Automotive

BYD Seagull is the perfect starter car today

It’s the car you wish you got when you were younger.

Published

September 30, 2025

Luigi Leonardo

Over ten years ago, I got my first car. It was a gift from my parents for graduating college: a humble 2013 Honda City. Over the years, it’s been through everything like dates, work events, long road trips, breakups. And it’s still going strong. There’s not much that beats the feeling of your first car.

Ten-and-a-half years since then, I got my hands on the BYD Seagull, the smallest vehicle in BYD’s lineup, and it feels oh-so-nostalgic. It’s like I got my very first car all over again.

Big things, small packages, and all that

Since this is BYD’s smallest car, you can’t really expect the usual eye-watering performance that BYD is so known for. That said, there’s still much to love about this small package — 75 of them, to be precise.

The BYD Seagull sports 75 horsepower and 135 Nm of torque. It’s around what you’d expect from a starter car, but the drive is still pretty smooth. The car’s speed is powerful enough for city driving, including sharp inclines and twisty turns. Steering is also buttery smooth. Even if you have to go through hours of Manila traffic, the Seagull is a comfort to drive.

During my short stint with the car, I drove through Taguig and Makati. Normally, this is a nightmare scenario for me. But with the Seagull, I didn’t get the usual back pain that I get from long drives.

Maybe not the suspension, though

Now, that said… I’m not a big fan of the suspension. On smooth roads, the Seagull is perfectly fine. However, I took this guy out during the height of the typhoon season, which also means potholes wherever you go.

You don’t really expect much from a small car, but this one was bumpy. It wasn’t too uncomfortable. If you’re used to smoother rides, though, the Seagull might give you a surprise.

There were also one or two times that I accidentally went through sharper potholes. (Sorry, BYD!) Now, those were painful. If you have this car, you’ll need to be more careful about what you put the car through. One wrong move, and you’re inflicting serious damage on the car.

An interior to make other starter cars weep

If you have an aversion for how tiny hatchbacks look, check out how the Seagull looks on the inside. The first thing that will stand out is the cushy leather seats. Normally, a seat this comfy has no business being in a starter car, but BYD makes it work. It looks and feels plush.

Besides the luxurious seats, the car has a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so I had no problem keeping my drive smooth. And yes, the screen rotates, as you’d expect from BYD.

Despite the digital console, it still has a bunch of analog controls — including climate and volume dials — laid on a cylindrical format. Not having normal buttons takes some getting used to, but I appreciate the tactile sensation, nonetheless. I didn’t have to fiddle around with screens for when I needed to have my eyes focused on the road.

Though small, there’s a lot of space for your things. When the rear seats are folded, the cabin can hold 930 liters of baggage. In a pinch, you can definitely use the Seagull for moving houses.

Finally, the car has USB ports, a panel for wireless charging, and vehicle-to-load plugs. If you get stuck in traffic, you won’t get anxiety from dying devices.

Range anxiety is real

Though your devices will likely get through the day unscathed, the actual drive might be more of a problem. The Seagull says that you can squeeze out around 300 kilometers from a single charge. I had trouble replicating this.

After only three days, the full battery fell to less than 20 percent. Critically, I wasn’t even driving somewhere far. For two of those days, I was driving only around Quezon City. It was only on the third day that I took it to Taguig and Makati. This was using a combination of the car’s Normal and Eco modes.

I didn’t have the car long enough to test it on a common work week. However, based on those numbers, it’s hard to imagine that the Seagull can last an entire week going back and forth two cities.

Much like other electric vehicles, this one has regenerative braking. According to the driver who brought the car to my house, you can charge the car by up to 10 percent with a single run on the Skyway. I wasn’t able to take this car myself to the Skyway, but I did try to replicate what he did on open stretches of road. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t replicate what he claimed. Of course, I’m not saying that he was lying, but there might be a sweet spot that I just couldn’t find.

If you’re savvier, you might be able to squeeze numbers closer to the promised 300 kilometers. But for my driving style, the efficiency was just fine.

Charging is thankfully easy

Range anxiety aside, charging the battery is easy, at least. At the time of my review, the cost of charging was around PhP 28 to PhP 35 per kilowatt. Via DC charging, PhP 500 got me 50 percent of the battery back in only around 40 minutes. Because the battery is so small, topping up after a long day isn’t too much of a chore.

Additionally, the car comes with a home charging kit. A single overnight charging session should get you up and ready for the coming day.

Is the BYD Seagull your GadgetMatch?

There are only a few things that a starter car needs to be. It doesn’t need to be flashy, luxurious, or expensive. All it needs to do is get the job done of taking you from point A to point B on a daily basis.

It’s also not expensive. It starts at PhP 898,000. It comes in three colorway options: Delan Black, Apricity White, and Sprout Green.

Now, if I got the BYD Seagull as my very first starter car, I would’ve been more over the moon that I already was with my 2013 Honda City. The hybrid offers you a decent helping of automotive technology. It makes for a comfortable daily drive.

It’s not a perfect vehicle by any means. There are still some aspects that I didn’t really love. But there are still a lot that I did. If I put myself in the shoes of a recent graduate, I would immediately think, “Wow, I want these features for my next car years down the road.”

For that, the BYD Seagull gets a Swipe Right for being an amazing starter car for new graduates and young professionals today.

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.

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.

Published

September 22, 2026

MJ Jucutan

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.

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.

Published

September 16, 2026

GadgetMatch

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.