An engaging drive with the Ford EcoSport

Due to its frequency, for most of our local motoring journalists, a trip to Thailand now is just like going to Tagaytay. This is simply because quite a number of automobile brands have their major plants or regional offices located in this neighboring country and international media test drives are also more logistically viable to be held there. 

For some motoring journalists the distinction of the test drive trip to Thailand would depend on the vehicle that’s to be test driven and who the host is (not necessarily in that order), which could spell accepting the invite or not. Well of course for most, an overseas trip is still a trip out of the country, a additional stamp on the passport, no matter how boring the car to be test driven is and no matter who the host is, whether known to warm, hospitable and gracious or otherwise.

After having turned down quite a few trips, my last to Thailand was with Ford for their international media test drive of the all-new Ford EcoSport. It held a promise of more than 200 kilometers of driving in a distinct place known to be the vacation province of the Royal Family of Thailand, which is a 3-hour drive away from political demo-prone Bangkok, so why not? Besides Ford has been known to be a gracious host and the EcoSport sounds like an interesting car.

And the Ford EcoSport was indeed a no let down. It turned out to be an exciting vehicle to test drive, much more to own. 

Before it was released to the market we learned that the EcoSport went through 2 million kilometers and 12,000 test center simulators and road tests spanning South America, North America, Asia and Europe—and that’s indeed a lot of testing.

During the product presentation that preceded the actual test drive, which was made by the engineers responsible for the creation of the vehicle themselves, there were noticeable attributes of the Ford EcoSport that made it seem to be made with its use in the Philippines in mind. For one it has this exceptional water-wading capability, which is perfect for the flood-prone streets of the metro. Its claims to go beyond the “rule of thumb” for driving through flooded streets, which is not to proceed if the water goes higher than the center of your vehicle’s wheels, is functionally acceptable.

Then there’s its high driving position, which is ideal in heavy traffic areas like in Metro Manila, where the driver needs a better view of what’s ahead in order to maneuver to a faster-moving lane. Then there’s the EcoSport’s exceptional ground clearance that gives the driver the confidence to drive over and beyond obstacles like humps and potholes. This was demonstrated to us during our test drive when we made a stopover at the Maharaj Beach where the EcoSport was literally made to climb down from a high curb into the road with ease. 

For a while I couldn’t understand why our long 16-car convoy was made to snake our way through the narrow streets of downtown Hua Hin for a look see of a “hole-in-the-wall” store selling the Thai-famous “mango with sticky rice” until I realized that driving through such thin, almost one and a half lane streets can be demonstrated to be a breeze with the EcoSport’s EPAS (Electric Power-Assisted Steering), which adapts to the vehicle’s speed, very easy to steer in low almost stand still speeds but gets safely firmer as you drive faster.

From the traffic-clogged narrow streets our convoy started out for the open highway for some high-speed driving where we experienced the EcoSport’s vaunted noise management. Its design included having sound-deadening materials fitted in doors, roof and the entire body, which makes conversation among passengers comfortable even at the vehicles high speed.

Another feature that would go well with Philippine motorists is the EcoSport’s climate control system that allows the vehicle to have a comfortable cabin temperature of 30 degrees Celsius in just 10 minutes coming from 65 degrees after having been left parked in the afternoon sun. And the specially designed climate control system is no drain on the EcoSport’s fuel performance, which Ford has published to be 15.4 kilometers to a liter and for mixed city and highway driving, a very impressive performance of almost 12 kilometers to a liter of gasoline fuel performance.

After the half a day’s drive with the Ford EcoSport, I can truly say that it is an SUV for urban and out of town use.   

It was my first time in that part of Thailand, where I’ve seen most of its tourists’ spots when our production outfit, Sunshine TV was commissioned by the local Thai Embassy to produce travel documentaries to be shown on our TV show Business & Leisure some years back and I found the place having class-leading resorts and hotels. This welcomed discovery plus the drive aboard the exciting Ford EcoSport indeed made my most recent last trip to the former Kingdom of Siam worthwhile especially combined with the warm hospitality of our gracious hosts led by Ford Group Philippines, Inc. (FGPI) country manager, the lovable Kay Hart with the able assistance of FGPI’s avp for corporate com, Joseph Ayllon and Isa Suarez.

Thank you for having us, guys.

Motoring Media bids adieu to Honda president

Members of the motoring media gathered together for an informal lunch organized by Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) last Friday for a “despedida” for its outgoing top executive. 

After a highly successful 3-year stint as president and general manager of HCPI, Tatsuya Natsume recently earned a promotion to be one of the key executives of the major Japanese automobile brand in its regional operations in South America. 

During the highly spirited get-together we were informed that starting April, which is just a few days from now, Natsume-san would be based in Brazil. The announcement provoked speculations from some journalists that he may have maneuvered and timed his abrupt transfer in time for the World Cup scheduled this year and the Olympics in 2015—which was of course in jest.

Natsume-san is credited with the successful resurgence of the Honda brand in the Philippines, after going through debilitating problems like supply difficulties born out of the floods in Thailand and internal problems that he reportedly inherited upon assumption of his position as head of Philippine operations.  

In a short program that proceeded the hearty lunch, the journalists requested to say something about the honoree were one in extolling Natsume-san’s natural attitude to always try to make the journalists’ job of spreading the word about the local auto industry easy by always being accessible and willing to share information—and to top it all, he’s always happy to be accessible.

His successor, Toshio Kuwahara who was formerly HCPI’s savp, was also full of praises for his former boss and has fully credited Natsume-san for what Honda would ultimately venture to do, as it has started doing now, which is to bring into the local market as many models attuned to the Filipino car-buyers’ interests as possible. “He started this all and we shall follow through with it and that means we’ll make all motoring journalists very busy this year with one car launch after another,” the new HCPI president, the jolly Kuwahara-san stated.

When we asked Natsume-san about his fondest memories of the Philippines, without a blink he referred to “its people and their ever-ready smiles”. For its flipside, he laughed and said “its motoring journalists”—in jest we all hoped.

We wish Natsume-san all the best in his future endeavors and all the luck in his stay in Brazil, known for its beaches full of beautiful and less-dressed women as he shifts his focus from automobile hatchbacks to women’s T-backs.

Test drive and compete

In the midst of this summer car buyers and automobile enthusiasts will have the opportunity to conveniently see up close and test drive all brand-new models of BMW, BYD, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Kia, Lexus, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot and Toyota as they get together at the Mall of Asia’s Concert Grounds for the Caltex Auto Focus Summer Test Drive Festival.

Those who test drive have the option to drive around the Mall of Asia’s test drive route or in the “test-drive course” inside the venue where the vehicles would go through a test track that’s designed to bring out their best or their worst in maneuvering through a series of chicanes, their ride comfort by driving through a series of humps, their breaking capabilities as well as ease in parking. The drive through the “test course” would be timed for those who wish to join in the “precision driving competition” where the one who comes closest to the prescribed “lap time” wins and qualifiers may join the finals scheduled on the last day of the 4-day test drive event that starts April 24 to 27. Prizes range from Fuel Cards to other valuable items to be announced later.

The Caltex Auto Focus Summer Test Drive Festival is indeed a “must go” event this summer.

Happy Motoring!!!

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