The most fuel-efficient cars in the Philippines

The Philippine Department of Energy (DOE), in cooperation with Petron, conducted a fuel-efficiency test of cars available in the Philippines. I understand the test was an initial effort of the DOE's program to beef up its Philippine Energy Standards and Labelling Program, a very laudable initiative from the DOE and a huge help to local consumers shopping for cars.

The test conducted was for highway driving with air con turned on. It was voluntary and the car manufacturer provided the driver, albeit with an independent observer in tow. The results therefore are to be taken with a sizeable degree of caution. For more details on the test look here.

Among 38 gas-fed vehicles, the Suzuki Celerio A/T (PHP 549,000) was the most fuel efficient car consuming 29.14 kilometers per liter (km/L). Among the 32-diesel-fed cars, the winner was Isuzu D-Max (PHP 872,000) registering a 38.46 km/L consumption. But if fuel economy in pesos is what you want, given the price differential of diesel and gasoline in the Philippines, you might want to consider: 1) Audi A3 2.0 TDI FWD 6AT (Diesel) at 28.46km/L; 2) Accent Sedan 1.6 FWD 6MT (Diesel) at 29.41km/L; 3) Peugeot 301 1.6 FWD 6MT (Diesel) at 29.35km/L; and 4) Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 TDI FWD 5MT (Diesel) at 28.08km/L.

 Here is the complete result of the test run:

AUDI

* A3 2.0 TDI FWD 6AT (Diesel) - 28.46km/L

* Q5 2.0 TDI AWD 7AT (Diesel) - 20.79km/L

BAIC

* A113 1.3 FWD 5MT (Gasoline) - 18.58km/L

* M20 1.5 RWD 5MT (Gasoline) - 15.48km/L

* MZ40 1.2 RWD 5MT (Gasoline) - 14.54km/L

CHEVROLET

* Sail 1.5 FWD 4AT (Gasoline) - 18.26km/L

FORD

* Fiesta 1.0 Sport+ FWD 6AT (Gasoline) - 23.39km/L

* Focus 1.5 Sport FWD 6AT (Gasoline) - 19.20km/L

FOTON

* Toplander 2.8 RWD 5MT (Diesel) - 16.07km/L

* Toplander 2.8 4WD 5MT (Diesel) - 14.81km/L

HONDA

* Brio 1.3 S FWD 5AT (Gasoline) - 24.78km/L

* Brio Amaze 1.3 V FWD 5AT (Gasoline) - 23.77km/L

* City 1.5 E FWD CVT (Gasoline) - 26.02km/L

* Civic 1.5 RS FWD CVT (Gasoline) - 27.56km/L

* CR-V 2.0 S FWD 5AT (Gasoline) - 20.59km/L

* HR-V 1.8 E FWD CVT (Gasoline) - 24.82km/L

* Jazz 1.5 VX FWD CVT (Gasoline) - 28.60km/L

* Mobilio 1.5 V FWD CVT (Gasoline) - 24.69km/L

HYUNDAI

* Accent Hatch 1.6 FWD 7AT (Diesel) - 25.64km/L

* Accent Sedan 1.6 FWD 6MT (Diesel) - 29.41km/L

* Elantra 1.6 FWD 6MT (Gasoline) - 27.83km/L

* Santa Fe 2.2 FWD 6AT (Diesel) - 22.76km/L

* Tucson 2.0 FWD 6AT (Gasoline) - 21.18km/L

* Tucson CRDI 2.0 FWD 6AT (Diesel) - 24.80km/L

ISUZU

* Crosswind XT 2.5 RWD 5MT (Diesel) - 20.76km/L

* D-Max 3.0 RWD 5MT (Diesel) - 38.46km/L

* MU-X LS-A 3.0 RWD 5AT (Diesel) - 23.53km/L

KIA

* Carnival 2.2 FWD 6AT (Diesel) - 19.20km/L

* Forte 1.6 4-Door FWD 6AT (Gasoline) - 16.65km/L

* Forte Koup 2.0 2-Door FWD 6AT (Gasoline) - 20.62km/L

* Picanto 1.2 FWD 4AT (Gasoline) - 19.55km/L

* Rio 4-Door 1.4 FWD 4AT (Gasoline) - 17.41km/L

* Sorento 2.2 AWD 6AT (Diesel) - 21.67km/L

* Soul 1.6 FWD 7AT (Diesel) - 23.28km/L

* Sportage 2.0 AWD 6AT (Diesel) - 21.31km/L

MAHINDRA

* Enforcer DC 2.5 4WD 5MT (Diesel) - 17.28km/L

* Xylo 2.2 RWD 5MT (Diesel) - 20.26km/L

MAZDA

* 2 R 1.5 FWD 6AT (Gasoline) - 25.95km/L

* 2 V 1.5 FWD 6AT (Gasoline) - 26.72km/L

MINI

* Cooper 3-Door Hatch 1.5 FWD 6AT (Gasoline) - 21.59km/L

MITSUBISHI

* Mirage 1.2 FWD 5MT (Gasoline) - 25.64km/L

* Mirage 1.2 FWD CVT (Gasoline) - 27.05km/L

* Montero Sport 2.4 4WD 6MT (Diesel) - 18.48km/L

* Montero Sport 2.4 4WD 8AT (Diesel) - 17.79km/L

NISSAN

* Almera 1.2 FWD 5MT (Gasoline) - 21.26km/L

* Juke 1.6 FWD CVT (Gasoline) - 23.67km/L

* Navara 2.5 RWD 6MT (Diesel) - 17.85km/L

* Sylphy 1.6 FWD MT (Gasoline) - 24.18km/L

* Urvan 2.5 RWD 5MT (Diesel) - 15.41km/L

PEUGEOT

* 301 1.6 FWD 6MT (Diesel) - 29.35km/L

* Expert Tepee 2.0 FWD 6AT (Diesel) - 17.95km/L

PORSCHE

* Cayenne 3.0 AWD 8AT (Diesel) - 18.48km/L

SUBARU

* Forester 2.0 AWD CVT (Gasoline) - 16.71km/L

* Legacy S 2.5 AWD CVT (Gasoline) - 20.01km/L

* XV 2.0 AWD CVT (Gasoline) - 19.46km/L

SUZUKI

* Celerio 1.0 FWD 5MT (Gasoline) - 27.70km/L

* Celerio 1.0 FWD CVT (Gasoline) - 29.14km/L

* Ciaz GL 1.4 FWD 5MT (Gasoline) - 27.94km/L

* Ciaz GLX 1.4 FWD 4AT (Gasoline) - 22.93km/L

* Ertiga GLX 1.4 FWD 4AT (Gasoline) - 22.03km/L

* Swift 1.2 FWD 4AT (Gasoline) - 22.35km/L

TATA

* Indigo LX 1.4 FWD 5MT (Diesel) - 22.36km/L

* Manza Aura 1.3 FWD 5MT (Diesel) - 23.79km/L

* Vista Ignis 1.3 FWD 5MT (Diesel) - 23.51km/L

TOYOTA

* Fortuner 2.4 RWD 6AT (Diesel) - 18.91km/L

* Hilux 2.4 RWD 6AT (Diesel) - 21.59km/L

* Innova 2.8 RWD 6AT (Diesel) - 25.25km/L

VOLKSWAGEN

* Jetta 2.0 TDI FWD 5MT (Diesel) - 28.08km/L

VOLVO

* V40 2.0 Turbo FWD 6AT (Gasoline) - 16.31km/L

* XC60 D4 2.0 FWD 8AT (Diesel) - 20.82km/L

Cinematheque Centre Manila

The Film Development Council of the Philippines runs the Cinematheque Centre Manila film theater on 855 T. M. Kalaw Street, Ermita, Manila. Cinematheque Centre Manila screens only the best films of Philippine cinema and is also a venue for different film festivals in the country, many of which are sponsored by foreign embassies.

The screening schedule is posted on the organization's website here and updates are also posted on Cinematheque Centre Manila's Facebook page. The theater seats around a hundred, and charges very minimally, definitely much cheaper than the theaters you find in shopping malls and for far better movies. If you have a lazy afternoon and nothing to do, or if you find yourself tired walking around the Rizal Park or touring the National Museum, the theater would be a good place to rest your feet and watch a movie as it is quite near both sites.

How to Reach it

Take the LRT 1 city train and get off at United Nations (UN) Avenue Station. It is a short walk from there.