Automotive

Suzuki launches all-new Dzire and Swift in the Philippines

Exciting upgrades on Suzuki’s popular vehicles

Published

June 28, 2018

Kevin Bruce Francisco

Pioneer compact car distributor Suzuki Philippines hosted a grand launch to officially welcome two of its newest contenders in the B-segment — the all-new Dzire and Swift.

The Dzire is the Japanese company’s offering to those looking for an everyday car without breaking the bank. First and foremost, it offers Auto Gear Shift technology that promises the fuel efficiency of a manual transmission while enjoying the convenience of an automatic transmission.

Its front fascia shows a wide-open grille with silver accents that complement its multi-reflector headlamp. There are chrome trimmings on the rear as well, giving positive highlights to its compact body. The roofline, cabin, and surrounding area smoothly flow from the slanted A-pillar to forward sloping C-pillar, while its rear features a cluster of lamps with LED and a skirt-like bumper that round up the vehicle’s design.

Popping the hood reveals its 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine that outputs 82PS at 6000rpm with 113Nm of torque at 4200rpm. There is the base GL variant with five-speed manual transmission while the top-of-the-line GL+ uses the aforementioned Auto Gear Shift with a five-speed automatic transmission.

The 2018 Dzire is also equipped with safety features like anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electric brakeforce distribution (EBD) functionality, brake assist, dual SRS front airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchorages, side impact door beams for the front and rear, immobilizer, and security alarm.

Additionally, this new model is also lower and wider than the previous iteration and has a larger boot capacity so you can bring more to your urban adventures.

GL variants are available in Premium Arctic White, Metallic Silky Silver, and Pearl Midnight Black. While GL+ models will be in Premium Oxford Blue, Premium Sherwood Brown, Premium Arctic White, Pearl Midnight Black, and Metallic Magma Gray.

The all-new Swift, on the other hand, sees a redesign while still maintaining old features that customers have grown to love. It has the same set of vertically arranged headlamps as the Dzire with a larger grille but without the silver accents. It also features dynamic side-window treatment, blacked-out A-pillars to give the windows a wrap-around look, and pillar-mounted rear door handles to convey a stylish and sporty appearance.

It runs on the same 1.2-liter engine as the Dzire that churns out 82PS and 113Nm of torque. Suzuki is also offering the Swift in either 5-speed MT or CVT depending on the model.

They share almost the same safety tech like ABS with EBD, BA, dual SRS front airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchorages, side impact door beams for the front and rear, and immobilizer. Customers will also enjoy rear parking sensors and a backup camera for the high-end GLX variant.

Colors available are Metallic Star Silver, Pearl Pure White, Metallic Speedy Blue, Metallic Mineral Gray, Pearl Super Black, and Pearl Ablaze Red.

There are two available models for the 2018 Dzire, while the 2018 Swift will come in three variants. See pricing below:

2018 Dzire GL MT – PhP 638,000
2018 Dzire GL+AGS – PhP 698,000
2018 Swift GL MT – PhP 755,000
2018 Swift GL CVT – PhP 799,000
2018 Swift GLX CVT – PhP 899,000

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.