From the headlines you see on social media, you probably have an idea that many new car brands have entered the country lately. There are so many that for the 19th Manila International Auto Show, the organizers have opted to occupy 2 venues – World Trade Center and SMX Convention Center.
Showcasing their cars in the World Trade Center would be BAIC, Changan, Chery, Chevrolet, GAC, GWM, Hyundai, Jetour, JMC, Lynk & Co, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Subaru, and Suzuki. Meanwhile in SMX, you’ll see BAW, Bestune, Chevrolet, DAF, Dongfeng, Foton, GAC, Hongqi, Hycan, JAC, JMC, Kinglong, MG, Omoda & Jaecoo, Peugeot, Seres, Subaru, and Weichai. If there’s any repetition, that means the brand has a booth in both places.
The show runs from 10am to 9pm ‘til Sunday April 7. PHP 150 gets you an all-day access to both venues and free shuttle service is provided at specific pickup and drop-off points. So, what exactly will you see in MIAS 2024?
The hottest and latest cars took their own respective spotlights during MIAS 2024. This includes the Mitsubishi Triton that was an iF Design Award winner for its ‘Beast Mode’ design, Subaru’s XT Outback that merges luxury and rugged performance, the Hyundai Elantra N that signals the arrival of the brand’s high-performance line into the country, Changan’s CS15 that is set to compete against other small crossovers, and the Jetour T2 that will surely captivate you at first glance.
There will also be brand launches and re-launches that will happen during the show. Some of these are Lynk & Co, the collaboration brand between Geely and Volvo, that flaunted their 06 and 01 crossovers. JMC have two pickups in the Vigus and Grand Avenue, while their Astara brother JAC have a larger showing with the JS4, JS6, and JS8 crossovers as well as T8 Pro and T9 pickups. Omoda finally made its public debut in the country with the OMODA 5 and electrified E5, while Jaecoo unveiled the J7 and J8. BAIC is also back in the country and with them is a full lineup consisting of the B40, B60, and B80 SUVs along with the X55 and X7 crossovers.
Those looking into greener mobility will also enjoy MIAS 2024 as many brands have an electrified new offering in their roster. Among these is Chery which showcased its eQ7, Tiggo 7 Pro Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and Tiggo 8 Pro PHEV. GAC finally brought in the Emkoo Hybrid, and Suzuki has the XL7 Hybrid. All electric cars are also present in the likes of the MG4 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, among many others.
Aside from seeing the newest cars in the market, you can also test drive some of them in the Test Drive Zone. There’s also a Truck Zone that exhibits the latest in big trucks, camping rigs, and off-roading gear. Finally, you will see Russ Swift do his signature stunts in the latest Subarus at specific times during the show’s duration.
Multibrand distributor United Asia Automotive Group (UAAGI) will even have its own UAAGI Performance Center in front of World Trade Center, where attendees can get to experience the various UAAGI car brands (Chery, Foton, BAIC and Lynk & Co.) in a more challenging test drive scenario.
The 2024 Manila International Auto Show happens from 10am to 9pm in both World Trade Center and SMX Convention Center until Sunday, April 7, 2024. One ticket is worth PHP 150 and gives you access to both venues.