05 March 2010
Boy Racer | 2009 Toyota Vios 1.5 TRD Sportivo
Words and photos by Christopher Kho
The second generation Toyota Vios has been with us for a little over 3 years now. Ever since its advent in 2007, this subcompact sedan has been one of the best-selling cars in the Philippine market, selling over 11 thousand units in 2009 alone. Not that it’s losing popularity, but every now and then, Toyota has been adding special versions to the existing line of Vios’ to spice up the brand. They began with the release of the Vios Limited Edition back in 2008 with the Vios S shortly after in 2009. Now in late 2009, Toyota has introduced yet another addition to the Vios family, the Vios TRD Sportivo.
Published in
Subcompact
15 May 2009
Silver Lining | 2009 Toyota Vios 1.5G A/T
Words and photos by Christopher Kho
Gorgeous, glamorous, gentlemanly, gold or whatever adjective, pronoun or noun you could think of, it will always be a mystery to all of us what the “G” badge stands for in Toyota’s vehicle line-up. Having driven the memorable manual Vios 1.3J just a few months back, I was up to my neck in excitement when I got the news that I’ll soon get my hands on the full-option automatic 1.5G variant. I reminisced how much fun I had with the base model Vios and could only anticipate the thrill of getting to test drive its classier twin brother.
Published in
Subcompact
15 April 2009
New Car Smell | 2008 Chery QQ 1.1L M/T
Words and photos by Christopher Kho
Nothing compares to the sense of pride and bliss that comes with buying things “brand new”. The time and effort spent saving up every penny is greeted by the sweet pleasure of a purchase that finally comes with an official receipt. And buying a brand new car is no different. There’s always that trill of driving away from a dealership in a special handpicked vehicle with no plates. You don’t only get a worry-free fresh vehicle but it’ll also come with the coveted “new car smell”. But for the budget-stricken average-earning citizen, getting his or her hands on a brand new car would seem to be a far-fetched dream. More often than not, they find themselves settling for second-best with a second-hand car. Fortunately enough, with the QQ’s entry in to the entry-level car market, Chery has given hope to those who have always dreamed of owning a spanking new car.
Published in
Subcompact
25 March 2009
A Penny Saved is A Penny Earned | 2009 Toyota Vios 1.3J
Words and photos by Christopher Kho
At first, I was a bit hesitant to test drive the 1.3 J Vios as I personally associated it as a form of public transport, but luckily the test unit came in an attractive metallic red rather than the dreaded taxi white color. I didn’t expect too much from it as the J variant was the lowest end available. With nothing else to do, I simply drove the Vios for a long weekend ride out of town. After the trip, I couldn’t believe how much fun I had in a car that costs so little.
Published in
Subcompact
17 February 2009
The Chinese Immigrant | 2009 Chana Benni 1.3 M/T
Words and photos by Christopher Kho
One out of every five people walking on the planet is Chinese. With a huge number of brilliant minds working together, China has produced a lot of great things this world can’t live without such as ceramics, fireworks, noodles, Jackie Chan and just recently, affordable cars.
The Chana Benni has been one of the newest entries in the Philippine subcompact car market. It’s so new that a lot of my friends barely even knew about it; let alone know what it is. To satisfy their curiosity, I took them for a test drive in the little Chinese car. The first thing everyone noticed about the car is its bright “energetic yellow” color that called so much attention on the road. Although the Benni does come in other more attractive colors, their test unit came in a shade of yellow so bright it looked like a lightbulb on wheels. There are so few Benni’s on the road that people stop and stare, simply because it’s something they’ve never seen before. Plus the fact that it didn’t come with tint made me conscious as I drive on public roads. As the proper motoring journalist that I should be, I just sucked it all in and drove like there’s no tomorrow.
Published in
Subcompact
12 February 2009
Package Deal | 2009 Hyundai i10 1.1L A/T
Words and photos by Christopher Kho
All the glitz and glam may impress, but it comes at a price. At Hyundai, they somehow managed to fit form and function in a small package at a bargain. The i10 is the youngest sibling in Hyundai’s newly launched family of “i” badged vehicles and is their entry to the growing segment of subcompact cars. The midget certainly does sport good looks and gets people’s heads turning. It features an edgy yet elegant European styling, splashed with a handful of Korean bliss.
Published in
Subcompact
07 January 2009
Petite and Roomy | 2008 Kia Picanto 1.1L A/T
Words and photos by Christopher Kho
Who ever said ‘size does matter’? Just because you drive a small car doesn’t mean you can’t have loads of fun. This has been my case with the little Kia Picanto. Honestly, I was never fond of small cars. I always had an impression that they were cramped, underpowered and would get crushed under the enormous weight of busses zigzagging through EDSA. This has been my notion for the past couple of years until I got the chance to take home the Picanto. I planned on driving it out to distant places, but this car is not meant for long road trips. Iit was built for the city. And that’s exactly what I did. I used it to drive my parents and my sister wherever they needed to go.
Published in
Subcompact
