GIIAS offers sneak peek of cars coming soon to PH
Ah, yes, car shows. If you’re a hard-core car nut who appreciates design, technology, and anything new with cars, visiting a car show can be a rewarding experience.
Not only will you be able to see the latest cars that will become available in the market, but you’ll also get to see future concepts that various brands are working on as they map out future products that will whet your appetite.
We visited the 30th GAIKINDO Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) opening last week to see what new cars our region should look forward to. Here’s a list of models you can expect to arrive in the local market soon.
Mitsubishi XForce
The Japanese carmaker’s all-new subcompact crossover offering finally has a name. Mitsubishi revealed the XForce to the public at GIIAS, with two variants becoming initially available in the Indonesian market.
The XForce is the production version of the Mitsubishi XFC Concept. It features a bold new design with modern touches like LED headlights and DRLs, 18-inch wheels, and a 222mm ground clearance. Mitsubishi says the XForce is designed to cater to ASEAN needs, dealing with floods and ruts included.
The top trim of the XForce features a sound system set up by Yamaha. It sounds fantastic, similar to more expensive cars and their branded audiophile-level layouts. Along with a 12.3-inch infotainment screen, a first for Mitsubishi, the XForce promises to offer customers a compelling reason to move away from a Chinese-branded crossover. If it can price it right for the Philippines, that is.
Hyundai Stargazer X
Unveiled to the public for the first time at GIIAS, the latest iteration of Hyundai’s three-row MPV gets a healthy list of upgrades to make it more of a classy crossover than a people hauler. A new hood design, a beefier front grille and bumper, bigger 17inch wheels, fender claddings, rear disc brakes, a new rear bumper, and a rear spoiler add a bit more muscle to the looks of the Stargazer X.
Inside, the Stargazer X’s instrument panel and infotainment cowl now have a piano black finish, making the cabin feel more premium than the original launch version of the Stargazer. The X also gets electronic climate controls, an electric parking brake with auto hold, an 8-speaker Bose sound system, and a captain’s chair layout in the second row.
Hyundai Motor Philippines says the Stargazer X will be available in the Philippines in the fourth quarter as an additional variant to the Stargazer line.
Toyota Rangga Concept
Perhaps even greater significance to our market is the new ladder-frame-based model from Toyota. Initially revealed as the IMV 0 in December 2022, the Rangga Concept will likely be the all-new Toyota Tamaraw Akio Toyoda told President Bongbong Marcos that the Japanese carmaker would want to resurrect.
Designed to be a versatile single cab platform that can accommodate a variety of assemblies at the back, the Rangga Concept is ideal for small businesses, utilitarian executions, and even purpose-designed rear accommodations. It will reportedly run with a diesel engine once the production version is unveiled in Thailand next year.
Honda CR-V e:HEV
Now that Honda Cars Philippines has officially announced the availability of the all-new Honda CR-V for September 13th, seeing this in Indonesia made all the more sense. It was formally introduced in the ASEAN market in Bangkok earlier this year.
Unlike the Indonesian market, which will only get two variants, the Philippines will have three: a 1.5-liter Turbo with 195 PS and 240 Nm of torque in front and all-wheel drive layouts and an RS e: HEV full-hybrid variant with 207 PS of combined motor and engine output, along with 335 Nm of torque from the electric motor from 0 to 2,000 rpm.
The all-new Honda CR-V Turbo starts at Php 2,150,000 for the front-wheel drive and Php 2,300,000 for the AWD. The CR-V RS e:HEV will be priced at Php 2,600,000.
Neta V
One of the new EV upstarts that debuted in GIIAS was Neta. The Chinese electric vehicle carmaker enters the Indonesian market with its Neta V electric crossover. So why is this significant to us? Neta’s claim to fame is that it is one of the, if not the, most affordable subcompact-sized EVs in the markets it has entered.
Think of the Neta V as a Honda Jazz that runs on electricity. So it will be larger than the Jetour Ice Cream or Wuling Mini EV. While the current range is only 300 kilometers, we might soon see a newer version of the Neta V, called the AYA, which will launch in China this month with a 400 km range option.
Hozon New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd., the maker of Neta, has already registered the Neta brand with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. And that could mean we will soon see another EV player in the market.
Seeing these and various other cars on display, such as the Kia EV9, the Mercedes-Benz EQS, the Porsche 911 Dakar, the GWM Ora Cat EV, and even the GR Corolla in person at GIIAS made the trip a worthy experience.
The Indonesian and ASEAN car markets are poised to receive many new car models that should make the car-buying exercise even more challenging. But seeing, feeling, and even driving them ahead of other Filipinos makes personally shelling out for GIIAS all the more satisfying.
So, on to the next international auto show! Tokyo, anyone?