicles start taking the place of the old guard. With the exception of the immortals: the Crosswind and the Adventure, the rest of the choices are relatively new to the market. The latest one to lock horns comes from the least likely source: Suzuki. Known more for their cute kei cars with unforgettable names (Hustler, anyone?), Suzuki jumped straight into one of the bloodiest battles as it tries to gain a foothold in the AUV kingdom. Their steed is the Ertiga.
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Photos by Ulysses Ang

Nothing spells summer than Katy Perry’s videos on constant loop. Whether you’re into her songs or not, the catchy lyrics and upbeat tunes is the only way to pass the two-hour journey to Mindoro. Either that or your adolescent eyes are trying to spot something in the umm…pink clouds. But the 42-degree heat, constant desire for Gatorade, and bubbly tunes on the radio make for the perfect backdrop for a summer road trip. And since it’s the first week of May, it could very well have been LaBoracay. Only it’s not. This is LaPuertoGalera aboard the LaMobilio.
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Photos by Ulysses Ang

It’s not every day you get excited about driving the latest MPV. After all, it removes the illusion that motoring scribes only drive the most awesome cars (and some are actually picky in that regard). Now, you do have to give exception to the Mobilio for one simple reason: it’s a Honda. At least, you know it should be a decent drive. Plus, since it performed impeccably well during the Puerto Galera drive, it should do well on a regular drive. So after a week of putting it through its paces, can it be definitely concluded that the Mobilio’s a good car? Well, yes! It’s especially true if you can’t practice family planning.
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