THE ULTIMATE CAR GUIDE: Car Features - Cars Thais Can Buy That Filipinos Can't (And Vice Versa)

Friday, September 30, 2016

Car Features - Cars Thais Can Buy That Filipinos Can't (And Vice Versa)

Considered as the Detroit of Asia, Thailand nearly builds the cars you are driving locally ranging from sub-compacts to large pickups and SUVs. All manufacturers have their assembly plants and they export these not just in our region but nearly everywhere. While we have vehicle assembly here, Thailand's favorable tax incentives and business environment wins the hearts of car makers.

Since Thailand sells nearly 500,000 units in a given year, we would fish out vehicles that they get but in return, we don't have (and we list cars that is not marketed there). This list does not include the likes of engine (hybrid and CNG are popular there) and body configurations (for the pickup trucks in Thailand) for both countries which makes it very long and we would only focus on popular brands, leaving out small players such as luxury brands and some unknowns. With the country being the first place in ASEAN to have car launches which follows in other nations, vehicles that are expected to be launched locally on a later (with some unannounced) date such as the Mazda CX-3 and Honda BR-V are not included on this list. Note: Mazda had launched the CX-3 at the Philippine International Motor Show two weeks ago. Honda had previewed the BR-V at the same event with deliveries starting December this year.

In reality, Thailand moves more cars but they have lesser vehicles in their line-up compared to ours.

What we (Philippines) don't get...

HONDA FREED