The Philippine Car Of The Year Testfest continues apace at Clark Ecozone this week. Last week's testing included the Kia Picanto and Toyota Vios subcompacts, as well as many of the contenders for the compact and midsize class, two segments which just might produce the overall PCOTY winner.
The midsized category, with its combination of luxury, performance and value, has produced already two COTY-P winners. But while cars like the Subaru Legacy and Mazda6 continue the tradition of combining luxury and sport, the new Honda Accord brings the game to a whole new level. It has amazing power, a wealth of features and the largest, plushest cabin in its class. The new 3.5 liter V6, with its Variable Cylinder Management, promises better fuel economy than other V6s, as signified by the blinking green "ECO" indicator that lights up as the big 3.5 V6 shuts off from two to three cylinders, becoming, effectively, a 2.3 liter or a 1.8 liter engine at light loads or in traffic.
 The Accord wasn't the only Eco-crusader at the test. Ford's new Focus TDCi, rushed in to meet the P-COTY deadline, made a surprise appearance, as well. With its new DSG (dual sequential gearbox) 6-speed automatic, it appeals to a more comfort-oriented set than the previous boy-racer TDCi while still promising over 20 km/l economy on the highway. While interior quality has improved markedly over the previous car, it's the way it drives that impresses most. The unfettled urge from the torquey diesel mated to near-telepathic gearbox and steering signify that this automatic is no softie. Indeed, it posted some of the fastest instrumented times of the entire testing weekend. Which is saying a lot. It's a very sporty class that enters the compact segment this year. Cars such as the Ford Focus Ghia 1.8 MT and the Mazda3 2.0R are some of the best driving compacts of the past few years, but they face tough competition in the form of the Subaru Impreza and the all-new Mitsubishi Lancer.
The Impreza is, as always, impressive. The all-wheel drive system, mated to a responsive transmission and chassis, allows you to take liberties with the Impreza that you can't with many other cars. This is one of those cars that the enthusiasts in the group, including veteran racer Mike Potenciano, savored driving. While driving excitement isn't enough to win the P-COTY crown by itself, it certainly helps.
 The only other car that saw as much action last weekend was the new Lancer. It's a good thing Mitsubishi brought two test units (a manual GT and a CVT GT-A). It's proving itself to be the dark horse of the contest. It's big enough, inside and out, to match midsized cars of a few years ago (including the inaugural P-COTY winner, the first-generation Mazda6), yet it's one of the most athletic cars in its class. The interior may seem spartan compared to the fully-loaded midsizers, but that suits the Lancer's character. Like one of those legendary Greek warriors, it feels rock-solid and capable of fighting off rabid hordes with naught but a spear and a loincloth. Yet it doesn't make you live like a Spartan. It has light controls, generous leather seats, a supple ride and what is possibly the best stereo in the class, with crisp sound and thumping bass. The optional CVT (continuously variable automatic transmission) brought a smile to many faces with its crisp response and engaging paddle shifters. The car's good looks also made it popular with photographers. Yes, true believers, Mitsubishi is back. This could be a contender for top honors this year.With truck tests coming up this weekend, expect to see clouds of dust flying over Clark, as the off-road tests begin. The SUV, pickup and crossover segments are bound to be hotly contested this year, with many new and worthy entries. And with gas prices on everyone's minds, this could be the perfect time for one of the diesel boys to claim the crown.
Now in its fifth year, the Petron - Car
of The Year Philippines is the country's most prestigious automotive
award. Organized by the Car Awards Group, Incorporated, the COTY-P is a
rigorous competition involving both qualitative judging and
instrumented performance tests held at athe COTY-P annual "TestFest".
COTY-P is open to all new cars and
vehicle models available for purchase during the calendar year. The
2008 candidates include over 90 vehicles. CAGI's 150-strong membership, headed by 2008 President Ira Panganiban, comes from various industry publications
and media outlets, bringing a wide range of experience and technical
expertise to the evaluation. To ensure accurate results, test scores
are audited by SGV at the end of the competition.
The
2008 candidates include over 90 vehicles. Handling this unprecedented
number of entries presents a unique challenge in terms of manpower
and resources, but the task is made easier with the help of our
generous sponsors, Petron Corporation, Clark Ecozone, AAP, SpeedLab,
LandCraft, Manila International Auto Show, C's Fine Dining
Restaurant, Bridgestone, Standard Insurance, Bosch and One Esplanade.
By: Niky Tamayo
Photos: Chino Acosta
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