Quantcast
Category Archive 'Kia'

25.08.08

Motorshow gives a taste of ‘cars of the future’

- Kia, Concept Cars, Toyota, Honda, Hybrid Cars, Mitsubishi, Electric Vehicles, Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines -

In the recent 2nd Philippine International Motor Show, INQUIRER.net speaks with several car manufacturers about the recent concept cars they have lined up in the future. These “cars of the future” are now using other alternative means of powering engines, including electricity (using more powerful and less expensive batteries). Hybrid cars are also the rage today, as manufacturers respond to pressures the global green movement to come up with ways to cut on energy consumption amid the oil price increases.

Here’s a video interview with Mitsubishi vice president for customer service Dante Santos who explains how an electric car works.

Here’s a video interview with Korean carmaker Kia Motors explaining the displayed “fuel cell electric vehicle” or FCEV. The FCEV runs on electricity produced by combining stored liquid hydrogen with oxygen, as explained by Edgardo Castro Jr., training manager for Columbian Autocar Corp, Kia’s local distributor.

Here’s also a closer look at Toyota’s hybrid Prius sedan that alternately runs on gas and electricity. Toyota has created a hybrid pickup naming it as one of their “cars for the future.” Unveiled earlier this year, the Toyota A-Bat is further elaborated on by Allen Rufo, Toyota Philippines vice president for customer service marketing, who also gives his views about hybrid vehicles in the local market. Video taken at the Philippine International Motor Show held at the World Trade Center.

Finally, Japanese carmaker Honda unveils a new version of the Jazz, also called Fit in other countries. In this video interview, Honda Philippines head of sales operations Voltaire Gonzales talks about the new features in the Jazz.

23.11.07

Firsts in the 2007 Car of the Year Awards

- On the Road, Kia, Columns, Road Transport, Transport, Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Aida Sevilla Mendoza, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Volvo, Car of the Year, Car Awards Group Inc., Petron, Automobile Association Philippines, Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines -

By Aida Sevilla-Mendoza
Inquirer

THE 4TH Car of the Year (Coty) Philippines Awards program, which was held at the Rockwell Tent in Makati last Thursday, established quite a few firsts.

It was the first time that: a European brand won the big trophy. The 2007 Car of the Year, the Volvo C30 (shown in photo) is a sports coupe that aced the Luxury Subcompact category versus the BMW 120i and the Mercedes-Benz B160.

volvo1.jpg

What’s more, the Swedish carmaker outshone its German rivals two more times when the Volvo S60 T5 won the Executive Car of the Year Award and the Volvo S80 2.5L topped the Luxury Car category.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

19.11.07

Kia Carens: The sporty compact CRDi MPV

- On the Road, Kia, Columns, Road Transport, Transport, Aida Sevilla Mendoza -

By Aida Sevilla Mendoza
Inquirer

IF you are shopping for an affordable common rail diesel-powered multipurpose vehicle, the Korean manufacturers make choosing a difficult task. Why? Because Kia Motors and its parent company Hyundai Motor Co. offer not one, not two, but three CRDi (common rail direct injection) MPVs to choose from: the Hyundai Starex, Kia Carnival and Kia Carens.

But when it comes to a compact CRDi MPV, the choice narrows down to the 2007 Kia Carens since the Hyundai Matrix was withdrawn from the Philippine market a year or so ago. The Carens first entered with a 2.0-liter, DOHC, 16-valve gasoline engine. The CRDi variant showed up soon after, completing Kia’s CRDi-powered foursome together with the 4×4 Sorento midsize SUV, the 4×4 Sportage compact SUV and the Carnival midsize MPV (which this column reviewed last August.)

No competition

With no other CRDi seven-seater compact MPV in competition unless you consider the D-4D Toyota Innova a compact MPV, the Carens enjoys a monopoly in this segment. The Toyota Avanza, Mitsubishi Fuzion and soon-to-come Nissan Grand Livina all have gasoline engines.

[Read the rest of this entry »]

30.10.07

Korean crown jewels

- Kia, Road Transport, Transport, Tessa Salazar, Columbian Auto Cars, Hyundai -

By Tessa R. Salazar
Inquirer

WHILE Japanese manufacturers are busy hosting local motoring journalists from the Philippines for the 2007 edition of the Tokyo Motor Show, rival Korean carmakers have been patient and busy reinforcing their product lineups in the local market, slowly eating away at the huge market share the Land of the Rising Sun has traditionally enjoyed in the Pearl of the Orient Seas.

The reinforcements from Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. Philippines are expected to face off with the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. The Azera (P1.758 million), Sonata 2.4L (P1.238 million) and Sonata 3.3L (P1.318 million) were launched simultaneously just last week. Azera and Sonata are CBUs (completely built up units) from Korea.

People mover

In the other Korean frontline, Kia has revealed what it touts as its version of the Chevy Town and Country with its people-mover 2.9-liter Carnival. Columbian Auto Cars, Kia’s exclusive distributor in the Philippines, now offers its lifestyle-centered eight-seater family vehicle with a common rail direct injection diesel engine versions.

carnival2.jpg

[Read the rest of this entry »]


Welcome to
Roadtrip, the motoring blog of INQUIRER.net. Manila-based INQUIRER.net is the online home of the Philippine Daily Inquirer group of publications.
INQUIRER.net VDO

Search

Archives
You are browsing
the Archives of Roadtrip in the 'Kia' Category.
Categories