Car Of The Year Philippines (COTY)

[ILuvDetailing]

The Adventure served me well for 4 years, Had no problems with it whatsovever. So I think its deserving of the award.

[Bogeyman]

My father-in-law's '99 Adventure GLX is so reliable, the only major part that had to be replaced in the last five years was a worn fan belt.

I think it also helped that the Adventure's design remains recognizable even after six years in existence. Toyota's Tamaraw FX has undergone design changes since its release. While its last model line-up was a definite improvement from the original release, it lacked consistency (DLX, GLX looked different from the Sport Runner, which also looked different from the VX200, etc.). The Adventure, on the other hand, retained the basic form from the start, with only the occasional minor facelift plus the change to a top-lifting tailgate, not to mention improved engines.

Even today, the Adventure retains this design consistency from the GL to the Super Sport (now Grand Sport) variants, with only subtle design cues and interior features to differentiate each model. On the one hand, the Adventure's design may be considered dated and needing improvement. On the other, however, the familiarity of the design may have contributed to its continuing appeal.

[Monseratto]

You wouldn't happen to have read C!, Top Gear Philippines, or the write-ups of the new & younger generation of automotive writers? Though far from C&D style writing, they are lightyears away from Rey Butch Gamboa's cut and paste style (though there are still some who do this).

Lynx? Old platform? The same platform as a Mazdaspeed Protege (who can outslalom even a Ferrari 360 even with 170hp only).

Adventure? Why not? Or should the default Revo ALWAYS win?

Yes I do read C! and Top Gear. Ramirez Brothers, Ulysses Ang... I like motioncars.com style. Pero it somewhat biased toward some car companies. Motioncars gave a very excellent review for the Honda City. But...

Yes I would say that there are many excellent recycled models out there. However... this is year 2005. Will you be suprised if the Montero Sport wins Best mid-size SUV?

I

[cyberdoc95]

You wouldn't happen to have read C!, Top Gear Philippines, or the write-ups of the new & younger generation of automotive writers? Though far from C&D style writing, they are lightyears away from Rey Butch Gamboa's cut and paste style (though there are still some who do this).

Lynx? Old platform? The same platform as a Mazdaspeed Protege (who can outslalom even a Ferrari 360 even with 170hp only).

Adventure? Why not? Or should the default Revo ALWAYS win?

ADVENTURE deserves to win the award while LYNX, personally, would have been a better choice for "CAR of the Year" since it is relatively affordable than an ACCORD and that more people are actually driving it. LYNX' features and performance is at par with any other midsize(or compact?) sedan out in the market today. Although I admire these panel of judges for their credentials, but honestly, I don't agree with their choice of "CAR OF THE YEAR" for reasons I've clearly presented earlier on the thread. Then Again, that's just me...he he he...

Lets just look forward for their choices for 2005!! Congratulations to those who got the awards!

[mazdamazda]

Yes I would say that there are many excellent recycled models out there. However... this is year 2005. Will you be suprised if the Montero Sport wins Best mid-size SUV?

I

I wouldn't count on it... the Sorento and upcoming Fortuner is light years ahead of the Montero.

[cardo]

I've always liked the revo since its first facelift in 2001(?) esp the sport and VX package for the AUV category... it would be my first choice kung bibili ako AUV

[Monseratto]

Dapat yung nanalo Car of the Year is the 1.8 Optra. It has all the features to match its Japanese rivals but at a cheaper price, then it gives the best warranty out there. Yan ang value talaga.

[Bogeyman]

The fact that it's not even that prevalent in the country, means a lot of people don't think so, IMHO.

'Di ba may mga "horror stories" daw yung mga Opel owners regarding their rides?

[chieffy]

bogey sa chevy naman ang optra at di sa opel...tama ba pagkaintindi ko sa post mo?

[Bogeyman]

Ay sus! Sowee, my bad.

Hirap talaga ng inaantok...

[carlocaraddict]

repost: The winners of the Car of the Year will be displayed in Rockwell starting tom til sunday

[carlocaraddict]

the WINNER of the Car of the year will be displayed in Rockwell, so yung Accord lang pala.

[niky]

Hi guys, long time no see...

Just my 10c worth:

The Philippine Car of The Year awards were decided on a scoring system based on the subjective observations and experiences of the judging panel (but following a points system...), and GPS-tested track performance. I think there may be a slight bias towards vehicle performance, as indicated by the fact that most of the winners were either the fastest in their segments or close to it. I suppose the awards should be renamed "The Fastest Philippine Cars of The Year".

One cannot deny, however, that almost all of the vehicles chosen were very good vehicles, presenting value for money, as well as a comfortable driving/riding experience.

As regarding some of the aforementioned "controversies":

Toyota did NOT join, it is true, but private owners donated their cars to the testing. There was a Vios and an Altis in the test, but I'm not sure if the panel managed to source a Revo. I am also of the opinion that the Revo would have won, as my cousin has a VX200, and it is head and shoulders over most any AUV I have ever ridden (and I drive an XUVi).

That the Vios won is a disappointment to me. I think it's a case of testosterone over estrogen (Vios versus City), with the balls carrying the vote. If the Honda Jazz had come out earlier, it would DEFINITELY have been a different story, as the Jazz caters to both.

There should be no onus on the Lynx RS for being an old car... the Sentra is running on a platform that has not changed (suspension-wise) since the early 90's. The Lancer is pretty long in the tooth also. The Optra, though viewed by many (including me) as being a merely re-badged Daewoo, is actually a more modern platform, but technically not as sophisticated as some. Even the Mazda3 is an amalgam of old and new tech, the 3's MZR engines have the same basic core as the Lynx's 323 sourced 1.6 and 1.3 liter hearts. I would have happily agreed if the Mazda3 had won (it definitely has it all over the Civic 2.0), but I give props to the judges for recognizing the solidity and dependability of the RS. Who cares how old the bones are? If it corners, drives and stops better, while riding just as comfortably as the newer platforms, it deserves the accolades it gets.

And for anyone bringing up the "old car" issue again, I say: look at the AUV and Large SUV categories... those platforms and engines are all twice as old as the RS's. The Starex is another old car in new boots... but at least it has a great new engine.

The SUV Lite category is the only big vehicle category showing promise in terms of technology, as the X-Trail bested the old-fashioned but powerful Escape, the light and nimble RAV4, and the default choice CR-V. It's probably one of the only winners that's NOT fastest in class.

The S60 T5 and 745Li are both natural choices, in the absence of more compelling arguments from the competition. I would've picked the 530d, though, but you can't win them all.

As for the overall win for the Accord 3.0, I do agree that fuel conservation, practicality and price should have been a bigger factor in the voting (which, paradoxically, may have given the win to either the X-Trail or the Vios), but remember, the objective voting weighs BOTH fuel consumption and performance, and I think that those factors even each other out. In the end, I believe the subjective voting carried the vote. Having ridden in a new Accord, I can safely say I understand why.

[Monseratto]

clap clap

[ILuvDetailing]

who took 2nd and 3rd place?

[mbt]

COTY is definitely a step in the right direction for the local motoring press and industry, and i think the winners were pretty credible choices

although i personally think that there are better choices than the starex and adventure for the van and AUV categories (and i also think that the AUV class should have been dropped)

[revoGSX]

Dapat yung nanalo Car of the Year is the 1.8 Optra. It has all the features to match its Japanese rivals but at a cheaper price, then it gives the best warranty out there. Yan ang value talaga.

yup value for money nga ang optra.. but marami ng horror stories about sa QUALITY ng vehicle na ito..

there are too many altis, sentra, lancer on the streets, but you hardly hear them complain about their car..

there too few optra on the streets and many of them are already complaining (well based sa tsikot forums)..

opps...baka OT na ako ..

[ILuvDetailing]

yup value for money nga ang optra.. but marami ng horror stories about sa QUALITY ng vehicle na ito..

there are too many altis, sentra, lancer on the streets, but you hardly hear them complain about their car..

there too few optra on the streets and many of them are already complaining (well based sa tsikot forums)..

opps...baka OT na ako ..

Thats why they're giving the 30T/2years kms free PMS.

[revoGSX]

Personally, I'm not surprised if dinaig niya ang crosswind.

What I was more surprised was dinaig niya ang highly successful and undeniably reliable TOYOTA REVO. Nung nag-decide akong bumili nga AUV to add sa mga sasakyan sa amin, I've checked all of them, pero I ended up pa rin sa VX200. I think ang mahalaga ay masaya ka sa piniling sasakyan, hindi po ba?

yup.. mas important na happy ka sa ride mo... kanya-kanyang taste din sa pagbili ng sasakyan...

kumag kasi itong toyota at di nagpadala ng revo kahit meron na silang Innova.. at least nilaban diba hehe... ang alam ko eh since na nilabas ang REVO nung 1998 to 2004 eh overall number one sya (yearly sales)

..pero ika nga ni jamyrlan - "truly, good sales doesnt mean a good car"
which also true hehe..

[altec]

who took 2nd and 3rd place?

Baka wala