Baguio motorist insists, ‘small is better!’
For anyone who has ever driven their cars in Baguio, they already know that the summer capital of the Philippines only has eyes for compact vehicles. The smaller they come, the breezier it gets to navigate the twists and turns of the city’s dizzying, narrow high-altitude mountain roads. It’s a no-brainer actually. Compacts and subcompacts are obviously easier to maneuver in tight spaces, especially on the daily bumper-to-bumper traffic towards the city center. Then there’s the eternal hunt for parking; a subcompact is a lifesaver, allowing you to squeeze into those tight, angled slots on Session Road or near Burnham Park that SUV owners can only dream of.
Oh, and if you noticed, fuel prices in Baguio are significantly more expensive than those in the lowlands, which is expected because carrying fuel up mile-high mountains requires more energy. More energy means more money. Beyond just saving on that pricey fuel, a lighter vehicle simply puts less strain on its engine when tackling the city’s notoriously steep inclines, making the drive feel more responsive and less labored. You know how it goes.
Erl Lardizabal certainly knows how these things go. These were the very reasons he cited for his choice of his daily driver in Baguio.
Erl has practically spent his entire life in Baguio. He currently works as a virtual assistant.
“Here in Baguio, parking space is very scarce. Unlike in other provinces where you have space for your garage, more often than not here, you make do with roadside parking away from your residence. And when a lot of tourists come in with their own vehicles, it’s doubly challenging to find parking space. But somehow things are easier when you drive a compact here. Even in malls, there is space for tiny cars,” Erl observes.
Erl says that, being a small city, Baguio is suited for the practical motorist. “Since I don’t have a family yet, I don’t need a bigger car. My first car, a Japanese brand which I had for 5 years, was a compact. And so is my second, current car.”
And the city seems to be a haven for defensive drivers, too. He stresses, “In Baguio, law enforcers are strict. We also have a different driving culture in Baguio. We have more patient drivers here. Real Baguio drivers are patient. Mabait.”
Erl is the chapter head for the Baguio Honda Brio Club. He owns an Electric Lime Metallic colored Honda Brio (a Gen 2.5), while his mom owns an earlier model Gen 2 Brio. Erl acquired his Brio in late 2023.
Erl’s choice for small cars is consistent, precise, and deliberate, much like his passion and skill for airsoft. He’s part of the Philippine delegation for airsoft tactical shooting. His group has participated in international competitions, alongside representatives from the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, and Australia. He has been a member of Baguio Airsoft Club for a year and a half.
Brio ownership
In 2023, Erl decided that he needed to sell his 5-year-old subcompact hatch. He wanted another subcompact. When he drove his mom’s Brio, that was when he decided to get one for himself.
“Power- and riding comfort-wise, Brio wins. My older car felt entry level, with not much features. Not so with the Brio,” he said.
“The handling is smooth. There’s power when you step on it. And when you’re driving in Baguio, your car better have power. My Brio’s an automatic variant CVT I got from Honda San Fernando (La Union).”
I myself drove a Stellar Diamond Pearl color Brio from Manila to meet Erl near dusk in Camp John Hay. When he saw the unit I was driving, he exclaimed that this color was his “first choice,” but that the dealers said that it was so in demand, they ran out of them. Eventually, he grew to love his Electric Lime Metallic, which truly stood out and blended well with Baguio’s tall greens. “So, it looks cool,” Erl said, looking as if the pun was intended.
My real-world driving of the Brio, from the city traffic of Las Pinas, through the tollways and up to Baguio City via Marcos Highway yielded between 14 and 15 km/liter on the digital readout for a distance of 285 km.
The Honda Cars Philippines website says its fuel efficiency is 19.6 km/liter based on UNR-101 test results. In a 2019 fuel efficiency run supervised by the Automobile Association Philippines, the Brio was able to get 24.39 km/liter for over 231 km. But that was in controlled conditions, on relatively flat highways, with speeds averaging between 60 and 80 kph.
“Based on my experience driving frequently between Manila and Baguio, my full tank lasts me a full trip from Baguio to Manila, and then halfway back to Baguio. That’s real world driving, with the aircon on,” Erl recalls.
Without hesitation, Erl said he would recommend Brio to his closest friends, “11 times out of 10,” he laughs.
“You won’t regret it. You won’t think of other subcompact cars anymore when you’re in a Brio.”
Erl’s 2-year-old Brio has logged 13,000 km in its odometer. He goes around town usually on weekends. Manila’s the farthest he’s driven with the Brio, and he dreams of driving it to Ilocos—his father’s hometown—one day.
Ironically, in his Brio, Erl says he feels there’s always space to meet his friends. “I’m very happy with the interior space. The leg room is spacious. The trunk space is better compared to my previous subcompact hatch.”
Erl has three items on his wishlist for his Brio. The first: That a dealership closer to Baguio City would open up, so that he could save on fuel costs whenever he brings the car in for periodic maintenance servicing. “Honda requires PMS every 6 months, and they’re strict about that. So, twice a year, I have to drive to the Honda dealership in La Union. When Kennon Road is closed, it takes around one hour and 30 minutes to drive there,” Erl explains.
The second: That there would be a “warm” setting for the aircon, “since we’re already in Baguio and the weather outside is already cold.”
The third: That the Brio’s headlights wouldn’t be LED, “because in Baguio, when it’s raining and it’s usually foggy, the white light of the LED bounces back to the driver, and doesn’t penetrate too well into the fog. And when you need to replace the light, I find out that I need to replace the entire headlight assembly.”
How does Erl assess the Brio ride itself? “The Brio feels very stable even at high speeds along the expressways. More stable feeling than my first car, for sure.”
