Automotive

2019 Honda Brio RS: The sporty baby Jazz

A fun ride through and through

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For millennials and young professionals, choosing which car to buy could be a tough choice to make. For some, it has to pass certain requirements like fuel efficiency, ride comfort, space, if it looks good, and more importantly if it fits the budget. This is what first came to my mind when we got to test the 2019 Honda Brio RS. I think it has all the criteria most of us need for our daily commute and I’ll tell you why.

At first glance, it will give you the impression of a baby Jazz as it follows traditional Honda design cues.  It looks far better than its competing compact hatchbacks and is definitely a big design upgrade than the previous generation Brio.  From the front, this car looks aggressive and masculine for its size. The rear, however, still leans on the conservative side. Together with its sporty side skirts, the side profile is sleek with forward-tilting character lines giving it a sense of action and speed.

Being an RS variant, there are additional design upgrades which include the black roof, blacked-out honeycomb grille, a rear spoiler with mounted third brake light, 15-inch RS design alloy rims, and of course, the bright red RS badges plastered all over. These positively add to the sportiness of the vehicle.

Its Phoenix Orange Pearl body looked glowing hot when the sun hits and we like it

Hopping in, you will immediately notice the orange accents running through the air vents, glove box, and side panels, plus the orange stitching and patterns on the seats. Next, we see the 7-inch touch-enabled infotainment system at the center of the dash which is connected to six speakers. Although that’s the case, we still weren’t impressed with the sound quality as it felt a bit short on bass.

Whether as the driver or passenger, you are seated in a low orientation and feel very close and planted to the ground. The height of the steering wheel and dashboard takes some getting used to if you always drive tall cars. But don’t get the idea that it’s cramped up inside. The seats up front are spacious with plenty of headroom to spare while at the back we have a decent amount of legroom for the average Asian. The trunk was large enough to carry our equipment along with other stuff. It was impressively spacious for a car this size.

We drove to our favorite scenic route of the Sierra Madre mountains, putting the car through its paces. The Brio is powered by a 1.2-liter SOHC i-VTEC engine which I think is sufficient enough for a car this small. It is then mated to a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) with sport mode and the company’s Earth Dreams Technology.

This car gives you a smooth and quiet ride even at high speeds. The cabin is astonishingly quiet with very minimal wind noise and vibrations. Thanks to its CVT implementation, this car is so smooth that I didn’t realize I was already going 90 on a 50kph road.

You cannot ask it to drive like its more spirited cousins, though. It is not the fastest accelerating car and pushing down the gas pedal when overtaking or driving up a steep road takes the CVT some time to adjust and you won’t get that instant punch you were expecting.

The Brio also lacks traction control and other basic features like rear sensors and reverse camera. It doesn’t even have a center console box and an armrest, but these are things we can brush aside. In terms of fuel efficiency, we were able to average 11.1km/liter which is not bad considering we drove it aggressively through the winding and steep roads of Tanay, Rizal. Steering was light and handled tight corners remarkably.  Overall, this car gets the job done. It gets you where you need to go and is reliable, economical, safe, and don’t forget that it’s such a looker.

Will I recommend the Brio RS? In the city, this car would be perfect. Although it’s not the most powerful more so for long drives. I can tell you one thing, though, it sure is fun to drive. I’m actually not a big fan of small hatchbacks but it all boils down to the company’s target market. The Brio is tuned to be sporty and modernly stylish so it might appeal to those looking for something that looks fun and doesn’t break the bank.

With those, I could confidently say that the Brio RS has the edge over its small hatchback competitors in terms of performance and design. You won’t go wrong with this car.

Accessories

70mai launches the A900 series with 4K front, rear recording

Two new 4K dual-channel dash cams, both with 4G

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70mai has launched the A900 Series, led by the flagship 70mai Dash Cam 4K A900 Ultra, with the 70mai Dash Cam 4K A900 joining it in the lineup.

Both models record in 4K from the front and rear cameras, and both support 4G, so your footage stays reachable from your phone even when you’re away from the car.

4K recording from both cameras

The A900 Ultra uses dual Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 sensors to capture clear 4K footage from both directions. As a result, details like license plates and road signs remain sharp.

Smart HDR balances bright and dark areas under shifting light. Users can also adjust color tones and contrast. To keep feeds synced, the rear camera uses LVDS digital transmission. This tech sends a lossless 4K feed with just 20ms of latency.

Handling changing light

Driving into a tunnel or under the shadow of a tall building changes the lighting quickly, and 70mai built three imaging technologies into the A900 Ultra to deal with it.

MaiColor Vivid+ Solution 2.0 is meant to give more natural colors and finer detail, along with smarter scene adaptation. Night Owl Vision 2.0 reduces noise and glare to help with nighttime clarity.

Lumi Vision is made for parking surveillance in near-total darkness, where it automatically adjusts exposure and gain and applies noise reduction. 70mai says this produces clear, full-color footage in extremely low light.

Parking mode and remote access

Smart Parking Guardian Mode 2.0 protects your vehicle while parked. It combines AI motion detection, dual-channel collision detection with pre-recording, and time-lapse options.

The system draws just 5mA on standby to prevent battery drain. For extended coverage, the optional 70mai Battery Pack Mini powers surveillance for up to 30 days.

In photo: A900

Pairing the camera with the 4G Hardwire Kit unlocks 70mai 4G Cloud+ 2.0 features on the app. Enhanced Buffered Emergency Recording saves up to 190 seconds before an incident and 30 seconds after.

It automatically uploads this footage to the cloud for immediate remote viewing.

The 70mai Dash Cam 4K A900

In photo: A900

The A900 sits alongside the Ultra as the more accessible option. It records True 4K HDR at 30FPS from both the front and rear cameras, and Smart HDR can be scheduled to turn on at set times.

Its f/1.55 aperture is meant to help in low light, and 4G Cloud+ 2.0 keeps the dash cam connected to the 70mai App. It’s the model for drivers who want dual-channel recording and 4G connectivity at a lower price.


The 70mai Dash Cam 4K A900 Ultra retails for US$ 300, available for pre-order at US$ 240. Meanwhile, the A900 is priced at US$ 200, currently 20% off at US$ 170.

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Automotive

The Kia EV3 brings gallery-worthy design in a compact electric form

The 2025 World Car of the Year turns daily driving into functional art.

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The all-new Kia EV3 officially debuted against the architectural backdrop of the Ayala Museum.

Named the 2025 World Car of the Year, the compact electric SUV redefines daily driving as functional art. It also holds prestigious Red Dot “Best of the Best” and iF Design awards.

Sculpted like a modern piece of design

The EV3 shares the forward-thinking design philosophy of the acclaimed EV5 and EV9.

Its exterior features an evolved Digital Tiger Face paired with signature LED lighting. Sculpted geometric surfaces and flush door handles maintain a smooth silhouette.

A tailored rear spoiler, roof rails, and 17-inch alloy wheels complete the profile. The result looks composed and elegant, especially when parked outside a contemporary gallery.

Beneath its sculpted skin lies instant, whisper-quiet electric power. A front-mounted motor generates 204 PS and 283 Nm of torque.

A 58.3 kWh battery delivers up to 511 kilometers of range on a single charge (NEDC). Replenishing energy fits seamlessly into a busy lifestyle.

Standard 11 kW AC charging goes from 10 to 80 percent in roughly 5 hours and 20 minutes. Meanwhile, 350 kW DC Fast Charging restores the same charge in just 29 minutes.

A digital sanctuary, literally

Inside, the cabin opens into a clean, modern sanctuary.

A striking 30-inch Triple Panoramic Display centers the dashboard. It unifies the instrument cluster, climate settings, and infotainment beneath one sweeping glass surface.

Leather upholstery and an eight-way power driver’s seat prioritize comfort, and the power lumbar support ensures relaxed driving on longer journeys.

There’s also a sliding central console tray that creates an adaptable workspace on the go. On another note, connectivity remains effortless throughout the interior space. The system supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Additionally, dual wireless charging pads, five USB-C ports, and six speakers keep devices powered and entertained. For weekend getaways, 60:40 split-folding rear seats easily expand cargo capacity.

Intuitive safety

Intelligent peace of mind comes standard through the Kia DriveWise suite.

Active features include Advanced Smart Cruise Control and Forward Collision Avoidance with Autonomous Emergency Braking.

Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, Blindspot Safety Warning, and Rear Cross Traffic Safety assist at every turn.

Seven airbags protect the front, side, and curtain areas. Electronic Stability Control, Hill-Start Assist, parking sensors, and a rear-view camera complete the protective core.

Price, availability

The Kia EV3 starts at PhP 1,898,000, inclusive of a home wall charger. An introductory offer reduces the price to PhP 1,868,000, saving early buyers PhP 30,000. Reservations also include five years of free Preventive Maintenance Service.

Kia provides a five-year or 160,000-kilometer vehicle warranty. The high-voltage battery carries an eight-year or 160,000-kilometer warranty.

The EV3 comes in seven curated exterior colors. Options include Aventurine Green, Snow White Pearl, Aurora Black, Terra Cotta, Frost Blue, Shale Grey, and Ivory Silver.

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Automotive

Ford revs up Truck Month with extended 5-star care offers

Explore exclusive cash discounts, flexible downpayment plans, and showroom activations in the Philippines.

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Ford Philippines brings back its annual Truck Month this September, pairing special financing and cash savings with extended service coverage across the updated Ranger and Everest lineups.

The month-long program shifts the focus toward long-term ownership peace of mind. This ensures drivers feel supported well beyond the showroom floor.

Comprehensive coverage for every journey

For drivers who view their truck or SUV as an essential partner for travel and daily routines, maintenance clarity brings genuine confidence.

Select variants in the lineup now include Ford’s 5-Star Care Package, bundling a five-year warranty, five-year scheduled service plan, and five-year roadside assistance.

Flagship performance models built for challenging roads, including the Ranger Raptor 3.0L V6, Ranger Wildtrak X 3.0L V6, and Ranger Wildtrak 3.0L V6, pair this complete service coverage with PhP 20,000 in cash savings. On another note, the Raptor 3.0L V6 also offers a PhP 150,000 all-in downpayment option.

Versatile family vehicles receive identical long-term backing, with the Everest Platinum 3.0L V6, Everest Wildtrak 2.0L, Everest Sport+ 2.0L, and Everest Active 2.0L all bundling the five-year care plan. Meanwhile, the Everest Wildtrak 2.0L Turbo includes an additional PhP 20,000 cash discount.

Financing designed around daily routines

Flexibility plays a central role in fitting a vehicle into personal budgets and busy lifestyles.

For the first time, the practical Ranger XLS 4×2 introduces access to the 5-Star Care Package, allowing buyers to select between long-term maintenance coverage, a PhP 50,000 cash discount, or a PhP 49,000 all-in downpayment.

Drivers drawn to the Ranger Sport 4×2 can opt for a PhP 59,000 all-in downpayment or zero percent interest financing. By providing multiple ownership paths, Ford aligns purchase incentive options directly with driver priorities, prioritizing lasting value throughout the lifetime of the vehicle.

Bringing the experience to dealerships and malls

The Truck Month celebration extends further with the Super September event, taking place from September 16 to 20 across nationwide dealerships and key shopping centers.

Customers who reserve any Ford vehicle during this five-day showcase receive an extra PhP 20,000 in cash savings on top of ongoing Truck Month offers.

Display venues including Virra Mall Greenhills, SM Southmall, SM Seaside Cebu, Robinsons Dumaguete, and SM City Sta. Rosa feature interactive showroom activities and refreshments, offering drivers an accessible way to explore their next vehicle companion.

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