It’s easy to poke fun at how the Nissan Sylphy is the right car for the “Sylphy generation,” but the car’s features are certainly no joke.
For starters, this Nissan sedan engineered to deliver enviable fuel efficiency and lowering carbon emissions, beginning with the base 1.6-liter gas engine that delivers 115hp and 154Nm, and on to the top-tier powering 1.8-liter good for 130hp and 174Nm. Both power mills are reportedly smooth-revving, powerful and responsive, aided by a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that comes available to the vehicle’s top two trims.
The ride quality is one of the best aspects of the new Nissan Sylphy. An updated undercarriage— comprising MacPherson struts (front), torsion beam (rear), electric power steering, and a tilt/telescoping steering column—helps make the ride feel of the new Sylphy smoother and comfier than before.
The 2021 Nissan Sylphy offers buyers three trims to choose from, starting at PHP908,000 for the base 1.6L MT, and topping off at PHP1.05 million for the 1.8L CVT variant. In case the Sylphy doesn’t quite cut it for you, here are your other similarly priced options on the market.
Shoppers of the number one car in the land get to choose from nine different variants, making the Toyota Vios one of the more diverse options to meet the wide-ranging needs of the Filipino car owner.
The top variant runs on a 1.5-liter gasoline engine that delivers 106hp and 140Nm of torque, with shifting provided by a continuous variable transmission (CVT), meanwhile, the lower trims come powered by a 1.3-liter engine with 98hp and 123Nm of output, paired with a 5-speed manual.
Exterior-wise, the new Vios finds the fog lamp/air vent assembly relocated to the lower front grille, which now takes on a trapezoid shape as opposed to the reverse-trapezoid of the outgoing model. The air vent/fog lamp assembly that dimple the lower grille has also been redesigned, now angled inward with a bit of curvature added up top, like a musical note. The LED headlights have also been tweaked to give the Vios front a more contemporary aesthetic.
Inside, the infotainment system is now compatible with both Apple and Android music players. What’s more, this touchscreen is available across the range, except for the two bottom models. As for advanced safety features, the Vios has hill-start assist, vehicle stability control, and a security alarm with immobilizer. The upper ranges also come with speed sensing and Smart Entry with wireless doorlock.
Truth to tell, the Toyota Corolla Altis is actually the Sylphy’s direct pound-for-pound challenger from the Toyota roster, thought this sedan is a lot pricier than Nissan’s offering. The latest Toyota Corolla Altis possesses a sporty style a low stance, and the sleek and contemporary grille. It also features standard LED headlights and taillights with a low profile design. The stylishly subdued sheetmetal is sure to earn the approval of many car buyers looking for an attractive ride without drawing too much attention.
New for 2020 is the Corolla Altis Hybrid CVT, the first-ever Corolla Hybrid offering. Combining a 1.8-liter gas engine with a 1.3kWh battery, the system yields a total system max output of 168hp (97hp engine, 71hp electric motor) and 207Nm. For those who prefer a straight-up internal combustion engine, there’s the carryover 1.6-liter Dual VVT-I 4-cylinder in-line equipped in the rest of the trims.
Inside, the new Corolla Altis dash is certainly a sight for sore eyes. The elevated infotainment system is also a nice touch, as it now promotes keeping driver’s eyes on the road. As for the rest of the cabin, there’s more soft-touch materials this time around, thanks to the generous use of synthetic leather on the panels. New for 2020 is an 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat (Hybrid only), further enhanced by a powered lumbar support feature. The car also comes with dynamic radar cruise control.
With the Brio Amaze now out of the picture, the City subcompact once again becomes the smallest sedan in Honda PH’s lineup of cars. The latest version of the City has a sportier front fascia than its predecessor, thanks to a more prominent version of the 'Solid Wing Face' design language.
The new 1.0-liter gas engine arrives with more horses and torque—120hp and 173Nm to be exact, a huge improvement compared to the predecessor’s 1.5-liter i-VTEC’s 118hp and 145Nm. The added power is made possible through various tweaks to the engine setup, including the addition of a new turbocharger from BorgWarner, a more economical compression ratio, and finally, a Euro 5-compliant construction.
The design of the interior receives a major update, with a completely new dashboard setup that looks inspired by the Honda Jazz. In terms of size, new City is longer, wider, and lower than its predecessor. The wheelbase is also shorter on the 2020 City than the old unit.
With a growing market, Hyundai sought to improve the humble Accent sedan into a dynamic and more sophisticated vehicle, and it looks like the South Korean carmaker succeeds in this goal, as the latest version of the subcompact is now big on both performance and style. Helping it aesthetically is an eye-popping hexagonal front grille coupled with chrome front bumper trims that further highlight the new design’s elevated style.
Two powertrains are available for Accent buyers— a 1.6-liter CRDi VGT good for 126hp and 260Nm, and a 1.4-liter Kappa MPI Dual CVVT with 98hp and 133Nm. Each engine is available with either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission.
One good thing (or bad, depending on how you look at it) about the Accent is that it offers the same cabin features across the board, which means you get the same infotainment, seats, and everything else regardless of trim.
Chevrolet PH teased the arrival of the 2020 Cruze for the early part of 2019, unfortunately, internal and international occurrences will not allow it so. For now, we’re stuck with the sedan’s 2019 model, which offers up a 1.8-liter gasoline engine with 16-valve DOHC and variable cam-phasing under the hood, good for 140hp and 177Nm. The base Cruze relies on a 5-speed manual for shifting, while the upper two trims make use of 6-speed automatic with manual mode.
The 2019 Chevrolet Cruze makes a lot of effort to ensure your ride is as smooth as possible, such as the smooth-running engine, stable suspension system, and a cabin that’s well-insulated against noise, harshness and vibration (NVH). Combine these with comfortable seats and trimmings, and you get a very cozy cabin to drive in. Not only that, the car also offers an array of beautiful interior color schemes and materials. The cabin layout is well-designed as well, with style ergonomics at the forefront.
Photos from Nissan, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Chevrolet
Also read:
2020 Nissan X-Trail: The 2 variants in detail
2020 Nissan GT-R vs. the competition: Your other high-performance sports car options
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