AutoDeal Weekly News Recap May 30-June 3: a rundown of the last 120 hours

Another 120 hours have passed and it’s that time of the week where we give you a news recap of the latest in the automotive industry.

Local News Recap

Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) has introduced the 8-seater variant of the Odyssey. Aesthetically, the vehicle retains its exterior look due to the brand’s “Solid Streamline” design concept. The major changes done to the Odyssey can be seen inside. The 2nd row captain seat layout is replaced with a 60:40 split bench type seats while the 3rd row has a 3-way split structure. In simpler terms, the new variant of the Odyssey has a 2+3+3 seat configuration. Price-wise, the Odyssey EX could be yours at P1,948,000 and it is available in 4 colors: Modern Steel Metallic, Crystal Black Pearl, Super Platinum Metallic, and White Orchard Pearl (additional P20,000).

On the other hand, a new bill dubbed as Anti-Distracted Driving has passed the final reading. According to house bill 3190, driving while using a mobile communication or entertainment device or watching a video will be considered illegal. This means the driver can no longer use any gadget while driving. However, there are few exemptions for the said bill such as using a mobile phone/device when reporting incidents such as fire, traffic accidents, and other emergencies.

Foreign News Recap

Mazda has announced that the total production of the Mazda 3 has reached the 5 million unit mark. This milestone was achieved by Mazda in just 12 years and 10 months. The Mazda 3 accounts for an estimated 1/3 of Mazda’s annual sales volume.

In other news, the Nissan X-Trail earned a 5-star rating in tests conducted by the New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian countries (ASEAN NCAP). The X-Trail passed the Adult Occupant Protection (AOP) test achieving a score of 15.1 out of 16, which earned it the said maximum safety rating. The X-Trail also scored a comfortable 72% compliance in the Child Occupant Protection (COP) test, achieving 4 stars.

For more of the latest automotive news, visit the AutoDeal Blog Section.