New Year, New Car: Six All-New Cars Launched in the Philippines from January to February 2019

The second month of 2019 is almost over. Just like that, we’re already coming into the latter part of this year’s first quarter. Time flies so fast, which is why you should make good use of it. The Philippine automotive industry values the essence of time as several manufacturers have already introduced its respective all-new models. From January to February 2019, the local automotive industry was relatively busy due to all-new car launches. There are already six all-new cars launched in the Philippines during the first two months of 2019. To give you a rundown, here’s a list of the all-new cars in the local market as of this writing.

Hyundai Reina

The Reina is Hyundai Philippines’ challenger in the tightly contested subcompact sedan segment. In fact, the Hyundai Reina was launched quietly through Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc’s website. The brand says this vehicle is integrated with Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language. It is powered by a 1.4-liter gasoline engine that delivers 94 hp and 132 Nm of torque. The engine can be connected to either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. The most surprising thing about the all-new Hyundai Reina is its starting price, which is PHP598,000--yes, it’s under 600K. Available in two variants--GL MT and GL AT--the Reina is priced lower as compared to its segment rivals such as the Kia Soluto, Mitsubishi Mirage G4, Toyota Vios, among others.

Kia Soluto

The Kia Soluto joins Hyundai Reina as the newest challengers in the Philippines’ subcompact sedan battle royale. The Soluto is also powered by a 1.4-liter gasoline engine that delivers 94 hp and 132 Nm of torque. Transmission options could either be a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. It is available in four variants with a starting price of PHP625,000. According to Kia Philippines, the Soluto features a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto & Apple Carplay, six-speakers, rearview camera, and steering wheel-mounted controls across all variants.

Toyota RAV4

The all-new Toyota RAV4 looks sharper and more aggressive than its predecessor. The Japanese automaker says the RAV4 features the brand’s Toyota New Global Architecture platform, which is the same with the Camry. Toyota added that the all-new RAV4 offers better performance and capability. Under the hood, the fifth-generation RAV4 is powered by a 2.5-liter Dual VVT-i gasoline engine that generates 203 hp and 243 Nm of torque. Power is transferred through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The all-new RAV4 is available in three variants with a starting price of PHP1,638,000.

Suzuki Ertiga

Suzuki Philippines welcomed 2019 with the launch of the all-new Ertiga, which is its challenger in the competitive MPV segment. The all-new Ertiga features a bolder and a more composed stance as compared to its predecessor. Suzuki’s MPV now has an aggressive and confident-looking front fascia, which we find to be better that the outgoing model. In addition, the Ertiga’s interior also gets a restyled look, which gives the vehicle’s cabin a premium feel. The all-new Ertiga is powered by a 1.5-liter gasoline engine that puts out 103 hp and 138 Nm of torque. Transmission options could either be a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. Suzuki’s MPV challenger is available in three variants with a starting price of PHP728,000.

Subaru Forester

Motor Image Pilipinas Inc., the official distributor of Subaru vehicles in the Philippines, joined the list of manufacturers that launched an all-new vehicle earlier this year. The said vehicle is the all-new, fifth-generation Subaru Forester, which is built on the Subaru Global Platform that the brand says is more rigid and more responsive. The Forester is powered by a 2.0-liter gasoline engine that produces 154 hp and 196 Nm of torque. The engine is connected to a Lineatronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). It is available in three variants with a starting price of PHP1,598,000.

Toyota Hiace

The all-new Toyota Hiace made its world debut in the Philippines last February 18, which is the first-ever world debut staged in the country. At first glance, one can quickly see that the Hiace has undergone a major revamp as it now features a new front end. It now has new headlights, a restyled front grille, and a tweaked bumper. The interior cabin has also been given a new style, which is a more refreshing site as compared to its predecessor. The all-new Hiace is powered by a 2.8-liter turbo-diesel engine, a power unit that’s similar with the Fortuner and the Innova. The engine is connected to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. The said engine can put out 160 hp to 170 hp and 420 Nm to 450 Nm of torque, depending on the variant. Speaking of which, the all-new Hiace is available in five variants with a starting price of PHP1,590,000.