Hyundai Staria Lounge Limousine

The long-awaited arrival of the Hyundai Staria Lounge Limousine promises to pick up where the old Grand Starex Limousine left off in a major way by delivering first-class comfort for wealthy clients from Seoul to Busan while offering the same experiences as its normal equivalent.

2023 Hyundai Staria Lounge Limousine

2023 Hyundai Staria Lounge Limousine

Starting at 57,920,000 Korean Won plus additional costs, the Staria Lounge Limousine is the replacement for the aging but ultra-luxurious Grand Starex Limousine that promises to pick up where its predecessor left off. Like the normal Staria, it's front-wheel-drive, meaning it's less enjoyable to drive than the old Grand Starex Limousine but who cares. While the normal Staria is built for family use, the Limousine variant is all about catering to celebrities, VIPs, and influencers like a true professional. Whether it's a Blue House politician or a K-celebrity, the Staria Lounge Limousine fits the bill.

For starters, it looks like the Staria Lounge but the Limousine features a high roof, sidestep, and 18-inch wheels, making it easier to differentiate it from the normal Staria Lounge, although it still looks regular when parked in fancy hotels. As for the interior...

2023 Hyundai Staria Lounge Limousine interior

2023 Hyundai Staria Lounge Limousine interior

...it still packs the same minimalist dashboard as the normal Staria Lounge but the Limousine is loaded with luxurious features that will keep them occupied such as a movable console positioned between the second-row ottoman seats, a starry sky lamp above, and a rear entertainment system where you can screen mirroring stuff with your smartphone and others. It is offered in a choice of either a seven or a nine-seater.

The Staria Lounge Limousine is available only with a 2.2L VGT diesel engine that produces 177PS of power and 44kgf-m of torque. Mated to an 8-speed automatic, it has a combined fuel economy of a questionable 10km/L.

As expected, the Staria Lounge Limousine is prepared for the worst thanks to Hyundai's Smartsense range of safety tech.

The Staria Lounge Limousine is the ideal alternative for the now-defunct Toyota Alphard Royal Lounge because even though the Alphard trumps the Staria Lounge Limousine, it's going to be the next favorite for those who are looking for luxury minivans.

Before you ask, no. As of now, the official Hyundai distributor in the Philippines, HARI, has no plans to introduce the Staria range at the moment, although smugglers managed to smuggle the Staria without HARI's consent, giving headaches to the Bureau of Customs trying to catch the smuggled luxury cars scattered across Philippine roads. Unless HARI decides to bring the Staria to the Philippines to replace the Grand Starex, don't even try smuggling this Staria to the Philippines or the Bureau of Customs will crush it for sure.

Photo: Hyundai

Subaru Solterra

The Toyota bZ4x signaled the start of Toyota's electric offense with its concept-inspired looks, minimalist interior, game-changing electric powertrain, and advanced safety features. The main problem is you can't fully own it because you'll have to lease it to drive it for a month. If you want a bZ4x you can fully own, you'll have to make do with its Subaru equivalent, the Solterra.

2023 Subaru Solterra

Starting at 5,995,000 Japanese Yen plus additional costs, the first-ever Subaru Soltera is the company's first electric vehicle, which is a nuisance for purists who are moaning over the death of the WRX STi. Because this is the latest vehicle to spawn from the Toyota-Subaru partnership since the defunct Ractis-Trezia and the recent GR86-BRZ, the Solterra features bits and bobs identical to its lease-only bZ4x twin.

2023 Subaru Solterra

With the name coming out from a Capcom video game, the Solterra's styling is hugely identical to its bZ4x twin except for the front view which differentiates it from its Toyota twin. As expected, both the bZ4x and the Solterra are like the coupe versions of the Toyota RAV4 when you look harder at their designs because of their sloping roofline and high ground clearance but needless to say, they're proof that they're ready to roam the open world like superheroes because SUVs and superhero movies sell big-time.

2023 Subaru Solterra interior

Like the bZ4x, the Solterra's interior is part minimalist and part user-friendly, meaning the dashboard's very easy to use despite being too small for drivers with cataracts to read it. The driver's side is positioned below the dashboard like a Peugeot but because this is bigger than the Peugeot, it almost doesn't feel cramped. The addition of paddle shifters is a bit of a show-off inside because why would you need one in an electric car that has one working gear? No one knows.

While it can accommodate up to five people, the boot space is good for up to 475L for the entry-level ET-SS variant, meaning it's good enough for almost all walks of life, be it for work or for road trips with family or friends as long as nothing's ruining its sweet spot. There's even an electrical outlet to plug in your everyday devices like your laptop or your tiny HD TV you bought from the flea market.

2023 Subaru Solterra

Running on the new e-TNGA platform and a 71.4kWh battery, the Solterra, like the bZ4x, is offered in two different configurations; with the front-wheel-drive variant producing 150kW of power and has a range of 567km while the four-wheel-drive variant, armed with X-MODE which is almost useful for tarmac, gravel, and snow, features two 80kW electric motors that powers both front and rear wheels and they're good for 542km based on WLTC mode standards.

For a car that weighs over two tons, the Solterra behaves like a normal crossover on a daily basis thanks to its Rack and Pinion steering, front struts, rear double wishbones, and ventilated disc brakes. It's not an enjoyable ride as expected but it feels nice to drive and downright as regular as a regular show.

In terms of safety, the Solterra, like the bZ4x, is packed with safety features such as Pre-Crash Safety, Blind Spot Monitor, and Toyota Teammate Advanced Park, among many others.

The Solterra may have the same bits and bobs as the Toyota bZ4x but unlike the Toyota equivalent, you can fully own the Solterra if you really want to. Despite bearing a Capcom-ish name and being another treason to the Subaru heritage like the rear-wheel-drive BRZ, the Solterra is proof that Subaru is ready for the age of the new society.

Available colors: Black, Platinum White Pearl Mica, Dark Blue Mica, Emotional Red 2, Precious Metal, Hyper Mist Gray Pearl, Platinum White Pearl Mica/Black, Dark Blue Mica/Black, Emotional Red 2/Black, Precious Metal/Black, and Hyper Mist Gray Pearl/Black.

Photo: Subaru Corporation

The list of cars you can't fully take ownership

The first-ever Toyota electric crossover, the bZ4X, has arrived but the bad news is, you can't own it. You'll have to lease it to drive it for a month, which is kind of a bummer decision Toyota made. Following the launch of the bZ4X, it's time to take a trip down memory lane with the list of cars you can't fully take ownership of, which is a headache for speedo boys.

2023 Toyota bZ4X

GM EV1 - Launched in 1996, the GM EV1 is the first mass-produced and purpose-designed electric vehicle that was made after a widespread reception from the 1990 Impact Concept. It features a three-phase alternating current induction motor with an IGBT power inverter that produces 102kW of power and 149Nm of torque. The EV1 was available for lease only in Los Angeles, California, and Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. However, the leasing programs have been expanded to San Francisco, Sacramento, and parts of the US state of Georgia. Production ended in 1999 and most of the vehicles have been returned to the company with most being crushed and others becoming non-working museum displays. The controversial discontinuation of the EV1 became the turning point of the documentary movie "Who Killed the Electric Car?"

Honda FCX - Launched in the autumn of 2002, the FCX is a three-door compact hatchback that uses a fuel cell powertrain that produces 60kW of power and 272Nm of torque. The FC STACK, meanwhile, uses an improved version of its fuel cell powertrain that produces 20kW more. It was available for lease only and throughout its three-year lifespan, it was leased by 5 or 6 customers from Japan.

Honda FCX Clarity - Launched in 2008 and available for lease only, the FCX Clarity is the production version of the 2006 FCX Clarity Concept and it's a stylish four-door saloon that features a newly developed fuel cell electric drivetrain that produces 100kW of power and 256Nm of torque.

Honda Clarity Fuel Cell - Launched in 2016, the Clarity Fuel Cell takes place after the FCX Clarity left off. Although slightly larger than its FCX Clarity predecessor, the Clarity Fuel Cell is powered by a solid polymer-type fuel cell stack mated to a 130kw electric motor. It was available for lease only in its first year and then after that, it went on sale to the general Japanese public until it was discontinued at the end of September 2021.

Honda Accord Plug-in Hybrid - Based on the Honda Accord Hybrid CR6, the plug-in hybrid variant uses the same 2.0L i-MMD powertrain as its normal hybrid counterpart but with the addition of the 124kw electric motor capable of 70.4km/L of PHEV fuel consumption and 29km/L of hybrid fuel consumption. Unlike its hybrid counterpart, the Accord Plug-in Hybrid is available for lease only until it was discontinued in 2016 with only 238 units produced. No one knows what happened to these cars.

Chevrolet Captiva Sport - The Chevrolet Captiva Sport is a rebadged Opel Antara that replaced the Saturn Vue following General Motors' decision to ax the Saturn brand for good. Unlike its Saturn Vue equivalent, the Captiva Sport is only available as a rental car, but good thing General Motors didn't take it back like what they did to the EV1 as they're sold as used cars in good condition. Production of the Captiva Sport ended in 2015 and the Chevrolet Trax took its place.

Kia Ray EV - The Ray EV is the electrified version of the Kia Ray compact minivan that, unlike its petrol-powered equivalent, is not sold to the Korean public as it is available only for rental or car-sharing purposes. Its electric powertrain gave the Ray EV a mileage of up to 139km in city driving mode and 91km on public roads, making it restricted for city driving purposes. It is the first mass-produced electric vehicle made in South Korea and the only light electric vehicle released in South Korea. It was discontinued in 2019.

Toyota C+pod - Launched at the end of 2020, the C+pod is a two-seater electric compact car that focuses mainly on mobility. It has a permanent magnet electric motor that powers its rear wheels and it's good for 150km in one full charge based on WLTC mode standards it will take about 5 hours to fully charge via a 200V electrical outlet. It was available only for corporate users, LGUs, and other organizations in its first year and it was expanded to the general public a year later for lease only.

Toyota bZ4X - The recently-launched Toyota bZ4X is the production version of its namesake 2021 concept car unveiled at the 2021 Shanghai Motor Show. It is available for lease only via KINTO starting at 107,800 Yen per month. With the exterior design nearly drawing inspiration from its namesake concept as well as its minimalist interior design fit for five people, the bZ4X has two configurations with the FF variant good for 559km (512km) while the 4WD variant is good for 540km (487km) in one full charge, based on WLTC mode standards. In addition, the bZ4X is packed with safety features such as Pre-Crash Safety, Blind Spot Monitor, and Toyota Teammate Advanced Park.

...and these are the list of cars you can't fully take ownership of. It's a shame you can't own it to drive it. Boo.

Shin Ultraman

After having a blast on reimagined versions of iconic classics such as Shin Godzilla and Shin Evangelion, a gigantic Japanese superhero is getting the "shin" treatment as part of the Shin Japan Heroes Universe.

Shin Ultraman

Created in honor of five-and-a-half decades of Ultraman, this reimaging of the classic Japanese superhero brings fans a bold and dramatic new take on the giant superhero the world loves.

Because this is a bold new take on Ultraman, this movie has nothing in common with the iconic 1966 TV series. The SSSP you'll see in this movie has nothing in common with the SSSP from the TV show because the producers wanted to deliver the drama and the nonsense this movie delivers. 

With almost no gimmicks involved in the making of this serious reimagining, Shin Ultraman is explosive force majeure fans and newcomers to the Ultraman franchise should check it out for themselves...although some may find that the Ultraman appeared in this reimagining looks skinny compared to the real thing, giving suspicions that our favorite giant went on a workout before filming.

Despite its odd undertones, Shin Ultraman is the no-nonsense reimagining that deserves to follow the footsteps of Shin Godzilla and Shin Evangelion. Like it or not, this movie is not really a show-off and it sure knows how to be taken very seriously.

UKRAINE CONFLICT: 5/13/2022

                                                  

The latest in the ongoing Ukraine conflict:

• Russia invades Ukraine: Live Updates
• Russia-Ukraine war, Jen Psaki leaves White House: 5 things to know Friday
• Russia-Ukraine war live updates: Kyiv to hold first war crimes trial

COVID-19 SITUATION: 5/13/2022

                                                        

The latest in the ongoing COVID-19 situation:

• Covid-19 cases in PH continue to decline—DOH
• IATF backs return to face-to-face classes, rejects mandatory vaccination
• 14 cases of Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 detected in PH—DOH
• Herbosa to next admin: Prioritize, continue Covid-19 vaccinations
• Duterte cautions public vs. complacency on Covid incidence; thanks frontliners, scientists
• North Korea confirms first Covid-19 death in 'explosive' outbreak
• North Korea says 187,000 people being 'isolated and treated' for fever
• Hong Kong's third-dose Covid-19 vaccination rate reaches 50 pct
• Covid-19 death toll in Europe tops 2 mln: WHO
• US mourns one million dead from Covid-19

Let's Do The News! (May 13, 2022)

                                                        

Your daily round-up of today's news:

- Former MMDA chairman Benhur Abalos is named the next DILG secretary under the upcoming BBM administration.

- Senator Sonny Angara remembers his father's wisdom quotes on good politics, setting aside discord on his father, Ed Angara's death anniversary.

- Outgoing Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte bids farewell after casting his vote during the May 9 elections.

- PH Supreme Court Justice Estela M. Perlas Bernabe retires this Saturday.

- Scientists successfully grow plants in soil from the Moon.

- Palestinians honored slain Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh across the occupied West Bank and annexed East Jerusalem, a day after she was killed during an Israeli army raid.

- Mercedes-AMG unveiled the A45 and CLA45 Edition 55 models in honor of the brand's 55th anniversary.

- The Shin Kamen Rider movie will hit theaters this March 2023.

- Netflix is reportedly adding a low-cost streaming tier with ads at the end of the year.

- Denver Broncos' Jerry Jeudy has been arrested and faces a charge of criminal tampering with domestic violence enhancer.

- Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic wins the NBA's 2021-22 Kia MVP award.

TTFN,