3 Highlanders reveal their ‘Baguio runabout vehicles’
Did you ever wish you could drive your vehicle to Baguio City immediately after buying it?
For three motorists who live in Baguio, that chance was right in front of them. And when it came down to choosing what compact SUV would fit their needs and feel at home 5,000 feet above sea level, the fog of indecision was swept away by a 7-seater family vehicle that came with all the right stuff and made all the right moves.
These three satisfied Baguio motorists own the 2025 Honda BR-V models. And, quite curiously, these three all work as virtual assistants.
Impressive fuel efficiency
For Dags Aquino, despite the steep ups and downs of Baguio roads and the daily traffic congestion, a full tank in his BR-V S variant lasts him about two weeks. He uses the vehicle every day for various chores, but mainly for picking up the kids from school or ballet classes. He bought his Meteoroid Grey Metallic model just this August from Honda Cars Manila.
“The Honda brand reputation stood out for me, especially coming from a Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback, which I used for a long time,” he shared. “In terms of fuel efficiency, the Mirage was good, but when I used the BR-V, the fuel efficiency was impressive. The BR-V is very efficient.” Dags added that for a family man like him, the fuel savings is “a big deal.” But not only is it a fuel miser, Dags is quick to add, “my family is comfortable and relaxed in this 7-seater.”
High ground clearance
JM Quijana bought his BR-V VX in Opal Silver White from Honda Cars Santa Rosa, Laguna, four months before Dags got his, in April. JM used his Honda City sedan as a daily driver. “But when our family got bigger, we needed a 7-seater.”
“I needed to find something comfortable and reliable. I also needed a vehicle with a higher ground clearance,” he explained, since the steep inclines of Baguio roads may sometimes cause his sedan’s bottom to scrape the pavement, especially if the car’s loaded. After testing some Japanese car brands, JM said he was “star-struck” with the BR-V.
“I love the design. It’s timeless,” he stressed. “The BR-V is more expensive, but I even chose the top-of-the-line variant. I told myself that for my next car, I would want a top-of-the-line model. Now, the BR-V is my daily driver to pick up the kids, take my family out during weekends, and travel to Manila.”
His favorite features? “Honda Sensing is my favorite because of the safety it provides for my family. Of course, I appreciate the high ground clearance. There are a lot of 7-seaters more spacious than a BR-V, but the compactness of the BR-V is ideal for the narrow roads in Baguio, especially when negotiating traffic jams and parking in tight spots.”
He added that driving a BR-V is “like driving a small sedan, but in an SUV body.”
Dags shared that he and his wife are expecting their third child. “Soon, there will be five of us, so it was really a must for us to upgrade to a 7-seater,” he said. “The BR-V would be perfect for the new baby.”
The “oldest” BR-V in the bunch is driven by Maria Victoria “Vicki” Buenaobra, who got her BR-V S in Taffeta White from Honda Cars Manila last March.
Vicki finds her BR-V as the ideal vehicle in running her own business. “I run an Airbnb. Since the units are in separate locations, I need to travel from one unit to the next,” she said.
Seeing everything in an SUV
Like Dags and JM, Vicki was also used to driving a small car. “I started driving with a Volkswagen Beetle, and then a Toyota Vios sedan. When I tried driving an SUV, I found it so comfortable, and I could see everything. So, I was choosing between a Toyota Cross and the BR-V, and I liked the features of the BR-V more,” she said.
And when upland life becomes a bit overwhelming, Vicki said that she and her family hop on the BR-V and “go to the beach.”
“One thing I love about my BR-V is that it’s compact, but at the same time, it fits seven or sometimes eight of us. It looks compact, but when you go inside, it’s spacious. How the designers and engineers at Honda do that is impressive,” Vicki said.
All three BR-V owners have their vehicles serviced at either the Honda Cars dealership in Rosario, La Union, or in Calasiao, Pangasinan.
Real-world readouts and wish lists
The three revealed their real-world fuel mileage with the BR-V. For JM, Baguio City driving gets him around 9 to 10 km/liter. Vicki shared that during one of the worst traffic jams in the city, her BR-V was still able to manage 7 km/liter, while her long drives to the beaches with family yields 11 km/liter. Dags’ Manila-to-Baguio trips show between 11 and 13 km/liter.
In a 2022 report published in the Honda Cars Philippines website (hondaphil.com), the BR-V achieved fuel economy ratings of 24.71 km/liter for the 1.5 V CVT, followed by the top-of-the-line 1.5 VX CVT Honda SENSING registering 23.49 km/liter, while the 1.5 S CVT achieved 22.62 km/liter based on the fuel economy run conducted in partnership with the Automobile Association Philippines (AAP). The test ran for 128 km of highway driving, at 60-80 kph, air-conditioning at 24°C, and fan speed setting at 1.
Dags’ wish list for his BR-V includes having a 360-degree camera, especially for newbie drivers. “I’d also like a higher engine displacement option someday,” he added.
Vicki wishes that a Honda Cars dealership would open closer to home. “We have a lot of Honda owners in Baguio City, yet the nearest casa is in La Union, about a 1.5-hour drive away.”
As for JM, he wishes that the BR-V would have an automatic tailgate feature. “Plus, a bit of an upgrade in the interior tech would be nice—maybe add a wireless charger,” he quipped.
Word of mouth
This early in their ownership journey of the BR-V, would they recommend it to others?
Vicki said she already has. “One of my friends also bought one in Manila after I recommended it. I’ve recommended it to other friends and family.”
Dags is still in what he describes as his “evaluation phase” of his new BR-V. “I’m still getting to know the BR-V since I just purchased it two months ago. I would only be 100 percent confident to recommend it after I’ve used it for three years.”
JM, however, is already a believer. “I would recommend it. In fact, may mga nabudol na akong friends (I’ve already convinced some friends to buy). They’re also from Baguio. My selling point to them is that the BR-V has power that’s different from other brands. It’s power that suits Baguio’s unique roads. You don’t even need to change to low or S gear. Just let it stay on D, and you won’t be bitin (underpowered). It can handle Baguio, even when fully packed with passengers,” JM stressed.
