Way to go, Ford!

The automotive company delivered a strong retail performance for the first half of the year in the Philippines. Thanks to its Next-Generation vehicle lineup, Ford Philippines’s retail sales rose 55 percent from a year ago to 13,838 vehicles.

The Next-Generation Ranger became Ford’s top-selling vehicle in the country, with sales growing by 25 percent year-on-year to 5,436 units sold. The addition of the Next-Generation Ranger Raptor also boosted retail performance, with sales reaching close to 600 units since its launch in late May.

Furthermore, the newly-launched Next-Generation Territory contributed to Ford’s strong sales as well. Like its predecessors, it’s still the leading small SUV in the Philippines, with sales increasing by 22 percent to 4,493 units. The Next-Gen model also breached the 2,500-unit mark in less than three months after its launch at the Manila International Auto Show.

Meanwhile, the Ford Everest continues to thrive in the competitive mid-size SUV segment. It delivered strong sales performance, growing by 503 percent from last year to 3,786 vehicles.

Enhanced ownership experiences

Ford is committed to improving the ownership experiences, giving the Next-Gen Ranger, Territory, and Everest with a five-year warranty. Moreover, Ford Philippines also introduced new service initiatives designed to provide ease and convenience in owning a Ford vehicle.

For instance, Express Service is offered to customers who prefer to have their vehicles serviced in a more efficient way than the usual maintenance. Pickup and Delivery, on another note, is available for those who are interested to have their vehicle serviced without interrupting their day. Participating dealers will pick-up the vehicle, service it, and bring it back to the customer’s preferred location.

“These milestones testify to our commitment to enhance the Ford ownership experience with vehicles and services that our customers need and deserve,” shares Mike Breen, managing director, Ford Philippines.

“We celebrate these milestones with our customers who continue to patronize the Ford brand, as well as with our dealers for their partnership and commitment to enhance the customer experience. We are truly energized and excited for what’s to come for the second half of the year.”

Honda Cars Philippines has officially launched the latest editions of the Honda City and Honda Brio at the Mega Fashion Hall at SM Megamall.

Both the newest City and Brio variants feature improvements in their exterior and interior designs and the full suite of Honda’s safety features, including Honda SENSING.

The New City

The new Honda City gets sportier and more stylish with a crafted RS design front grille with RS emblem, as well as a new front and rear bumper with carbon-wrapped molding. 

On the side are sharp horizontal character lines while exclusive to the RS variant is the new Side Sill garnish. The windshield shape has also been modified to reduce blind spots further.

The exterior is complemented by new LED daytime running headlights and fog lights available across all variants. The Honda City also gets 15- to 16-inch redesigned alloy wheels in Black Cut, Silver Cut, Silver paint Alloy, or Steel with cover.

For the interior, the RS gets full leather seats, new designs on the pedals, improved accents for its panels, and ambient lights for its instrument cluster.

Models also get an advanced 8-inch touchscreen display with improved LCD and a better reverse camera resolution. For entertainment, the new City can be connected to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

In terms of performance, the City’s 1.5 DOHC i-VTEC CVT engine delivers a maximum output of 121 PS and 145 Nm of torque; the car also tested for 22.2 kilometers per liter for fuel efficiency.

The New Brio

Meanwhile, Honda’s standout compact hatchback is finally getting its second-generation model, with more enhancements to cater to first-time or alternative car buyers who seek style, comfort, and performance.

The latest Brio’s exterior gets a handful of updates, from its Piano Black RS design front grille, updated fog lights and garnish, and daytime running lights.

At the back are the tailgate spoiler and RS design rear bumper lower garnish and tail lights in the RS variants while the wheels have been updated to 14-inch Alloy and Steel or 15-inch Alloy.

Inside is a 7-inch touchscreen across all models; the new Brio variants also have enhanced audio controls and an assortment of connectivity options including Bluetooth, USB, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The RS variants get up to a 6-speaker setup, inclusive of two tweeters.

In terms of safety, all new variants get Honda’s G-CON technology, ABS, and electronic Brake-Force distribution, along with parking sensors.

Price, availability

Honda City

• 1.5 E CVT: PhP 973,000
• 1.5 S CVT: PhP 998,000
• 1.5 V CVT: PhP 1,073,000
• 1.5 RS CVT: PhP 1,128,000

Available colors

• Ignite Red Metallic (RS CVT, V CVT and S CVT)
• Obsidian Blue Pearl (new color; RS CVT and V CVT)
• Platinum White Pearl (RS CVT and V CVT, additional PhP 20,000)
• Taffeta White (S CVT and E CVT)
• Lunar Silver Metallic (S CVT and E CVT)
• Meteoroid Gray Metallic (all variants)

Honda Brio

• 1.2 S MT: 735,000
• 1.2 V CVT: 827,000
• 1.2 RS CVT: 853,000
• 1.2 RS Black Top CVT: PhP 863,000

Available colors

• Stellar Diamond Pearl (new color; RS Black Top CVT and RS CVT; additional PhP 20,000)
• Electric Lime Metallic (new color; RS Black Top CVT and V CVT)
• Phoenix Orange Pearl (RS Black Top CVT)
• Rallye Red (V CVT)
• Meteoroid Gray Metallic (RS CVT, V CVT, and S MT)
• Taffeta White (V CVT and S MT)

Seven months after its launch in the Philippines, the all-new Honda BR-V has become the car manufacturer’s best-selling SUV locally, with over 5,000 units sold to date.

The 7-seater SUV combines both a classy exterior and a comfortable interior, along with a powerful and fuel-efficient engine and advanced features to give owners great peace of mind.

The model comes in four variants and five color options ranging from PhP 1,090,000 for the 1.5 S manual transmission to PhP 1,390,000 for the 1.5 VX CVT with Honda SENSING.

Some of the SUV’s distinct features are its 17-inch alloy wheels, leather seats for the higher end variants, a larger cargo area, one-touch tumble second row seats, height and steering wheel adjusters, and a 7-inch high-resolution touchscreen display.

The Honda BR-V’s engine has a maximum power of 121 PS (6,600 rpm) and maximum torque of 145 Nm (4,300 rpm), making it an ideal vehicle for one’s next road trip, no matter the road conditions.

In terms of safety, owners get Honda’s entire suite of advanced and intelligent safety features, like its LaneWatch Camera, Walk Away Auto Lock, Hill Start Assist, ABS and EBD, and more.