Hot-selling rides: Vios, Montero Sport and Fortuner take the lead

THIS weekend’s Vios Cup race is a huge promotional boost for the country’s leading car model.

Which vehicle models are drawing the most interest from Filipino buyers today? It’s an enigma actually: While majority are going for the stylish, compact and relatively affordable Toyota Vios, the expensive Mitsubishi Montero Sport and Toyota Fortuner continue to perform well.

This may be due to the fact that while many prefer smaller cars for their improved fuel economy and added versatility in an urban environment, a number of Filipinos—thanks to an economy that is improving and auto loans that are easier to avail—can’t resist buying big and powerful rides that strike presence on road.

Here’s a rundown of the country’s most favorite vehicles for the first quarter of 2014:

Toyota Vios—With at least 7,798 units already sold, the more stylish, third-generation model is expected to continue its dominance of the market. And a Vios Cup race happening at Clark this weekend should give the car an even bolder image.

MONTERO

Mitsubishi Montero Sport —Everybody loves an SUV that provides road dominance, impeccable style and superb functionality. The 5,746 units sold so far by Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. attests to this fact.

Toyota Fortuner—Toyota Motor Philippines’ (TMP) formidable SUV bet is set to go head-to-head with Mitsubishi, and with 5,733 units sold so far, this is going to be a close fight.

Toyota Innova—Dominating the market for 12 years, it’s easy to understand why TMP has several vehicle models selling briskly including the Innovative Multipurpose Vehicle—with at least 4,786 already sold—which has been refreshed for 2014.

Mitsubishi L300 CC/FB—With 2,669 units sold so far, Filipino entrepreneurs and those who are planning to start their own businesses find this model their perfect partner.

Mitsubishi Mirage G4—The 2,144 who bought this sedan should appreciate its practicality, stylish design and ability to suit diverse lifestyles.

ECOSPORT

Ford Ranger—Having sold 2,100 units so far, Filipino buyers appreciate its modern design, powerful engine and big presence on road.

Honda City—With the addition of the fourth-generation City that was launched in April, sales have been very brisk—over 2,000 units—for Honda Cars Philippines, as 53 percent of all Honda models sold in the country are City.

Isuzu Crosswind—Despite being in the market for 13 years, this Asian utility vehicle continues to rank high on the list of Filipino buyers, with 1,810 units sold so far.

Isuzu D-Max—Now that Isuzu Philippines Corp. has been visiting key markets in the provinces to promote the 4×4 version, expect the current figure of 1,292 units sold of this second-generation pickup model to rise even more in the coming weeks.

Ford Everest—Enjoying one of its best performances, the midsize SUV saw its year-to-date sales increased by more than 24 percent in the first quarter, or an equivalent of 1,067 units.

Ford EcoSport—With sales of 694 units just a month after its launch, the compact SUV is definitely this summer’s hottest commodity.

Toyota Wigo—Affordability is its main selling point and, so far, there are 634 units of this newly launched subcompact roaming the city streets.

Hyundai Eon—As one of Hyundai Asia Resources Inc.’s best-selling models (491 units were sold in April alone), the Eon suits well as it offers excellent drivability in stop-and-go traffic.

Hyundai Accent—With 451 units sold in April alone, this subcompact model is helping the South Korean brand to be among the industry’s Top 3 players.

Ford Fiesta—With the addition of the 1-liter EcoBoost variant, the subcompact reported a 45-percent jump in sales, equivalent to 247 units, in March alone. Ford’s revolutionary EcoBoost engine technology helps the downsized 1-liter engine deliver the power and performance of a traditional 1.6-liter engine with fuel economy gains of up to 20 percent.