Automotive

Suzuki Philippines unveils a redesigned Ertiga MPV

This seven-seater could be your next family vehicle

Published

January 24, 2019

Kevin Bruce Francisco

Suzuki Philippines introduced its all-new 2019 Ertiga at a grand event attended by dealers, partners, and the media. The new seven-seater comes with a fresh design, updated features, and safety tech for the demanding needs within the city and beyond.

The upgraded MPV now features more prominent accents compared to its predecessor. For starters, the wide grille in front easily catches the eye and gives it a sportier look. Just below that, an integrated lower grille is flanked by stylish fog lamps. There are now deeper curves on its sides and lines run through the body, giving it more appeal on the road.

Stepping inside, the new Ertiga offers a more spacious cabin since the length, width, and height have all been stretched. This simply means passengers have more legroom and headspace even in the usually cramped third row seats. Speaking of the passenger seats, both the second and third row have their own AC vents to ensure a comfortable ride.

For bigger hauls, the second and third row seats fold down

The entire interior is fitted with small storage spaces including ventilated cup holders, an improved center console, and door pockets for everyone’s phones and chargers

There are no displays mounted for the rear passengers; however, a 10-inch infotainment touchscreen display in front should be enough to make up for it. Do take note, though, that this is only present in the top variant while a smaller 8-inch touch display is available for the mid-tier models.

With a fresh look comes a fresh engine. It now runs on a 1.5-liter engine compared to the previous 1.4-liter. Transmission remains the same with a choice of either a five-speed MT or four-speed AT.

Apart from the usual array of safety features, this MPV boasts its new generation platform — the HEARTECT. In case an accident happens, collision energy should be distributed across the vehicle frame to minimize damage to the car and protect its passengers.

Available in Pearl Glorious Brown, Metallic Magma Gray, Pearl Burgundy Red, Prime Cool Black, Metallic Silky SIlver, Pearl Radiant Red, and Pearl Snow White, pricing for the 2019 Suzuki Ertiga are as follows:

GA – PhP 728,000
GL MT – PhP 848,000
GL AT – PhP 888,000
GLX – PhP 978,000

Automotive

Xiaomi EV sets world’s 1st official autonomous driving lap at Nürburgring

Pilotless Xiaomi YU7 completes 20.8-kilometer “Green Hell” track

Published

June 25, 2026

GadgetMatch

Xiaomi EV has just made a historic automotive milestone, with a pilotless Xiaomi YU7 GT completing a lap at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit on its own.

Equipped with the brand’s premium Track Package, the EV conquered one of the most brutal racetracks on the planet without a human driving it, clocking a certified lap time of 10:29.483 across the grueling 20.8 km loop.

The achievement validates the comprehensive capabilities of Xiaomi’s autonomous driving system under dynamic conditions. At the same time, it demonstrates the potential unlocked through the deep integration of AI and advanced vehicle control technologies.

This historic run is the culmination of years of machine learning development. Xiaomi first debuted its Hyper Autonomous Driving (HAD) system back in 2024, but the real breakthrough came earlier this year.

In March 2026, Xiaomi rolled out a next-generation platform driven by its new Xiaomi XLA architecture and the advanced MiMo-Embodied foundation model.

With enhanced understanding and reasoning capabilities, the new system further improves its ability to interpret complex environments, dynamic traffic participants, and vehicle states.

The driving system is built on an end-to-end architecture and vehicle dynamics model, enabling real-time perception of vehicle states and road conditions.

It makes control decisions through dynamic prediction, and continuously coordinates steering, braking, and power delivery to maintain vehicle stability.

Such system accelerates the evolution of autonomous driving from behavior imitation to deeper environmental understanding and autonomous decision-making.

Taming the “Green Hell” with AI

Conquering the Nordschleife is no small feat for a human racing driver, let alone software.

The track is widely regarded as the ultimate proving ground for vehicle development due to its punishing layout: 73 distinct corners, roughly 300 meters of radical elevation changes, wildly inconsistent grip levels, and zero room for error.

During the certified high-speed time trial, Xiaomi’s autonomous system successfully navigated every single one of these complex hazards in real time.

Automotive

Mercedes-Benz holds a Welcome Home campaign to celebrate 140 years

Get freebies and discounts from now until the end of July.

Published

June 22, 2026

Luigi Leonardo

Mercedes-Benz has been an important part of Filipino car culture. Stylized as the “Chedeng,” the brand’s cars are still worthy choices today. Now, to celebrate their 140^th anniversary, Mercedes-Benz is launching the Welcome Home Campaign, offering treats and discounts for Filipino drivers.

From now until the end of June, new Mercedes-Benz owners can get an exclusive 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen Replica. The limited-edition replica represents the history of brand’s innovations in the motoring space.

Similarly, until the end of the month, interested customers can start their Benz journey for downpayments as low as PhP 140,000. Discounted prices, however, will go on until the end of July:

MODEL	*Original Price*	*Discounted Price*
CLA 200 Progressive	PhP 3,990,000	PhP 3,490,000
C 180 Avantgarde	PhP 3,990,000	PhP 2,990,000
GLB 200 AMG Line	PhP 4,590,000	PhP 4,090,000
GLC 200 4MATIC	PhP 5,190,000	PhP 4,690,000
EQB 250+ Electric Art	PhP 4,290,000	PhP 4,090,000
EQE 300 Electric Art Sedan	PhP 5,590,000	PhP 3,990,000
EQE 350+ AMG Line Sedan	PhP 6,290,000	PhP 4,690,000
EQS 450 4MATIC AMG Line Sedan	PhP 9,990,000	PhP 7,490,000
Mercedes-AMG CLA 35 4MATIC	PhP 5,719,000	PhP 5,519,000
Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC	PhP 5,719,000	PhP 5,219,000

If you already own a Chedeng, Mercedes-Benz will show some love by offering special aftersales initiatives throughout the campaign period. Additionally, there will be more roadshow activations happening the entire year to showcase the latest in the Benz lineup.

Finally, if you have a Chedeng story of your own, Mercedes-Benz is inviting long-time fans to share their stories on social media by tagging the official Mercedes-Benz Philippines account and using the hashtags #Chedeng and #140YearsofInnovation. Featured users can win exclusive Benz merchandise.

Computex 2026

Acer introduces new e-bikers, e-scooters at COMPUTEX 2026

Acer expands into smart e-mobility solutions

Published

June 1, 2026

GadgetMatch

Acer is showcasing its new range of e-bikes and e-scooters at COMPUTEX 2026, as part of its expansion into smart e-mobility solutions.

These offerings are powered by integrated software to deliver connected and intuitive riding experiences for evolving urban mobility needs.

Part of the new lineup are the Acer Nitro eCity Plus (e-bike) and Acer ES Series 3 Select (e-scooter). Both designed for urban commuting, these products feature versatile configurations, optimized performance, and enhanced portability for everyday use.

The Nitro eCity Plus comes with multiple riding modes and responsive power delivery for a smooth and stable ride. It also has a removable battery design for convenient charging.

Meanwhile, the ES Series 3 Select is about portability and efficiency. It has features for daily urban travel, and is lightweight, compact, and foldable.

It likewise boasts of multiple riding modes and comes with optimized braking and lighting systems.

Both of these electric mobility solutions can be controlled via the Acer eMobility app. Riders can check battery status and control lighting easily on the go with voice controls.

The app also provides a unified interface for e-bikes and e-scooters across Acer’s portfolio. It allows users to monitor vehicle status, battery levels, and riding data. Riders can also access functions like lighting control, device settings adjustment, riding history, and performance insights.

For peace of mind, several security features are also integrated. For instance, riders can activate an e-lock function via voice commands on compatible e-scooters. On e-bikes, the app also provides alert-based anti-theft notifications.