Toyota Motor Philippines introduced Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, the next-generation Toyota Tamaraw, bringing back a utility vehicle that was first released in 1976 and enhancing this in a bid to capture a share of the 1-ton light commercial vehicle segment.
The new Toyota Tamaraw is a two-door pickup truck that can be converted into a utility van, dropside, aluminum van, food truck, or camper van, among others. It runs on diesel or gasoline and will be available in the market in January, according to Toyota Motor Philippines.
"(The) Philippine automotive market is one of the fastest growing in the world - we're already in the top 10 globally. The lineup that we have - we have the below-1-ton segment, but the 1-ton commercial vehicle segment, we don't have it yet. And it's perfect for the Tamaraw," said Nico Bravante, vice president for marketing of Toyota Motor Philippines.
The next-gen Tamaraw was rolled out Friday simultaneously in Cebu City, Makati City, Pasay City, Quezon City, Santa Rosa City in Laguna, San Fernando City in Pampanga, Davao City, and Cagayan de Oro City.
The vehicle is manufactured in Santa Rosa, Laguna, with most of the components sourced locally. The engine, glass for the windows, and batteries will be imported, according to a company statement.
The gasoline-fueled core vehicle starts at about Php800,000 while diesel starts at about Php900,000, according to Bravante. If customized, a Tamaraw could cost up to Php1.3 million, he added.
He said Toyota Motor has partnered with Toyota Financial to offer prospective customers flexible payment terms with as low as 10% downpayment. Customers may also engage with other lending institutions to finance their purchases.
Bravante said Toyota enhanced the Tamaraw's safety features to include airbag installation, among others.
The company is looking to sell 2,000 units per month across the country, with Cebu aiming to contribute 5% to 10%, Bravante added. (Ventures Cebu)
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