Cars that were recently brought back to life

Its almost Halloween and many of us are into sharing spooky stories.

However, we here at Zigwheels Philippines got more excited on the nameplates that were brought back to life by their respective manufacturers.

Whether it’s the continuation of a legacy into the era of electric mobility, or just the companies banking on nostalgia to make quick money, here is a quick look at the cars that are back from the dead.

Honda Prelude

Honda pulled the plug on the Prelude nameplate back in the early 2000s. Whether it’s the decline of sedans in popularity or the company taking a different direction, the Japanese carmaker had to stop production of the model back then.

Fast forward to 2025, Honda revived the Prelude and gave it a hybrid powertrain. Per the marque, it will carry forward the “joy of driving” into the electrified era, while also pursuing environmental performance and everyday usability.

Check out our pre-Japan Mobility Show (JMS) 2025 story, here.

FJ (Land Cruiser)

Toyota discontinued the FJ Cruiser sport utility vehicle globally in 2014. The retro-styled rugged automobile paid homage to the classic Land Cruisers of old and gained a strong following among enthusiasts worldwide.

During the ongoing Japan Mobility Show 2025, the company revealed the newest model to carry the FJ badging — the Land Cruiser FJ. The said model also sports retro-looking appointments that befit the revival and continuity of the said line.

Our on-location report, here.

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Local revival

In the Philippines, several companies also brought old nameplates back. Some discontinued models now get a new lease in life (locally), and here are some notable comebacks:

Toyota Tamaraw

The Toyota Tamaraw became a very popular model in the country, serving as both a utility vehicle and later, a passenger model.

In December last year, the company’s Philippine subsidiary revived the nameplate and even started production of the vehicle locally. Since its launch, the next-generation Toyota Tamaraw has been embraced by business owners and fleet operators alike, with some enthusiasts even making personalized builds to suit their needs.

Here’s our dispatch for the local launch of the latest iteration of the Toyota Tamaraw.

Hyundai Kona, Venue

Hyundai Motor Philippines has enjoyed a series of rollouts with revived nameplates included in the mix. Part of which are the Kona and Venue models.

The Hyundai Kona was re-launched sometime in June (now with a hybrid powertrain), while the Venue made it back into the segment just this month.

Check out our first look at the Hyundai Kona, here…

and the Hyundai Venue, here.

Also read: 

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Is the Ford Mustang Mach-E a yay or nay?

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