Tale of three vehicles we used during the holidays

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WE USED three vehicles during the holidays- an SUV, a pickup truck and an MPV, during trips to Malvar, Batangas and Morong, Bataan.

The SUV, the Isuzu Mu-x is an all-time favorite having driven it many times in various events and personal trips. I never get tired of driving one because of its powerful engine, space and fuel economy.

The pick-up, the 2021 Mazda BT-50 Pangolin Edition, is a family-owned vehicle and is a veteran of several long drives and off-road trips. My eldest daughter, Rona, drives it from Northern Samar (where she is based the last five years) all the way to Quezon City to be with us during the holidays.

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Last December, Rona and her friend drove directly to Malvar just in time for the Christmas eve, a good 900 or so kilometers with floods in Samar and Sorsogon and heavy traffic in Camsur and Camarines Norte due to road repairs and detours. What used to be a 19-hour drive including the ro-ro ride from Allen, Northern Samar to Matnog, Sorsogon, took them 27 hours on the road. But we were very glad they made it safely home.

The MPV is the Mitsubishi Xpander GLS, a lendout from Mitsubishi Motors. I’ve always enjoyed driving the Xpander since I joined a media drive from Manila to Morong, Bataan and to Subic some years ago. The stay at Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar where we also had photo shoot was very memorable, too.

We drove the Xpander before Christmas to Malvar shortly before Christmas. It was a very smooth, quiet highway drive and economical, too, despite the traffic on some portions of the Skyway and SLEX. I particularly like the versatile seating arrangement of the 7-seater. Since we had to bring some stuff to the house in Malvar, we folded its third row to accommodate mostly camping items like big tent, folding chairs, extra folding table and extra pillows and blankets. It’s always like camping when we go to our small house there where the family enjoys Tagaytay-like weather during Christmas break.

It rained on most hours during the three-day vacation but still it was a happy family time with the Xpander serving as our vehicle for errands and church visit.

But the more challenging drive for the Xpander was the Quezon City to Morong, Bataan where we would spend the New Year in an airbnb house near the Morong beach.

We left Quezon City a bit late. The Mu-x and BT-50 went ahead of us. But on the highway NLEX and SCTEX, we averaged 16- 18 kilometers per liter.

We reached Subic at past 6 pm and with lush forest in the area, darkness came early and as we entered Morong it was already dark with barely any lamp posts along the way except for the barangay outposts and small commercial areas.

The Xpander’s LED headlamps and fog lamps were a big factor as we negotiated the dark twisty roads in Morong. The MPVs 1.5L naturally aspirated four-cylinder gasoline engine with MIVEC technology, gave more than adequate performance as we drove on the sharp curves and uphills. The engine is mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission.

It was just like driving a sedan with overall comfort with coil springs on all four wheels while riding on a good amount of ground clearance.

We arrived at our destination at 730 pm just in time to prepare for New Year’s Eve dinner in the quiet town.

The next day, my children and their friends with me in tow went to the Pawikan Preservation Center, 1.5 kilometers away, and this is where we got to use all seven seats of the MPV. Everyone had ample space in the vehicle.

The Pawikan Center has become a tourist attraction in the area. Visitors have to attend a 30-minute briefing on what the center does and how the pawikan or sea turtles are preserved ensuring that the reptiles get to survive and multiply.

That afternoon we witnessed the release of 60 one-day hold newly hatched baby turtles to the sea with young and old visitors being amazed by the wonders of the process. Officials there said the pawikans return to the area where they were released after a certain period and the center makes it a point to bring them to the sanctuary where they would lay eggs.

The seven of us again experienced the Xpander’s expansive space as we drove back to the house.

Interior space inside the Xpander is quite large for its class, and can comfortably seat seven individuals. Seatbelts are available for all occupants. Passengers can enjoy sounds through the touch screen infotainment system. Just like its namesake, the Xpander features a multitude of storage areas all throughout the cabin.

The model was first launched in August 2017, in Indonesia. Mitsubishi launched the small MPV in the Philippines almost a year later, on March 2, 2018, where it became one of the best selling models on offer from MMPC.

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