If you’re a Filipino car enthusiast who is returning home after living abroad in the past decade, prepare to be surprised when you peruse the available automotive brands on the market. Sure, the top two carmakers are still Toyota and Mitsubishi—still by a mile, if I may add—and yes, the familiar marques (Ford, Nissan, Honda, Suzuki, Isuzu, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru and Mazda) are still present. But scan the list for new players and you might not recognize them at all.
Say hello to Chinese automakers. If you haven’t noticed, they’ve arriving in droves. What used to be the laughingstock of the industry 15 years ago are now selling vehicles in decent numbers. I honestly can’t believe that we used to test-drive Chinese cars in 2007 and the door handles would fall off. So bad were the cars that there was even a unit whose engine shut off in traffic. True story.
Remember when you’d rather be caught dead than be found behind the wheel of a Chinese car? Seems like a distant memory now, yes? But as you read this column right this very moment, chances are your officemate in the next cubicle is checking out a subcompact crossover sourced from the PRC.
If you don’t believe me, see the lineup of exhibitors at the 2023 Manila International Auto Show set for April 13-16. BYD, Changan, Chery, Foton, GAC, Geely, Great Wall, Jetour—that’s eight brands (nine if you count the traditionally British but currently Chinese-managed MG). They now outnumber non-Chinese brands in the country’s biggest car show. Safe to say that the stigma once attached to the Red Flag has disappeared. Two of the above-mentioned brands (Great Wall and Jetour) are premiering on our shores for the first time.
On social media, I’ve noticed how Filipinos are now more welcoming of Chinese brands. There was a time when the thought of owning one of these vehicles was considered a joke. These days, proud owners even form car clubs and defend the honor of their chosen brand.
If you think that the above roster is already long, you should note that there are other Chinese brands already doing business here (just not too aggressive with their marketing): Maxus, Kaicene, JAC, Haima, and Weltmeister. In the coming days, another pair is joining the fray: Hongqi and Omoda. And who knows who else? It seems the Chinese have found a gold mine in our market and are rushing to enter it.
Now, what must be alarming to long-established car companies is the fact that these Chinese brands (other than BYD) have not taken advantage of their ultimate secret weapon: electric vehicles. Believe me, these are coming. And they will be affordable.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, the Chinese brands have to iron out the remaining kinks in their image. With the clear exception of Geely (and MG, if we count them as Chinese), these new and previously unheard-of car companies need to assure their customers that they are trustworthy and that they are here for the long haul.
Which brings me to the importance of a good name. In any relationship—whether personal or professional—you’re only as good as your reputation. Now, these Chinese brands, as funny-sounding as some of their names may be, will earn our country’s trust and respect if they deliver quality, reliability, customer service, and value. Give Filipino car buyers these and they will give their Japanese and Korean rivals a run for their money.
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FILL YOUR TANK: “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.” (Proverbs 22:1)