Asian truck-makers target Philippine’ light truck/PUV segment
By Jim Gibbins - 1st December 2019
Philippines / Indonesia - Competition in the Philippine light truck and bus market has intensified significantly in recent months with the launch of the Isuzu Traviz and the return of the Mitsubishi L300 at the end of September – see article in this issue.
The Traviz, sold in large volumes in Indonesia as the Traga, is a cab-over-chassis light truck competing head on with the Mitsubishi L300, Kia Bongo/K2500 and Hyundai Porter/H-100. The Traviz is imported from Indonesia as a cab-chassis, with local body builders offering customers a variety of body options including panelled and refrigerated van, a drop side flatbed truck and even a Class 1 public-utility vehicle designed for public transport. It is powered by the Euro IV-compliant 2.5L 4JA1 BluePower direct-injection diesel engine, with prices starting at PHP962,000 (USD19,000).
