Automotive

2019 Kona 2.0 GLS: Mr. Extrovert

Feeling flashy

Published

September 17, 2019

Joash Maramara

Is it a crossover? Is it a hatchback? Is it an APV? I, too, was confused when I first laid eyes on the 2019 Hyundai Kona. It was one of a kind, unique from any segment I was familiar with.

In line with the Mazda CX3 and Honda HRV, the Kona is a subcompact crossover SUV.

This vehicle is a true head-turner. I highly appreciate car companies whose designs are bold and thought of outside the box. In short, designs that make a statement.

The sleek and futuristic look of the Kona is best complemented in the flagship color Acid Yellow that gave my child-like imagination the impression of a glowing radioactive spaceship.

From the front, its fascia is exciting and modern in style with the growing trend of separated headlight design (like the Nissan Juke), streamlined daytime running lights, and low set fog lamps all go together with Hyundai’s trademark grille design.

Side profiles are matched with dynamic character lines as well as accents of matte black plastic cladding around the wheel arches and rocker panels.

Walking around to the back, you will find a design that is very consistent with the front. It’s almost identical and probably has one of the best looking rear-ends in its segment.

If we were to personify this Kona, it would undoubtedly be an extrovert. He’d be that kind of guy who’s not afraid of being a little flashy and would confidently come up to you to get your attention.

What I’m not a big fan of is the unnecessary amount of plastic cladding. Anyone who has ever owned a vehicle with this type of material will agree when I say it demands high maintenance since it tends to fade quickly.

Overall, the exterior feels exciting and fun, but stepping inside is a different story.

The interior is, well, basic. Scratchy-hard and soft plastic, fabrics, and polyurethane are the main materials used for the interior. It doesn’t give you the same exhilaration as the exterior and sadly feels like it stepped out of character.

Mounted on the dashboard, you will find a somewhat unappealing infotainment system — A non-touchscreen mono LCD unit that’s initially confusing to use while underneath is its manual climate control. Oh, and its instrument panel didn’t help spice the interior up, either, as it seemed a little too straightforward for this car’s asking price.

On the up-side, cabin space and comfort are not lacking whatsoever. With head and legroom to spare and plenty of cargo space for everyone. Cup holders, USB ports, and 12V sockets also come as standard.

When it comes to safety, Hyundai didn’t skimp on this crossover as it earned a high safety rating in the United States. With a score of 9.8, it has been given the Top Safety Pick+ award. It has Anti-Lock Braking System, traction control, dual airbags, and side curtain airbags as standard.

The ride is decently high with a ground clearance of 170mm, nearly as much as its bigger brother, the Tucson. Firing up the engine via keyless push-start button, you hear a smooth running 2.0 DOHC engine.

This is then mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission that produces 147hp and 179nm of torque. It’s not the most powerful but is definitely one of the most economical, giving you up to 20km per liter (at best) on highways.

The Kona has three different driving modes you can shift through with a push of a button. You have Normal, Eco and Sport modes which just basically times gear changes differently to give you better responsiveness.

Driving this vehicle is very simple with no unneeded drama. The ride felt smooth and quiet while steering felt properly firm. You do get a bit of body roll around the corners, though.

Lacking from this vehicle is a reverse camera and proximity sensors and, from its price point, you would expect these features as standard. A feature I didn’t find necessary was the hill descent control which would be useful on its AWD variant but not on the FWD version that we have.

For now, the 2.0 GLS is the only variant available here in the Philippines. A straightforward, rather basic but economical ride that would make a perfect daily driver. Although if I were to choose between the two Kona models, I would probably go for the higher AWD 1.6 turbo Ultimate trim model which is a better option than the GLS trim.

To sum it up, it’s a bit of a bummer that it lacks a reverse camera, proximity sensors, and still runs a sub-par infotainment system in this age of touchscreens and Android Auto. What I do like, though, is how it looks. This car unquestionably wins in the looks department. And factoring in its safety achievements and fuel economy, we can easily overlook its shortcomings.

Related Topics:2019 Hyundai Kona Hyundai Kona

Automotive

Electric luxury reimagined: XPENG launches next-gen EV lineup

XPENG’s PH lineup spans the X9 MPV and the L03, with prices starting at PhP 1,548,000

Published

September 28, 2026

MJ Jucutan

XPENG has officially entered the Philippine EV market. Over 3,000 guests attended the brand’s grand local debut. During the launch event, the automaker introduced a six-variant lineup.

The lineup features the flagship X9 MPV and the sleek L03 SUV Coupé. Prices start at an accessible PhP 1,548,000.

Brand ambassador Anne Curtis joined the celebration on stage, while XPENG showcased its X2 Flying Car and IRON Humanoid Robot. These futuristic displays highlighted the company’s “Physical AI” vision.

XPENG X9: First-class travel for seven

The XPENG X9 serves as the brand’s flagship seven-seater MPV.

It turns luxury mobility into a private lounge experience. Buyers can choose between two Long Range variants. The base X9 Long Range costs PhP 3,858,000. It features zero-gravity second-row seats with a central aisle. This layout ensures quick access to the third row. The Premium Seat Package costs PhP 4,058,000.

It upgrades the middle row to individual captain’s chairs. These chairs feature four-way powered headrests and 16-point massage.

Both variants share identical mechanical hardware. A front-wheel-drive motor produces 235 kW and 450 Nm of torque. A massive 110 kWh battery provides up to 615 km of range.

A compatible DC fast charger boosts power from 10 to 80 percent in 12 minutes. Active rear-wheel steering delivers a tight 5.4-meter turning radius. Dual-chamber air suspension ensures maximum ride comfort.

A powered third row folds completely flat beneath the floor. Color options include Midnight Black, Arctic White, Matte Gray, and Silver Frost. Inside, buyers can select Meteorite Black or Coffee.

XPENG L03: Sleek versatility meets electric freedom

The L03 SUV Coupé blends striking aesthetics with daily utility. XPENG offers four distinct variants. Three models use pure battery-electric powertrains. One model features a range-extended electric setup (REEV).

The L03 EV Standard Range costs PhP 1,548,000. Its 58.3 kWh battery delivers up to 445 km of range. The L03 EV Long Range costs PhP 1,698,000 and offers up to 520 km.

The top-tier Long Range Ultra costs PhP 2,058,000 with 480 km of range. This Ultra trim adds front-seat massage, upgraded audio, and intelligent driving tech.

The L03 REEV costs PhP 1,598,000. It uses an onboard gas engine as an electric generator. Its 37.2 kWh battery delivers 215 km of pure electric driving. Total WLTP combined range reaches up to 1,017 km.

All L03 models feature rear-wheel drive. Fast charging takes roughly 20 minutes to reach 80 percent. Every model includes a 15.6-inch touchscreen and 539 liters of cargo space.

Available colors include Arctic White, Midnight Black, Rock Gray, Silver Frost, and Phantom Purple.

Ownership packages, reservation details

XPENG pairs each model with generous ownership perks. X9 buyers receive five years of free preventive maintenance. The package includes five years of roadside assistance.

XPENG adds a five-year bumper-to-bumper warranty. An eight-year warranty covers the battery and motor. X9 buyers also receive a complimentary 7kW wall charger.

L03 buyers receive two years of free preventive maintenance. The L03 includes identical roadside, bumper-to-bumper, and battery warranties. L03 EV buyers get a 7kW wall charger. The REEV variant comes with a 3.5 kW portable charger.

Reservations cost PhP 25,000 for the X9 and PhP 10,000 for the L03. Buyers can reserve through @xpengphilippines on social media.

XPENG showrooms in Greenhills, Makati, North EDSA, and Cebu are accepting reservations now. Local customer deliveries will begin in the fourth quarter.

Automotive

BYD says that way better EV batteries are coming next year

Solid-state batteries will debut with higher-end models in 2027.

Published

September 28, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

With gas prices reaching the edges of believability, electric and hybrid vehicles are turning into worthy upgrades. That said, the more casual consumer still has a lot of questions about going electric, primarily about the durability of the battery and range anxiety. Well, a major battery technology upgrade is coming in the next few years, and BYD has just committed to it for next year.

Via the Spanish outlet Carwow, BYD EVP Stella Li confirmed that the company will launch its first vehicle with a solid-state battery in 2027. Now, if you’re a regular consumer, a solid-state battery probably doesn’t make much sense to you. But here’s the basics: it’s smaller, safer, and can last longer on a single charge.

If you’re fine with technical explanations, a solid-state battery uses more solid components, as opposed to the liquid solution used by the current standard of lithium-ion batteries. Because it’s more solid, it has better energy density. Higher energy density means a smaller size is needed to achieve the same battery capacity as modern batteries. In turn, this means that a vehicle can pack more batteries inside, allowing for better capacity. Oh, and let’s not forget that these batteries are generally safer and less prone to incidents.

In the same interview, BYD says that the first model will arrive next year. Unfortunately, because of the battery’s cost to produce, the component will likely debut with the company’s higher-end models. Still, it’s an exciting sight to behold. The electric and hybrid market is already quite the temptation for users, so an even better battery will further push the segment to better heights.

Accessories

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

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

Published

September 22, 2026

MJ Jucutan

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.