Motoring Today Column

Jan 30, 2019

In contrast to what many players in the local auto industry present as a very challenging past year, Suzuki Philippines (SPH) proudly declared that they have concluded 2018 with a 2.5 percent year-end sales growth.

And what better time to announced the inspiring news but in a grand get together of the motoring media, bank partners and dealers during the launch of the new and improved version of its well-loved MPV, the all-new Suzuki Ertiga.

SPH sales for 2018 were reported to have remained on the uptrend despite the supposed slowdown faced by the automotive industry. The steady sales growth has been attributed to the warm acceptance of the product and the brand along with successful dealership network expansion.

"Suzuki Philippines has been performing really well in the past months despite the challenges faced by the industry, thanks to the hard work of the whole team and the support we've been receiving from our customers and partners. Our newly introduced products, the new Dzire and new Swift, are very well received by the market. Our efforts to reach and boost our presence in other economic zones all over the country are also successful, with a total of nine dealerships inaugurated last year, of which seven are3S dealerships offering sales,service, and spare parts to Filipino customers. All these are definitely part of our continued commitment to share the Suzuki Way of Life! with more Filipinos, and we look forward to the unceasing support of everyone," shared SPH Director and General Manager Keiichi Suzuki.

In my on-cam interview during the launch with SPH Executive Director/Treasurer, Norminio Mojica it was revealed that the Ertiga, Celerio andVitara remain the best-selling Suzuki models, collectively accounting for 56 percent of total sales in 2018. "The all-time popular family multipurpose vehicle (MPV)Ertiga led last year's lineup with 30 percent share of sales. Its 7-seater capacity, fuel efficiency, and compact dimensions with spacious interior reportedly captured the hearts of manyFilipino fans. The crowd-favorite hatchbackCelerio ranked second, accounting for 14 percent of sales. This compact car boasts a highly rigid and low-weight body for easier maneuverability and worry-free driving," according to Mr. Mojica.

He added, "And coming close at third place is the subcompact crossover Vitara with 12 percent share of sales. This modern SUV has grabbed the attention of the automotive industry since its introduction in 2017 for to its high personalization features, fuel efficiency and affordability."

Meanwhile, the new version of SPH's best-selling vehicle, the Ertiga was presented during the well-attended launch to feature a stronger yet more elegant and compact look and packs the Japanese automaker's latest technological innovations for an enhanced driving experience. The 600 motoring media, dealers, bank partners and Club Ertiga representatives who attended the launch held at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Pasay City were the first to lay eyes on the new Ertiga.

The upgraded 7-seater MPV features a taller nose and a wide and elegant front grille. The lower roof side extends the head room while providing a more stylish side view. The integrated lower grille and fog lamps add a sense of stability and make the car look edgy. Deeper curves on the side and shoulder and character lines were added to reflect robustness and a stronger presence.

The all-new Ertiga was presented to offer new comfort features to help make traversing Metro Manila traffic more bearable and pass the time away more pleasantly. The improved MPV was unveiled to have larger passenger legroom with the increased tandem distance of the 3^rd row seats. For added relaxation, the third row has more headspace while the seats are designed with a reclining and tilt-down mechanism up to 16 degrees.

The all-new Ertiga is priced starting with GA at P728,000,GL MT P848,000 , GL AT- P888,000 and GLX at 978,000. It comes in 7 colors: Pearl Glorious Brown, Metallic Magma Gray, Pearl Burgundy Red, Prime Cool Black, Metallic Silky Silver, Pearl Radiant Red and Pearl Snow White.

Don't stop with just reading what's written in this column. I suggest you go to the nearest Suzuki dealership and ask for a test drive.

Happy Motoring!!!

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