Industry

The 2014 Toyota Corolla Altis is coming soon. The US and European version of the car have been unveiled already, and while there will be some differences, the Thai version will be more or less following the European model in terms of design and specification.

For that reason, we will focus on the European model here.

The 2013 Honda Civic Hybrid sounds reasonably compelling. But despite the promise of improved fuel consumption with a price of just shy of 1.1 million baht, the Civic Hybrid may not be as economically viable as we would be lead to believe.

This week I took the Civic Hybrid for a drive and would like to share my thoughts with perspective buyers.

Our continuing coverage of the Bangkok International Motor Show continues with a look at what Mitsubishi Motors brought along. It turns out that Mitsubishi had a few concept vehicles which are very relevant to the Thai market.

If you have been following the coverage of the 2013 Toyota Vios, you may be aware that the car isn't as new as it looks on the surface. That makes this video all the more fun.

The 34th Bangkok International Motor Show is currently on, and we will be sharing some of the highlights over the next few days. Following on from our look at the Ford exhibit yesterday, we now turn our attention to Toyota.

The 34th Bangkok International Motor Show is currently on, and we will be sharing some of the highlights over the next few days. We'll begin by taking a look at what Ford has on show.

Updated:24/3/13
There are literally a handful of mainstream manufacturers in Thailand. Some of the blame for this situation lies with the high levels of tax that forms a barrier to entry for new brands unwilling to invest heavily in manufacturing bases here in Thailand. But, while tax has something to do with it, I believe it is also true to say that the average Thai car owner is very conservative.

Chevrolet is to unveil the all-new Chevrolet TrailBlazer in Thailand tomorrow, March 21st. The launch will be broadcast online and the launch event pre-empts the Bangkok International Motor Show which kicks off next week.

Although the image above would make it seem like there is still some mystery about the look of the new SUV, much of the mystery is already spoiled by previous unveils of pre-production version of the new Trailblazer, and what we already know of the new Colorado on which the Trailblazer is based, and which is already on sale.

So rather than waiting for tomorrow's launch, let's look at what we already know.

Hyundai has finally found time to bring the Elantra to Thailand to compete in the all-important C segment. And this should be a good thing. But is the Elantra a compelling option in the C segment? And is Hyundai really serious about the Thai market?

GS Thailand, has developed a new battery which is aimed squarely at the new eco-car market.

Of course, these batteries are probably not all that special if you are used to living in a part of the world where virtually all batteries are modern, and maintenance free. And if you are like me, battery technology probably won't be getting you too excited. However, the effort from GS is appreciated and worth a mention.

Is this the face of the 2012 Honda CR-V? We can only hope it's not, but, the current model isn't exactly a beauty either. Still, the 2007 Honda CR-V is set to be replaced by an all new 2012 model in time for the new year.

Proposed changes to vehicle tax rates to be based on CO2 emissions are being met with some degree of reservation by the Thai auto industry, ever keen to hammer out the best possible deal.

Will the squeaky wheel get the kick or the oil? Who's crying like the biggest baby? Read on...

With the 2011 Bangkok International Motor Show just weeks away, Chevrolet has released a teaser image of its forthcoming Colorado pickup truck. The truck will be previewed at the Bangkok show, but in preproduction form.

The decision by GM to use the 32nd Bangkok International Motor Show to take the wraps off the new design is hardly surprising. One tonne pickup trucks are very popular in Thailand, and in 2010 over 40% of all vehicles sold in the kingdom were in this category.

Thailand is set to be the third country to produce the Prius hybrid. Starting next month, the Prius will join the Cmary Hybrid on Toyota's Gateway facility production line.

For hybrid vehicles to have any chance of success in Thailand pricing needs to be competitive. Toyota's decision to produce the Prius locally should help, and since the units built in Thailand will be for the domestic and local market, perhaps there is some room for Toyota to shave a few baht off the price when deciding the equipment levels that will be offered on the standard model.

Ford has taken the wraps off its all-new 2012 Ranger at the Australian International Motor Show. The truck was developed at Ford's facility in Melbourne, Australia, and shares its platform with the all-new Mazda BT-50. Both models should be arriving in Thailand next year, and both will be built at the Ford/Mazda facility in Rayong, Thailand.

For this post I'm going to focus on the details for the Ford Ranger, and although the BT-50 will most likely have a few unique tricks, the majority of details are shared between the two sisters. Just to take a moment to comment on the obvious difference between the two, which is in the looks department. Ford's new Ranger is handsome looking and has stuck to a tried and tested truck look which clearly doesn't take any chances. With the BT-50, Mazda have clearly taken a few chances, and the result is something you will probably either love or hate it. I know I have no love for it at all!