Kia Morning/Picanto Mk.II -Full Model Change-

Launched in 2004, the Kia Morning (known worldwide as the Picanto) is the replacement to the Hyundai Atoz-based Visto and it revolutionizes the Korean compact by storm. It even got itself a minor change in 2008 to appeal more. Here in the Philippines, the Kia Morning is more of a decent rival to the Hyundai i10, Toyota Yaris, and Suzuki Celerio. Now, the Morning lost its luster because of heavily advanced rival compacts and leaving this compact Kia car to a complete surrender. However, things has changed for the Morning as January 24, 2011 saw its full model change.

2012 Kia Morning

Thanks to the Peter Schreyer design, the Kia Morning is now more stylish than ever and life as we know it, the new Morning is essentially more of a miniature version of the Europe-only Venga MPV. I guess this new model has a striking design than the third-generation Toyota Vitz/Yaris and the Nissan March K13, but the Daewoo Matiz Creative/Chevrolet Spark has a better design than the new, second-generation Kia Morning. Let's face it Korean car fans, this second-generation Morning is much more better than the previous one thanks to the new design philosophy thanks to Mr. Peter Schreyer himself. If it hits in Europe, this will shock the Citroen C1 and the Peugeot 107 for sure.

2012 Kia Morning

One thing to know about the new Kia Morning is the eco-car status; The Kappa 1.0-litre Multi Port Injection engine is capable of the power output of 82PS/6400rpm and it comes in 4-speed automatic and 5-speed manual. For fuel economy, the 4AT grade has the fuel economy of 19km/L while the 5MT grade has the fuel economy of a doubled 22km/L. What can I say? I guess the manual transmission variant of the new Morning makes it perfect for starters but for those who need some "easy driving" on the city streets, the automatic transmission may come in handy.

For safety, the new Morning comes with six airbags, HAC (Hill Assist Control), disc brakes, Vehicle Stability Management, power steering, and side windows automatically lowers down when incoming objects are nearby these windows. This Korean compact car made it more concern for the driver and passenger, at least this is how the new Morning behaves like.

2012 Kia Morning interior

2012 Kia Morning interior

On the inside, the new Kia Morning is a whole different view to tell. One glance of this new interior and someone might say that this is much better than the Suzuki Celerio and Hyundai i10 combined! On front view, the Morning is much more like a shrunken version of the popular Kia K5/Optima sedan, and it has the heated steering wheel found on the K7 and K5. There are five panel colors available to make a good look out of the new Morning; Black High Gloss, Soft Orange, Metal Silver, Metal Beige, and Gray. The seating comes in three colors; black, orange, and gray. Good to know that there is an available option where you can connect your iPod and listen to your music stored from your iPod while joyriding the new Kia Morning.

The new Morning comes in ten delicious colors to choose from;

1) Alice Blue
2) Bright Silver
3) Cafe Moka
4) Galaxy Black
5) Honey Bee
6) Lemon Grass
7) Milky Beige
8) Original White
9) Signal Red
10) Titanium Silver

My thoughts about the Morning;
The Kappa 1.0L Multi-Port Injection engine, the new design, the new interior, ten colors, nothing makes it more interesting than the full model change of the Kia Morning. It debuted in South Korea, and soon it will make a global debut in Geneva Motor Show this March. I just hope that Columbian Automobile Corporation will bring the Morning's full model change as the new Picanto and this is surely much better than the Hyundai i10 and the Suzuki Celerio combined. Speaking of much, there is so much getting to know about the Morning's full model change and I think this is enough for now.

Believe me, the new Morning is much better than the Hyundai i10 and the Suzuki Celerio in the design category. If it arrives in the Philippines soon, imagine an endless possibilities you can do with the new Morning/Picanto. Showing this up on SCTEX, SLEX, or NLEX really wows the traffic crowd, and I mean it.

Photo: Kia Motors

Compact Renaissance Zero vs. Creative Touring

Yes, the two hybrid hatchbacks made in Japan, the Honda CR-Z and the Lexus CT 200h. If you were not into Priuses and Insights, consider these two hybrid hatches are an alternative to boring hybrid cars. For a junkie; these can be boring. For a hybrid lover, both the CR-Z and CT 200h are sporty hybrids that possesses fun at the green level. For me, I wonder which of these hybrid hatchbacks is my good pick?

The Honda CR-Z is the world's first hybrid sports car that resembles like the 80's CR-X, henceforth that Honda fans called it the next CR-X, despite the naming is CR-Z, which means Compact Renaissance Zero. This car is made for green-living, fun-loving, people because of its 1.5L engine with Honda's Integrated Motor Assist. 

So far, tuners from Japan modified the Honda CR-Z to make it more fun to drive rather than being a normal, boring one. In some countries, there was some tuner miraculously engine swapped the CR-Z's hybrid engine into the engine used from Honda Type R cars.

The fun fact about the CR-Z is the 6-speed Manual Transmission. This transmission is the common amenity of Japanese sports cars and this hybrid has this kind of transmission, making it worthy to be called a fun-to-drive hybrid hatch.

The most disappointing fact about the CR-Z is its performance. Of course, some people think that the CR-Z is boring, others said it was much OK than the Prius. The hybrid engine doesn't satisfy my craving but for fuel efficiency, this is somewhat good, or is it? Boring but it was okay because most tuners are always welcome to tune the CR-Z further.

About Lexus' first hatchback, the CT 200h, this is somewhat their first entry to the premium hatchback segment. The CT naming in the CT 200h stands for Creative Touring. If I came close to its numbers; all I cay say is the CT 200h has more fuel economy than the CR-Z because the CT 200h has a fuel economy of 34.0km/L while the CR-Z gets 25.0km/L (CVT variants). However, the maximum output of the CR-Z is higher than the CT 200h because the CR-Z is 114 PS while the CT 200h is 99 PS. That was for the maximum output, but in terms of system output, the CT 200h has greater numbers than the CR-Z because 124 PS of system output of the CR-Z is not enough against the CT 200h's system output of 136 PS.

The CT 200h wins in terms of system output and fuel economy. In pricing, the CR-Z wins because the CT 200h costs about 3,380,952 Japanese Yen (about 2,650,000 Pesos) while the CR-Z costs about 2,160,000 Japanese Yen (about 1,960,000 Pesos). Consider the CR-Z cheaper than the CT 200h.

In the inside, I think the CT 200h has a better interior than the CR-Z. I believe the interior of the CT 200h is somewhat high-tech while the CR-Z is just ordinary and borrowed from the second-generation Insight.

There you have it folks. For me, I think the CR-Z is my pick because, this was last year's Japan Car of the Year. No wait, not only that, it still looks more fun to drive for a green-living driver. The CT 200h is somewhat an executives' choice with a price tag higher than the CR-Z. I just hope both of these hybrid hatchbacks will come to the Philippines soon.

Another mission for James Bang

OK, here's what happened on the January 22, 2011 episode on Banana Split;

- Hot showbiz issues in HOT ISSUE

- Gym jokes

- Kuya Keem tells more on the human skin

- Jayson Gainza, as Singh The Magician, is back for some hilarious magic tricks on Magic Singh

- dance to the tune of Sorry Sorry

- Another mission for the hilarious spy in Banana Split, James Bang .007; prevent some guy named Jojo from being drunk

- a game of SHOW IT!

Desu No! White and Black

Aston Martin Cygnet Launch Edition

It seems that Aston Martin, famous for Bond cars, announced the pricing for the Toyota iQ-based Cygnet city compact! The pricing for the Cygnet starts at 30,995 British Pounds (about 3,950,000 Philippine Pesos) and because of that, a special edition called the Cygnet Launch Edition is announced.

This special primer comes with two special colors that made me saying

"DESU NO! WHITE AND BLACK"

White and Black! 

That's right! 

Snow White and Magic Black are the colors for this special edition Cygnets, great for those who want to take the first step of Aston Martin's first compact car designed to wow the crowd.

Ha ha ha! Now, that's Kuroko's song!

Wait, this is somewhat similar that back in 1997, Toyota Motor Corporation launched special edition models of the Camry Gracia (sixth-generation Camry) station wagon in Pearl White and Black colors. This is the first "Desu No! White and Black" situation.

Anyway, time to listen to the song "Desu No! White and Black"

This time, the brand behind Bond cars does Kuroko's song

The things we make, make us

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Is this it? Word from CATS Motors is that they'll officially bring the legendary, American-made, Jeep Grand Cherokee WK2 to the Philippines at the end of 1st quarter 2011!

Scoop:

http://www.topgear.com.ph/news/cats-to-launch-all-new-jeep-grand-cherokee-in-march

Surprise! But this will offer only in the new Pentastar V6 engine, A legendary American SUV is coming just in time when the Philippines is under in a scorching hot summer season!

If it hits, time to take a grand vacation and sing the Philippine Geography song as this American SUV travels through the Philippine Geography!

We'll be waiting... I think this is somewhat better than the Nissan Patrol Royale and the Toyota Fortuner...

"Para sa paborito kong apo, si Karen"

In the January 21 episode of Bubble Gang;

- gags that made us evacuate the building for fun

- a phone call interrupting the job interview

- Bureche tries to make the floor slippery just so to injure Cheche. I wonder why Cheche doesn't feel something slippery?

- The classic McDonalds Philippines commercial ("Para sa paborito kong apo, si Karen") gagged by Bubble Gang. The classic commercial gets spoofed! HAH!

- Interview with the zombies

- OK, OK, who invited a ghost to a party?

- And a sketch on something BANANA SPLIT?! EH? Banana Split? That was from the rival network, what's that Banana Split doing in this Bubble Gang sketch with guest star Jacky Woo and Jackie Rice?

Banana Split sketch in Bubble Gang

Fake Kingdom

Something happened on the January 21, 2011 episode of Lokomoko U;

- Fake Kingdom gags. Some Ancient Chinese gags served by the Lokomoko U gang!

- Ahem, let's time travel back to the prehistoric times as another episode of B.C. Bishian is up! In this segment, we learned how spoon and fork is made on Prehistoric times.

- Tensions rise in Bahaw: Ikalawang Hain, where Tatay (JC De Vera) has amnesia. As it gets worse, something's wrong with the pregnant Pinky (Diane Medina)! Can this get any worse? I know because the narrator said that's only the beginning.

- Lola Moko is here again on "Mga Alamat ni Lola Moko". That week's alamat is "Ang Alamat ng Muta".

- And yes, the students in insect costumes are invading this week's episode of Bata, Bata, Tayo'y Tumula, the hilarious segment with some twisted dula-dulaan. OK, why there's a flypaper, flyover, and bio-data included? LOL