Toyota Rush tops list of most-searched models on ZigWheels PH

MANILA: Based on the data gathered from leading Philippine automotive portals ZIGWHEELS and Carmudi, Toyota remains the most preferred vehicle brand in the country.

The Toyota Rush was the most-searched brand-new model on ZIGWHEELS.PH in 2020, while the Toyota Wigo emerged as the most searched brand-new vehicle on Carmudi Philippines (carmudi.com.ph) last year.

More Filipinos have been using the two portals under CarBay Philippines, Inc. to do their research on new and used vehicles even before the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement, CarBay Philippines Chief Executive Officer Cholo Syquia said, “The benefits of the digital medium had long been obvious to both auto customers and sellers. You could say that the pandemic merely served to magnify these advantages, and accelerate the pace of adoption. Through ZIGWHEELS and Carmudi, we hope to be able to continue providing a convenient and seamless experience to all our users.”

Completing the top five most-researched brand-new models on ZIGWHEELS are the Honda CR-V, Toyota Wigo, Toyota Vios, and the Toyota Fortuner. At Carmudi, the Toyota Wigo was followed by the Toyota Hilux, Toyota Vios, Mitsubishi Xpander, and Toyota Hiace.

India’s leading auto tech group CarDekho operates both Zigwheels and Carmudi, which remain to be the only two-portal automotive presence in the Philippines. While both websites offer brand-new and used cars, ZIGWHEELS is more inclined toward new cars and Carmudi Philippines toward used vehicles. The two websites have created their own names in the industry with their own following.

For used vehicles, most ZIGWHEELS users searched most for the Mitsubishi Montero Sport in 2020, followed by the Toyota Fortuner, Toyota Wigo, and Toyota Vios. Meanwhile, most Carmudi users looked for the Mitsubishi L300, followed by the Toyota Vios, Toyota Innova, Mitsubishi Adventure, and Toyota Fortuner.

The dominance of Toyota models in all lists is not surprising as Toyota Motor Philippines continues to notch the “triple crown” in overall, passenger-, and commercial- vehicle sales — for 19 consecutive years now and counting.

Year 2020 was challenging one for the automotive industry due to the pandemic, so experts are hoping that the sector will be able to successfully recover this year. “The 40% decline in local auto sales could have actually been worse, and it is a testament to the agility of auto brands that they were able to quickly pivot to, or leverage, the digital medium. Of course, having been in this platform for a while, we are glad to offer our services and expertise to many of these companies who look to realize and maximize opportunities during these times,” Syquia added.

Aside from being an online vehicle marketplace, ZIGWHEELS.PH  and Carmudi Philippines also offer relevant industry news and features and expert reviews. The two websites also provide credible listings of cars and motorcycles and affordable promotions. “We can basically assist browsers every step of the way and our services gain even more relevance these days as people look to reduce face-to-face interactions in the name of safety, yet rightfully demand and expect the best experience in their journey to vehicle acquisition,” Syquia stated.

Photos from Carbay Philippines, Inc.

Also read: Toyota PH offers great deals on the Innova