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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.

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. 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. Swept It was also the first time that a Korean brand -- Kia -- swept four category awards, besting Japanese brands. The Kia Picanto 1.1 DLX bagged the Basic Subcompact Car of the Year Award, the Kia Rio 1.4 sedan was adjudged the Executive Subcompact Car of the Year, the Kia Carens CRDi collected the Compact Van/Multipurpose Vehicle of the Year Award and the Kia Carnival LX 2.9 CRDi short wheelbase won the Executive Van/MPV of the Year trophy. For the first time, the Car Awards Group Inc. (Cagi), organizer of Coty, got a big business corporation to be the title sponsor, i.e. Petron Corp. Thus it is now officially known as the Petron 2007 Car of the Year Awards. The decision to get a title sponsor was made by Cagi 2007 president Ira Panganiban with the concurrence of his board: External VP Andy Sevilla, external vice president; Fernan Lao, internal VP and technical committee chair; and Jeff Reyes, treasurer. Media practitioners All the officers and members of Cagi, if you don't know it yet, are media practitioners as Cagi is a nonstock, nonprofit private organization of motoring journalists that conducts consumer-oriented tests of mass production motor vehicles annually to help consumers make an informed choice when buying a car and to recognize the progress of the auto industry in engineering, quality, design and safety features. This time, the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) supported the 2007 Coty Awards not as a sponsor, but as Cagi's technical partner in testing the entries. After all, AAP is a nonprofit, nonstock organization, the national auto club that is the only Philippine affiliate of the FIA, the Paris-based body that governs motor sports worldwide including F1, the WRC and Le Mans. AAP motor sports committee chair Mandy Eduque and AAP director Dave Arcenas participated in some of the car testing sessions. Categories The number of categories was increased from 11 in the 3rd Coty to 23 after the Cagi executive board consulted the technical experts of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (Campi) on how to improve the Coty formula. Passenger cars now have nine categories: Basic Subcompact, Executive Subcompact, Luxury Subcompact, Midsize, Sports Car, Executive, Luxury and Ultra Luxury. Car-based utility vehicles enter four categories: 2WD Crossover/Wagon, 4WD Crossover/Wagon, Luxury Crossover/Wagon and Ultra-Luxury Crossover/Wagon. Minivans were divided into four categories: Compact Van/Multipurpose Vehicle (MPV), Executive Van/MPV, Luxury Van/MPV and Ultra Luxury Van/MPV. Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) were also Compact, Executive, Luxury or Ultra Luxury. Pickup trucks have two categories: 2WD (4x2) and 4WD (4x4). Chose The car manufacturers themselves, not Cagi, chose which of their products would participate and in which category each would enter. The car manufacturers also took care of bringing the test units to the test venue. Entries that did not win in their respective categories last time were allowed to try again. Previously, losing entries were not allowed to participate unless the motor vehicle in question had undergone major changes or upgrades in engineering, technology and/or safety features. A facelift -- new headlights or taillights, a new grille, new bumpers -- did not count. 87 entries Eighty-seven cars and trucks were tested over a span of eight Saturdays from Aug. 25 to Oct. 13 at the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite. The total number would have been 97 if the test units of 10 models had shown up. The number of Special Awards was increased from four to 19. Supporters of Coty 2007 sponsored the awards. Thus, Toyota Motors Philippines won the AAP Best Road Safety Campaign Award, the Honda Jazz 1.3 won the Standard Insurance Best Value for Money Award, the Nissan Teana the Rockwell Land Best Interior Design Award, the Mercedes-Benz S350 the Bridgestone Most Comfortable Ride Award, the Mitsubishi Outlander the Bosch Best In-Car Entertainment Award, the Subaru Impreza WRX the Globe Media Dream Car Award and the Petron 2007 Car of the Year, the Volvo C30, also won the Concept One Sexiest Car Award. So Coty 2007 was a year of firsts, setting the stage for a more exciting 2008.

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 4x4 Sorento midsize SUV, the 4x4 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. This is not to say that the CRDi Carens needs monopoly status to gain market share. At a suggested retail price (SRP) of P875,000 for the LX manual transmission (MT), P925,000 for the LX automatic transmission (AT) or P1,050,000 for the EX AT, the CRDi Carens gives good value for money with the advantage of more frugal fuel consumption, thanks to Kiaís second generation CRDi engine technology, and the lower (by P5 per liter) pump price of diesel fuel. Specs The 2007 Carens' 2.0-liter SOHC 16-valve CRDi engine with variable geometry turbocharger (VGT) and diesel oxidation catalyst delivers 140 ps/4,000 rpm and 31 kg-m/2,500 rpm max torque through the front wheels. The MT is 5-speed while the AT is 4-speed with Neuro Fuzzy logic. In the United States, where it is sold as the Rondo, the Carens has a 2.7-liter DOHC V6 gasoline engine and a 5-speed AT whereas here, as previously stated, the gasoline Carens has a 2.0-liter DOHC engine and a 4-speed AT or 5-speed MT. However, given a choice between a V6 gasoline engine and a 2.0-liter CRDi engine for a compact MPV like the Carens, I'd opt for the latter anytime in view of the endlessly rising oil prices. Besides, the Carens' CRDi powerplant packs more than adequate torque to propel the 1,716-kg body forward at a fast clip. The seven-seater Carens may have been designed for family use, but it has a certain sporty flair and is surprisingly fun to drive. Suspension A carlike ride quality is traceable to a fully independent suspension (MacPherson strut up front, multilink with coil spring at the rear) with stabilizer bars and disc brakes fore and aft. Handling and steering compare favorably with a compact sport sedan's, although there is some body lean when tackling fast corners. The cabin is well-insulated from road and wind noise while the CRDi engine is not as noisy or harsh as older model diesel engines. The gear shift is conveniently located at the base of the center console stack. The high seats, high ceiling and large glass area provide good visibility and a spacious feeling although the thick C pillars somewhat obstruct the driver's rear view. The quality of the interior materials is above-average and the instruments and gauges are logically placed, easy to read and easy to reach. A total of six cupholders, three power outlets, two rear storage boxes and a small tray above the glove box are a few of the convenient standard features. 7 seats But what is most surprising about the Carens is that it neatly fits seven comfy, supportive, recline-able seats on a wheelbase that is only 4,545 mm in overall length. Front seat and second row passengers enjoy ample leg and head room, but the tight legroom in the third row makes it good only for children. The second row splits 60/40 and slides forward for easy access to the third row, which splits 50/50 and can be folded flat into the floor to create cargo space. With the third row seats up, there is no cargo space behind. Unfortunately, it is in the safety features that the Carens is parsimonious. Only the top-of-the-line EX has an airbag -- only one at that -- and keyless entry with alarm. No Carens sold here has ABS or EBD or Stability Control while the Carens sold in the United States has six airbags, ABS and anti-skid as standard equipment. Perhaps essential safety features were removed to lower the SRP but their absence, together with the generally low resale value of Kia vehicles, may make safety-conscious buyers balk despite the Carens' excellent quality and sporty performance. * * * TODAY'S BUMPER STICKER: Give Satan an inch and he'll be a ruler.

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. The Carnival, contrary to its gaudy name, exudes a subdued style, but it does capitalize on its spacious interior (in reference, perhaps, to the all-in Big Top carnivals), easy-rear passenger access (rear seats easily foldable) and riding comfort. The Carnival CRDi -- just like the Sportage CRDi -- already responds and purrs like a gasoline-powered vehicle. It also offers sequential mode for manual gear selection. The drive height is ideal for Asian physiques. The steering is light (good for lady drivers), while the brakes are powerful. Still, one could sense a wide-bodied heaviness in this hauler. But we’re not driving a sportscar, so it’s understandable. The Carnival goes for P1.215 million (LX manual); P1.290 million (LX automatic); P1.450 million (EX automatic, all short wheel base); P1.570 million (EX automatic, long wheel base). 2-liter SUV Speaking of the Sportage, this two-liter SUV offers full-time four-wheel drive CRDi (note: it’s not all-time, but full-time 4WD). The 4WD disengages at high speed and engages during wheel slip (of course, there’s also the 4WD lock button). There’s just that teeny bit of delay from a standing start, but once it starts moving, the Sportage blows by like a breeze. The traction control makes the Sportage less likely to skid or slip. For the more confident drivers, there’s the TCS, or traction control switch that could turn the TC mode off. Pop open the hood and one can see the engine is fully covered for protection (maybe not just from the elements, but from potential “tinkerers” as well). Incidentally, the Sportage engine bears an uncannily similar look with the Hyundai Tucson engine. A mechanic may even mistake one for the other. The handling, ride and road grip are impressive. It also feels light. The external noise insulation for a diesel-powered SUV is good. Basically, the only irritating noise you’ll hear is the jingling of the car keys in the ignition. The Sportage price tags are P969,000 (gas 4x2) and P1.120 million (CRDi 4x4). Photos courtesy of the Philippine Daily Inquirer